Jaylen Waddle Ends Season With Disappointing Performance In Loss To Jets
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle caught four of nine targets for 44 yards in the 32-20 Week 18 loss to the New York Jets. He also carried the ball once for six yards. It was a disappointing ending to a season where Waddle was at career lows in all major receiving statistics. He failed to reach 1000 yards for the first time as a pro and finished third on the team in receiving yards behind Jonnu Smith. With Tyreek Hill making it abundantly clear that he wants to be traded out of Miami, there's a chance Waddle can return to being the WR1 for the first time since 2021. Tua Tagovailoa missing four games heavily contributed to Waddle's decline, but he looks to head into 2025 fully healthy. He will look to start fresh and return to his old self when the season returns in September.
Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle Officially Active Against Jets
Miami Dolphins wide receivers Jaylen Waddle (knee) and Tyreek Hill (wrist, illness) are officially active for Sunday's Week 18 contest against the New York Jets. Both players had been listed as questionable, but they will suit up with the AFC's No. 7 seed on the line. While Hill and Waddle are playing Sunday, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (hip) is not, so the two receivers will be catching passes from Tyler Huntley. Hill ranks as a mid-to-low WR2 while Waddle belongs in the WR3/FLEX range.
Dolphins Optimistic About Jaylen Waddle Despite Questionable Tag
Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said he's optimistic about the status of wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (knee) for Sunday's game against the division-rival New York Jets in the Week 18 regular-season finale despite Waddle being listed as questionable. Waddle has missed the last two games due to his knee injury but upgraded to a full practice session on Friday after two limited showings earlier this week. As things stand right now, Waddle is more likely to return than not for a must-win game against the Jets. It's good news for the Dolphins offense, but Waddle should still be considered a volatile WR4/flex play in fantasy this weekend if he's active on Sunday. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (hip) is expected to miss his second straight game, so Waddle could be taking passes from backup Tyler Huntley while potentially dealing with a limited snap count.
Jaylen Waddle Limited In Practice Again On Thursday
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (knee) picked up a second straight limited tag in practice this week on Thursday. Waddle hasn't played in the last two games due to his knee injury, although he has been moving around well at practice this week as the team prepares for another must-win game in the Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday in New York against the division-rival Jets. However, the 26-year-old will probably need to put in a full practice session on Friday to be fully cleared to return this weekend. With Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (hip) in danger of missing his second straight game, Waddle is shaping up as a pretty shaky fantasy option if he's active in Week 18. Backup QB Tyler Huntley peppered Tyreek Hill with targets with Waddle out last week and could do so again if Tagovailoa is ruled out.
Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle Both Limited On Wednesday
In the team's first practice of Week 18 preparation, Miami Dolphins wide receivers Tyreek Hill (wrist) and Jaylen Waddle (knee) were both listed as limited participants. Hill has been on the injury report for most of the year while managing a wrist injury, but it hasn't caused him to miss any games and he should be ready to go for a must-win Week 18 game on Sunday against the division-rival New York Jets in the regular-season finale. Waddle, meanwhile, has missed the last two games with a knee injury and is much more up in the air. Of the two, Hill is the much better fantasy option with WR1 upside in Week 18. With quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (hip) sitting out the Week 17 win over the Cleveland Browns, Tyler Huntley and Hill connected nine times on nine targets for 105 yards. If Waddle is able to return this weekend, he should be considered a risky, low-floor WR4/flex in fantasy lineups.
Dolphins Optimistic About Jaylen Waddle For Week 18
Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said on Monday that he's optimistic on wide receiver Jaylen Waddle's (knee) status for the Week 18 regular-season finale this Sunday against the division-rival New York Jets. McDaniel said that Waddle was held out for the second straight game in the Week 17 win over the Cleveland Browns because of the risk of aggravation. Even if the 26-year-old pass-catcher is able to gain clearance to play this Sunday against the Jets, he could be taking passes from quarterback Tyler Huntley with Tua Tagovailoa (hip) up in the air to play. That would likely make Waddle a shaky WR4/flex, at best, for fantasy managers with a championship on the line. Waddle is having the worst season of his career in 2024 in his fourth year in the league with only 700 receiving yards and two TDs on 54 receptions. The former first-rounder had 1,000 yards in his first three seasons.
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (knee) was originally considered questionable for the Week 17 matchup with the Cleveland Browns but has since been ruled inactive. Tyreek Hill (wrist), on the other hand, will play while the offense misses Tua Tagovailoa (hip). Malik Washington should be the one to step up and see some more targets since Odell Beckham Jr. isn't competing for any looks. Waddle's next chance to play will be Week 18 against the New York Jets.
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (knee) is unlikely to play in Week 17 against the Cleveland Browns, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. The Alabama product also missed last week's game with the injury, during which rookie receiver Malik Washington played 87% of the team's snaps. Further complicating things is the likely absence of starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (hip), thrusting backup Tyler Huntley into the starting role. Though Cleveland is a bottom-five defense against fantasy receivers, a backup quarterback should temper expectations for the Dolphins' passing game.
Jaylen Waddle Questionable For Week 17, Dolphins Optimistic About His Status
Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel indicated that wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (knee) will be questionable for Sunday's game against the Cleveland Browns, but the head coach also said he's optimistic Waddle will be available. Waddle logged a limited practice on Thursday, an encouraging sign for his chances to suit up on Sunday. The Dolphins travel to Ohio to take on the Browns (3-12) and try to keep their slim playoff hopes alive. The Dolphins are notorious for underperforming in cold weather, making Waddle challenging to trust in Week 17. Waddle comes with risk for fantasy championship week and is a borderline WR3/FLEX option if active against the Browns. Malik Washington would see an uptick in targets and be on the FLEX radar in deep leagues if Waddle can't suit up against Cleveland.
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (knee) is practicing on Thursday after missing Wednesday's session with a knee injury. The three-time 1,000-yard receiver missed last week's contest against the San Francisco 49ers, but his return to the practice field could mean he's trending toward facing the Cleveland Browns in Week 17. Waddle is having the least productive season of his young career, catching 54 passes for 700 yards and two touchdowns in 14 games. However, he always has spike-week upside, especially in favorable matchups. The Browns have allowed the third-most fantasy points per game to wide receivers, so consider Waddle a boom-or-bust flex consideration if he plays on Sunday.
Jaylen Waddle
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