For most fantasy football managers, this week is the pinnacle that we have all been working towards — the fantasy championship. However, some of the WRs that got you here might not be available this week. What is the latest on Miami Dolphins WRs Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle and Arizona Cardinals WR Marquise Brown?
WR Injury Updates
Tyreek Hill, WR, Miami Dolphins
Editor’s note: Hill returned to practice on Thursday for the Dolphins.
Miami’s star WR Hill has had a season just short of extraordinary. The WR1 this season currently has 1,641 yards receiving and 12 TDs. He missed one game due to injury, but he has made it clear that 2,000 receiving yards is his goal. He only has two games left to do it, and for any other WR, we would scoff. But with Hill, most fantasy managers see a world where this could still happen.
In Week 14 against the Tennessee Titans, Hill suffered a minor ankle injury. He was trending toward playing in Week 15 against the New York Jets, but he ultimately decided to sit out after going through pre-game warmups. The Dolphins did not need him, as they blanked the Jets.
Hill returned last week against the Dallas Cowboys, playing 85% of the snaps — his highest since Week 9. He had 14 targets — his most since Week 7 — and finished with 99 receiving yards. He led Miami with targets, receptions, and receiving yards on Sunday after teammate Waddle left the game twice with two different injuries.
Hill did not practice on Wednesday, due to his ankle, but “veteran rest” was also listed on the Miami injury report.
It seems like Hill will be on the field against the Baltimore Ravens this week, and the Dolphins need him. Hill might have to do it all as Waddle is battling eye and shin injuries and the RB core is banged up. He is the WR3 in PFN’s Consensus Rankings this week.
Jaylen Waddle, WR, Miami Dolphins
Editor’s note: Waddle was sidelined still at practice on Thursday for the Dolphins.
It isn’t just Hill battling injury for Miami — Waddle is also questionable for Week 17. In the Week 16 matchup against Dallas, Waddle was in and out of the game, dealing with a shin issue, as well as a poke in the eye. He only played 43% of the snaps last week, which was the lowest of the season.
Even though Waddle has not had the incredible fantasy season that managers were hoping for, he is still the WR23 and can have a ceiling game.
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He didn’t practice on Wednesday due to what is being called a high-ankle injury, and HC Mike McDaniel told the press that Waddle’s injury isn’t “overly severe,” and that it would be “tough to rule him out” for this weekend’s matchup against Baltimore.
Baltimore will be challenging for the WRs. They allow the eighth-fewest fantasy points to opposing receivers, and if Waddle cannot play, options beyond Hill are limited. Miami will have to look to WRs Cedrick Wilson Jr. and Chase Claypool to fill the gap.
Marquise Brown, WR, Arizona Cardinals
Arizona’s top WR, Brown, has had nothing close to the fantasy season that was expected. Fantasy managers anticipated a rough start to the year, but when QB Kyler Murray returned, most people predicted Brown to comfortably slide into that WR1 role and at least be serviceable every week. That has not been the case, as Brown is currently the WR47 on the season with 574 yards receiving and four TDs.
Fantasy managers would love Brown to be healthy and available for the matchup against Philadelphia this week — they are the best matchup for fantasy WRs. HC Jonathan Gannon said, referring to Brown, “We’ll see what comes along there this week and hopefully get him back out there. What I need from him is to make sure he can be the player he is and help us win the game and make sure he’s healthy enough to do that.”
If Brown is sidelined, the biggest recipient of any vacated targets would be TE Trey McBride. He has been coming on strong over the last few weeks, averaging over six targets a game.
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