Chig Okonkwo vs Darnell Washington: Who Should You Start?
Deciding between Chig Okonkwo and Darnell Washington is a common lineup dilemma for fantasy managers. The Washington Commanders tight end put up 5.6 PPG in 2025 over 17 games; Darnell Washington of the Pittsburgh Steelers averaged 3.6 in 16. A 2.0-point margin that could shift on any given week.
The per-game difference of 2.0 points favors Chig Okonkwo, though savvy managers know that gap can shrink or widen depending on the weekly slate. Defensive matchup, recent scoring trends, and health status all shift the calculus from one tight end to the other.
Chig Okonkwo is the volume tight end in this matchup with 56 receptions for 560 yards, while Darnell Washington profiles as a more touchdown-dependent spike play (1 scores on 31 catches). In weeks where Darnell Washington finds the end zone he out-scores Chig Okonkwo, but the floor gap is real.
One scheduling note: Chig Okonkwo is off Week 14 and Darnell Washington Week 9. If these two are on your roster, you will need a fill-in tight end for both weeks. DraftCall flags bye conflicts so you can plan ahead rather than panic on waivers.
