MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — In Year 3, perception does not match reality for Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle.
In 2023, Waddle is on track to have more catches than he did in 2022 and more receiving yards than he did in 2021.
Only 15 NFL players have more yards than Waddle this year (964). He’s top 20 in catches (71) and top 30 in efficiency (13.6 yards per catch). Half the league would love to have Waddle as WR1.
But since he’s playing in the shadow of Tyreek Hill, Waddle doesn’t get the notoriety — or, quite frankly, the targets — that he would elsewhere.
Credit Waddle for not making that an issue publicly — even if, as his teammates have suggested recently, it has bothered him.
Miami Dolphins Teammates Discuss Jaylen Waddle’s 2023 Season
In the aftermath of Waddle’s eight-catch, 142-yard explosion against the Jets in Week 15 — season-highs that came with Hill out with an ankle injury — Dolphins running back Raheem Mostert offered this up unprompted:
“It sucks that we didn’t have [Hill] today because he’s a hell of a player, definitely a gold jacket guy, and I say that with full conviction. But when it comes to this offense, you just see the guys that step up, the guys that need to step up.
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“Enough doesn’t get talked about is what Waddle has done today. I know he’s been battling personally for himself because he feels like he’s not bringing enough to the table, and as you would expect, but for him to come out today with Tyreek out and handle business, I think he had, what, seven for like 143 or something like that and a touchdown, so that tells you the type of characters we have in this offense and on this team.”
Three days later, Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa echoed Mostert’s comments.
“Me personally, I’ve seen [a guy] that’s just came in day in, day out, just grinding,” Tagovailoa said. “Not once did I ever see him feel sorry for himself throughout the success that Tyreek has had. But you could see that there had been some times where it’s like, ‘Man, I sort of wish I was involved more, or this happened more, this happened.’
“You know, it’s one of those deals where I’ve said it before where we’ve called a play for Waddle to be the person, you know, to be first in that progression, and it just so happens, the defense doesn’t allow for that route to be open.
“But, as anyone else would, I’m sure he was very frustrated, you know, coming from being the WR1 in [his] rookie year and in my second year to, you know … wide receiver 1B.
“‘Like, where do I fit in this offense?’ And so for, you know, for him to have been able to go out, you know, and show to everyone and remind everyone like — letting you guys know, ‘I’m still that person if you guys allow me that opportunity.’ So, very proud of what he’s done, what he’s put on tape, and what he continues to do for our team.”
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