Trae Young Can't Save the Wizards' Fantasy Season

Washington's Latest Face-Plant and What It Means for Your Roster

Another night, another L for the Washington Wizards, and frankly, I'm tired of seeing their names pop up on my fantasy waiver wire. We just saw them get stomped by the Philadelphia 76ers, 131-110, on January 7, 2026. Joel Embiid dropped 28 points, Paul George added 23 for the Sixers. That's a beatdown, plain and simple.

Here's the thing: Washington acquired Trae Young in a trade with the Hawks, which felt like a desperation move. You'd think adding a guy who can light up the scoreboard would give them some juice, right? Wrong. The Wizards still look lost out there. Remember back on December 2, 2025? Tyrese Maxey went off for 35 points, 20 of them in the third quarter alone, as the 76ers beat them 121-102. That's two significant losses to the same team in just over a month.

Fantasy Fallout from the Trae Young Era (So Far)

Look, I love Trae Young's fantasy upside as much as the next guy. He racks up assists, he scores in bunches. But joining this Wizards team? It's like putting a Ferrari engine in a broken-down Pinto. His assist numbers might stay high out of sheer necessity, but his efficiency could take a hit trying to carry this squad. The team around him just isn't getting it done, and that impacts his overall fantasy value, especially in categories like plus/minus (if your league tracks it) and even field goal percentage as he forces shots.

And let's be real, the Wizards' defensive woes mean opposing teams are feasting. Embiid had 28 points on January 7. Maxey had 35 on December 2. If you've got Sixers players, you're loving these matchups. If you're relying on anyone on the Wizards not named Trae Young, you're probably pulling your hair out. Guys who could be decent streamers on other teams become borderline unplayable in Washington.

My hot take? Trae Young's move to Washington, while exciting for real-life trades, is actually a downgrade for his fantasy value this season. He'll put up numbers, but the consistent high-end production will be harder to find.

I predict the Wizards will finish outside the top 10 in offensive efficiency, dragging down everyone's fantasy ceiling, even Young's.