The cupboard appears to be bare for the Miami Dolphins at wide receiver. The team released former All-Pro Tyreek Hill and traded ex-1,000-yard receiver Jaylen Waddle this offseason. But without those two wideouts, another playmaker, such as Malik Washington, stands to receive more opportunities.
With that in mind, Pro Football Sports Network’s Jacob Infante named Washington his top 2026 breakout candidate for the Dolphins.
“With the departures of Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill, the Miami Dolphins find themselves worryingly thin at the wide receiver position. The bright side of that is that there should be plenty of opportunities for young weapons, Malik Washington perhaps being chief among them,” wrote Infante.
“Washington is already a valuable return specialist for the Dolphins, having served in that role each of the last two years. His receiving stats jumped up from 2024 to 2025, and heading into the third season of his NFL career, he could be a potential breakout performer with a larger sample size.”
Last season, Washington posted 46 receptions, 317 receiving yards and three touchdowns. He has registered 540 receiving yards in 31 career NFL games.
Why Malik Washington Could Break out for Dolphins in 2026
GettyPro Football Sports Network’s Jacob Infante called Miami Dolphins wide receiver Malik Washington the team’s top breakout candidate for the 2026 NFL season.
Quite frankly, Washington is a breakout candidate for the Dolphins because Miami doesn’t have a lot of other options at wideout.
To replace Hill and Waddle, the team signed veterans Jalen Tolbert and Tutu Atwell in NFL free agency. The Dolphins also selected three wide receivers in the 2026 NFL Draft — Chris Bell, Caleb Douglas and Kevin Coleman Jr.
Douglas and Bell were each third-round picks. They could have an impact as rookies.
But Washington returns as Miami’s top incumbent receiver with the most upside.
Through two NFL seasons, Washington has returner-like receiving numbers. He’s caught a high percentage of his passes, but a lot of them have been the short, quick variety.
Washington has averaged just 7.5 yards per catch. He posted 6.9 yards per reception in 2025.
Perhaps Washington can produce more down the field, though, with more of an opportunity during 2026.
Dolphins Found Great Value in Washington During 2024 NFL Draft
GettyMiami Dolphins wide receiver Malik Washington caught 46 passes during the 2025 NFL season.
The Dolphins nabbed Washington early in the sixth round of the NFL Draft two years ago. That could lead some pundits to question whether Miami’s third-round rookie receivers this year won’t play a bigger role in the team’s offense than Washington.
But entering the 2024 draft, some pundits gave Washington a third-round grade. That’s where NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein projected him to land during the draft process two years ago.
“Performed as a heavily targeted slot receiver in his single season at Virginia after transferring from Northwestern. Washington’s catch total is filled with a high number of quick-game throws and short out routes that allowed him to use his contact balance to stack plenty of tough yards after the catch,” wrote Zielein. “Washington possesses premium catch focus, buttery smooth hands and mature ball skills, but he needs to prove he can elude press and run an NFL route tree with better attention to detail.”
The Dolphins added veteran receivers in Tolbert and Atwell to keep Washington in the slot if that continues to be where he fits best. But Washington could still receive more targets than any other receiver on Miami’s roster this fall.
It wouldn’t be surprising if that volume leads to a breakout season for the third-year wideout.
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