In the last month, Miami Dolphins receiver Tyreek Hill has suffered injuries to his hip, hand, and — most recently — ankle.
And while Hill has still been among the league’s most productive receivers in the five games since injuries started being an issue, there has been a drop-off in his production over that time.
In the Dolphins’ first six games of the season, Hill averaged 135.7 receiving yards and one touchdown per game, with a 19.4 yards-per-catch average.
In the last five, those numbers dipped to 102, .8, and 11.1.
Hill — whose 120 targets lead the NFL — ranks second league-wide with eight drops and let a touchdown slip through his injured hands Friday against the Jets.
Which raises the question: Are the Dolphins using Hill too much? And is there a concern that he might wear down late in the season when the Dolphins need him the most?
Miami Dolphins’ Mike McDaniel on Tyreek Hill’s Usage
We asked Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel about that dynamic during his day-after news conference Saturday.
In response, McDaniel rightly pointed out that “targets are not the same as playtime percentage.” And while Hill’s playtime percentage (67.6%) leads all Dolphins wide receivers, it is strategically outside the top 10 at his position. The team manages his snaps with sustainability in mind.
Still, McDaniel added, “He’s a football player that wants the ball. And I’m not gonna be like, ‘Hey man, you might get hit.'”
MORE: Miami Dolphins Depth Chart
Hill got ankle rolled during a D.J. Reed tackle on his first catch of the Jets game. And while the ailment clearly bothered him moving forward, Hill still caught nine passes for 102 yards and a touchdown in 44 snaps.
And based on McDaniel’s comments Saturday, expect Hill in the lineup when the Dolphins visit the Washington Commanders next weekend. That shouldn’t be a surprise. He’s played in all but six games since entering the league in 2016.
“He is a guy that knows how to protect himself on the field. You guys saw probably on the TV replay how it got rolled up early, which was just unfortunate.
“But he’s at a really, really good juncture in his career. I think his teammates have expressed it. I think you guys can kind of tell by his energy. He’s at, he’s at another level of [professionalism].
“He’s gonna make sure that if there’s a will, there’s a way. I’m very confident he’ll take care of himself. We have a good working relationship, such a trusting relationship with the players and Kyle [Johnston, the Dolphins’ head athletic trainer], where we’re not gonna press things too early.
“He’ll always be involved.”
- McDaniel said that Dolphins offensive tackle Terron Armstead is “week-to-week” with a quadriceps injury suffered Friday. Kendall Lamm, if healthy, will presumably start at left tackle during Armstead’s absence.
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