Top three fullbacks for Redskins to target in 2020 free agency
Fullback. Los Angeles Chargers. Derek Watt. 3. player. 13.
Most NFL fans know J.J. Watt and T.J. Watt. But what about Derek Watt? The middle Watt brother doesn’t get quite as much attention as the ones on the defensive side of the ball, but he is a solid blocker.
Watt has been with the Los Angeles Chargers since being selected in the sixth round of the 2016 NFL Draft. Since that time, he has been a solid run blocker for the Chargers and has been given the occasional chance to carry the ball.
In 2019, Watt saw a career-high in carries with seven and turned them into 10 yards and a touchdown. That may not seem great at a glance, but it’s important to note that four of Watt’s carries came in the red zone, so the team may have just been trying to confuse the defense in short-yardage situations. And he did have a touchdown on his one carry inside the 5-yard-line, so it seems that he can work as a short-yardage battering ram.
Watt won’t offer a lot as a receiver. But he is capable of catching passes and making some big plays. He has 10 catches in four years for 152 yards, though it is important to note that his longest catch, 53 yards, came as a rookie.
If the Chargers elect to let Watt walk, he could probably be had on the cheaper side. Given that he’s just 27, he could improve a bit and at the very least, he is a solid run blocker out of the backfield and a good special teams contributor. He wouldn’t likely cost more than $1 million and could even be had for the veteran minimum. That may be worth it to improve the team’s fullback situation.