Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle enters his second year after a breakout 2021 campaign. Will Waddle produce enough to be on your fantasy football roster, and what is his current ADP in fantasy drafts?
Jaylen Waddle ADP | Is he worth his current price in fantasy drafts?
Waddle’s current ADP is 47th overall as the 18th wide receiver selected in fantasy drafts. This means he’s being taken in the fourth round of standard leagues. Other players drafted in this range include Diontae Johnson and DK Metcalf.
Comparatively, Waddle is ranked 50th overall and the 22nd wide receiver on our expert’s 2022 fantasy football rankings list. He’s far from a bad value at his ADP, even if our order of receivers differs slightly. The presence of Tyreek Hill will certainly affect Waddle’s fantasy upside, though.
It’s hard to use much of what we saw in 2021 for this entire Dolphins offense. Tua Tagovailoa will be in a better position to be more than an RPO quarterback thanks to Mike McDaniel’s scheme and improved surrounding cast. The unit will be more than functional, finally.
Hill’s addition muddies the situation for Waddle. I’m optimistic both will clear the 1,000-yard mark after seeing the 49ers average 250 yards passing per game with Jimmy Garoppolo in 2021. The 49ers nearly had three 1,000-yard receivers, with Deebo Samuel at 1,400 yards, a 900-yard tight end in George Kittle, and an 800-yard receiver in Brandon Aiyuk.
Miami has yet to prove they have the running game of San Francisco, meaning the second and third receivers will benefit from Tua passing more. Enter Waddle as the perfect Robin to Hill’s Batman.
Jaylen Waddle’s projected fantasy value in 2022
Waddle was spectacular as a rookie as he overcame an offense that wasn’t exactly tailored to his strengths. He made the best of his targets, catching 104 passes for 1,015 yards and six scores. All of his touchdowns came within the red zone.
Hill will surely bite into his opportunities, but Waddle will also take from his teammate. These are two highly-efficient red-zone stars, which is perfect for Tua to improve his numbers and create a healthy ecosystem. That all being said, if there’s someone to fade on this offense, it’s Waddle.
Miami also has Cedrick Wilson Jr. and Mike Gesicki as players who can usurp some of Waddle’s best targets. Because of this muddied dynamic of an offense that added a significant number of pieces in one offseason, the player to be concerned about in regards to upside and consistency each week is Waddle.
This isn’t a reflection of Waddle’s talent or anyone else’s, but rather the machinations of moving parts on a young team. It’s more likely Waddle sees fewer targets but is more explosive within this offense. That might lead to a bigger overall season, but it’s hard to use his 2021 season as a strong indicator of what’s to come.
Waddle’s fantasy value is that of a Flex starter. I wouldn’t rely on him as a WR2 for a championship-worthy, redraft team. If you are, you’ll need to get a little fortunate.