Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle is a part of the league’s most explosive offense.
Chicago Bears wide receiver DJ Moore is hoping some offseason moves will put his team into the same discussion.
So which player should fantasy managers choose in their drafts? Let’s check out the fantasy outlook for each player heading into this season.
2024 Fantasy Outlook for Jaylen Waddle
Waddle is WR14 in Pro Football Network’s consensus fantasy football rankings.
Simply put, Waddle took a step back last season. His numbers weren’t terrible by anyone’s standards — 72 receptions, 1,014 receiving yards, four touchdown receptions, 14.1 yards per reception — but they weren’t nearly as good as the previous season.
Remember, back in 2022, Waddle had 75 catches for 1,356 yards, eight touchdowns, and a league-leading 18.1 yards per reception.
From a fantasy standpoint, the end result was Waddle went from inside the top 15 among wide receivers in scoring in 2022 (15.2 fantasy points per game, 13th) to outside the top 20 in this category last season (14.2, 22nd).
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Health could have been a valid excuse for Waddle’s numbers trending down last season. He missed three games in 2023 due to different injuries, and he has missed practice time this preseason with an undisclosed injury.
Should this latest injury issue be cause for concern for fantasy managers? Probably not, since it appears as if he’ll be ready to go in Week 1.
On the other hand, the Dolphins are loaded with weapons at the skill positions. Tyreek Hill is arguably the best receiver in the NFL, and at running back, the Dolphins have the NFL’s top touchdown scorer from last season — Raheem Mostert — along with second-year big-play man De’Von Achane.
2024 Fantasy Outlook for DJ Moore
Moore comes in as the WR20 on PFN’s consensus rankings. And while Waddle saw his numbers in 2023 decline, Moore is coming off a season in which he had career-highs all over the place.
In his first season with the Bears last year, Moore had personal bests in receptions (96), receiving yards (1,364) and touchdown receptions (eight).
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Moore’s 16.9 fantasy points per game average (ninth among WR) and his 286.5 total fantasy points (sixth) were not only top 10 among wide receivers, but they were also both the highest mark of his career.
Moore had at least 20 fantasy points in six of his 17 games, the most such 20+ point games in a season in his career.
Who Should I Draft in 2024?
While Waddle has an established quarterback and one of the league’s best in Tua Tagovailoa, Moore will be receiving passes from Caleb Williams, the No. 1 overall pick in April’s NFL Draft.
While the natural belief is that Williams will struggle as a rookie and that will impact Moore’s numbers, last season’s performance by Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud showed us that it is possible to have a productive rookie season.
Moore’s numbers continue to increase, and I would be fine taking a chance on them continuing to increase in 2024.