The final week of the regular season still sees some leagues and fantasy football managers fighting for a fantasy championship. And some of those managers will be sweating over the status of Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle. Waddle’s status is in question due to an ankle injury.
Will Waddle play tonight against the Buffalo Bills? What is the latest update regarding his ankle injury? And, if Waddle cannot play tonight against the Bills, who are some suitable alternatives to select in lineups instead?
Is Jaylen Waddle Going To Play Week 18?
Waddle suffered a high ankle sprain in Week 16 that led to him missing the heavy defeat to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 17.
Waddle did not practice on Wednesday or Thursday this week. However, a return to practice on Friday, albeit in a limited capacity, has given fantasy managers a glimmer of hope that Waddle will return this week.
However, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network has provided an update this morning. He posted on social media platform X, “#Dolphins RB Raheem Mostert (knee/ankle) and WR Jaylen Waddle (ankle) — both listed as questionable — are not expected to play Sunday night vs. the #Bills, per me and @RapSheet. Both should be ready for the playoffs. But Miami will try to win the AFC East without them.”
It appears that Waddle will not be playing in Week 18 against the Bills. What should fantasy managers do as an alternative? Let’s look deeper at two potential fantasy options for fantasy managers this week.
Potential Fantasy Options If Waddle Is Out Include Gabriel Davis and Jordan Addison
With Waddle likely missing in Week 18, two options fantasy managers can turn to include Gabriel Davis and Jordan Addison.
Davis has been the ultimate boom-or-bust fantasy option and should only be considered by fantasy managers if you are chasing upside in your fantasy championship game. Davis has eight games this season where he has scored under five fantasy points.
On the other hand, Davis has six games where he has scored over 13.5 fantasy points and five where he has scored over 18 fantasy points. There is absolutely no consistency in his performances. In Week 16, he scored 23 fantasy points. In Week 17, he managed a lowly 3.1 fantasy points.
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With Stefon Diggs currently off the boil and the Bills needing a victory to win the AFC East and secure a playoff berth, it might be time to throw in Davis and hope he performs in a tight spot. The Dolphins allow 28.1 fantasy points per game to wide receivers — someone needs to grab those points. Why not Davis? He is WR30 in the PFN Consensus Rankings this week.
Jordan Addison comes into this week as the WR23 in fantasy football. Yet, he is coming off two of his worst performances of the season in Weeks 16 and 17. For context, Addison left the field in the first quarter in Week 16 and didn’t return, and he had to overcome the disastrous play of quarterback Jaren Hall in the first half of Week 17.
Addison comes into this week as our PFN Consensus Rankings WR35. However, he splits the panel equally, with Kyle Yates and Kyle Soppe having him significantly higher in their rankings — I tend to agree with them. The Vikings are still playing for a playoff spot and are back to playing Nick Mullens at quarterback this week.
Addison also has a great matchup this week as the Minnesota Vikings take on the already-crowned NFC North champion Detroit Lions. The Lions won’t be as motivated as the Vikings. Additionally, they allow 32.4 fantasy points per game to wide receivers, the fourth-most in the NFL coming into Week 18.
Personally, Addison carries WR2 upside in PPR leagues this week and should be a start option, even in the Flex this week.
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