MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Tua Tagovailoa and Tyreek Hill get all the attention, but the Miami Dolphins‘ true X-factor against the Los Angeles Chargers Sunday is third-year receiver Jaylen Waddle.
Since 2021, the Dolphins are 10-4 in games in which Waddle goes over 70 receiving yards. In games in which he’s held under 60, they’re 2-11.
So it’s not an overstatement to say that the Dolphins go as Waddle does. And when the Dolphins and Chargers met last December, things went pretty poorly.
Jaylen Waddle Is Miami Dolphins’ X-Factor
In fact, they went poorly for Waddle the Dolphins’ entire West Coast swing.
Miami’s losses to the 49ers and Chargers in consecutive weeks were by far Waddle’s worst two-game stretch of his career. In those games, he had just three catches on nine targets for 40 yards and zero touchdowns.
J.C. Jackson is expected to play on Sunday… how much will he play?
He also says in order to defend Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill they will have to be physical at the line of scrimmage, get their hands on them and stay aggressive. pic.twitter.com/nchbpWeqn5
— Bridget Condon (@BridgetCondon_) September 6, 2023
The Chargers held Waddle to two receptions on four targets for 31 yards, although that stat line doesn’t include a 10-yard defensive pass interference penalty.
Los Angeles employed press coverage, and Waddle had trouble shedding it. That task could get even taller this year with the news that J.C. Jackson is expected to play in the opener after missing the last half of 2022 with a torn patellar tendon.
“I think they had a good game plan against us last year,” Waddle said Wednesday, back at practice after dealing with an oblique injury for much of camp.
“They’re going to have a good game plan again this year. You just go out there and just hone-in on the things we can do. Just do our assignment, do it at a high level, and I think we’re going to be alright.”
History suggests he’s right. A couple of quick encouraging factoids for Dolphins fans from Inside Edge on our way out:
- Waddle averaged 18.1 yards per reception on 116 targets in the 2022 season — best of 69 qualified NFL WRs.
- Waddle averaged 15.3 yards per target in the last four weeks of the regular season — best of 38 qualified NFL WRs.
- Waddle averaged 11.1 yards per target on early downs in the 2022 season — second best of 68 qualified NFL WRs.
- Waddle has 57 receptions on third down since the 2021 season — fourth most among NFL WRs.