Notre Dame WR Malachi Fields Named to Biletnikoff Award Watch List

The senior wide receiver picked up his second accolade of the preseason. He is poised for another big season.

Notre Dame wide receiver Malachi Fields runs with the ball during a football practice at Irish Athletic Center on Thursday, July 31, 2025, in South Bend. | MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Notre Dame Fighting Irish transfer wide receiver Malachi Fields has been named to the 2025 Biletnikoff Award Watch List, which recognizes the nation’s outstanding college football receiver.

This is the senior's second-straight season named to the Biletnikoff Award’s watch list. This is also the second preseason accolade for Fields. He has already been named to the 2025 Phil Steele Preseason All-America Fourth Team. 

Notre Dame has had one prior winner of the Biletnikoff Award. Golden Tate won the award in 2009.

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Elite out wide ☘️

Malachi Fields has been named to the Biletnikoff Award Watch List for the second-straight season #GoIrish☘️ pic.twitter.com/f4LEor0G8i

— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) August 6, 2025

Fields transferred to Notre Dame in the summer of 2025 from Virginia. He ranks tied for seventh in the nation among all FBS players in consecutive games with a reception. He has caught a pass in 27 straight games. Fields has posted 129 receptions for 1,849 yards and 11 touchdowns. He has done this all in only 36 games, 25 of which he started.

Fields has accumulated more than 800 receiving yards in each of the past two seasons, in addition to five touchdowns in both the 2023 and 2024 seasons.

In 2024, he garnered third-team All-ACC honors and fourth-team Phil Steele All-ACC honors. In 2023, he was a semifinalist for the Comeback Player of the Year Award. 

His 2024 season was productive for Virginia, with several standout performances. Fields posted career highs of 11 receptions and 148 yards at Wake Forest, while he scored twice on four receptions and 65 yards at Coastal Carolina. He scored the go-ahead touchdown and went on to have a four-catch, 63-yard performance at Boston College.

Notre Dame's Returning Wide Receiver Talent

The biggest change to Notre Dame's offense in 2025 should be the passing game. Regardless of if CJ Carr or Kenny Minchey wins the quarterback competition, the downfield passing threat should be improved.

Fields is part of that equation, joining a wide receiver corps that was strong by last season's end. Jaden Greathouse became a household name for those who watched the College Football Playoff, and he could be in store for a big 2025.

How often do you think about Jaden Greathouse absolutely snatching two Penn State players’ ankle, leaving them both on their butts in one play in a CFP Semifinal win for Notre Dame? pic.twitter.com/Lpjpje7UWp

— College Football Watcher (@CFBWatcher) July 7, 2025

Jordan Faison is set for his third season at Notre Dame, coming off a year that saw him catch 30 passes, up from the 19 he had in 2023.

Wisconsin transfer Will Pauling is another player to keep an eye on, while freshman Elijah Burress (son of former NFL star Plaxico) has been impressive early in fall camp.

Mix it all together and you have what could be the makings of a fairly dangerous Notre Dame passsing attack in 2025.