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One of the Washington Huskies’ biggest questions heading into the 2026 season is simple: who will step up at wide receiver?
While Freshman All-American Dezmen Roebuck and junior Rashid Williams both seem primed to step into bigger roles, there are still plenty of targets to go around after Denzel Boston moved on to the NFL, while Raiden-Vines Bright, who started 11 games as a true freshman, transferred to Arizona State. That leaves a golden opportunity for sophomore Chris Lawson.

If you asked anyone who went to spring practice in 2025, they would have told you that Lawson looked the best of the three freshman receivers who enrolled early, which also included Vines-Bright and Marcus Harris, who transferred to UCLA. He showed off a great feel for the game and strong hands, while lining up both in the slot and at the Z, which made him a reliable target for both Demond Williams Jr. and then-backup Kai Horton.
However, that didn’t carry over to fall camp, and Lawson was unable to compete for a spot on the depth chart while he was limited by injuries. Although he was also in and out of the lineup during spring practice due to more health issues, Jedd Fisch was pleased with what he saw from the sophomore receiver.
“It’s great to have Chris back,” Fisch said after Washington’s first spring scrimmage in April. “I think Chris is going to make a huge impact in our offense this year. The most important thing, we always tell our guys; it used to be the best ability’s availability, it’s really the best ability is reliability.”

“You’ve got to be available, you’ve got to know what to do, you’ve got to be responsible in everything you do on and off the field, and right now, Chris is taking that very serious, and he’s taking that into nutrition, his rehab, and he had a great day today.”
During his freshman year, Lawson played in eight games and pulled in 10 catches for 115 yards, but left a lot on the table. The Huskies took several deep shots to the former four-star recruit whenever he was lined up outside, and with more room to grow in the offense and develop chemistry with Williams, a strong fall camp could help Lawson establish himself on the depth chart.
This article originally appeared on Huskies Wire: WR Chris Lawson can become a key piece for Washington Huskies in 2026
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