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Player Outlooks (2024)
QB Tua Tagovailoa: Tagovailoa not being a definite QB1 after leading the NFL in passing yards last season shows the strength of the position, but the case against him is simple with an overall QB11 finish in 2023 despite the high-end production—including a disappointing finish with fantasy-point totals of 9.1, 12.96, 15.52, 14.88, and 7.62 over the final five games. On the other hand, Mike McDaniel is one of the game’s top offensive minds and Tagovailoa—playing for a contract if not extended over the next couple of months—has the fastest supporting cast perhaps of all-time. If everyone stays healthy and the touchdowns climb, Tua can finish as at least a top-ten option.
RB De’Von Achane: There are some concerns surrounding Achane after he dealt with injury issues as a rookie and the team not only extended Raheem Mostert, but also drafted another big-play runner in Jaylen Wright; however, the upside is too high to not have him ranked as an RB1 option, and Achane was on a torrid pace to begin his career with fantasy-point totals of 49.3, 25.5, and 21.0 after a one-carry debut before missing essentially two months with a knee injury. Talk of him being more involved in the passing game is good news, and Achane doesn’t need a ton of touches to pay huge dividends.
RB Raheem Mostert: The current industry ranking for Mostert (as a low-end RB2/FLEX option) could be far too low considering he just scored 21 total touchdowns and finished as the overall RB2—and Miami clearly feels he has plenty left in the tank by signing him to an extension through 2025. That said, Mostert is an aging running back that is reliant on speed, and we’d anticipate the Dolphins wanting to pull back on his workload if possible. Targeting the veteran as high as an RB1 option would be understandable, but De’Von Achane is the preferred target.
RB Jaylen Wright: For those unaware who might not have close attention to the NFL Draft, the Dolphins traded a 2025 third-round pick for the opportunity to select Wright in Round 4—as he was a clear player of interest for Mike McDaniel a year after the head coach hit on his preferred target in De’Von Achane. Miami might be crossing their fingers that Wright doesn’t need to play much as a rookie if Achane and Raheem Mostert can stay healthy, but the speed and explosiveness immediately gives him high-end upside on fantasy benches in McDaniel’s offense.
RB Jeff Wilson Jr.: Miami could end up keeping four running backs on the roster because concerns about injuries and the fact that Wilson has been solid whenever called upon, but a path to standalone value will be difficult to come by. If there are a positive for Wilson, it’s that he’s the traditional-style back on the roster and could theoretically handle short-yardage work if the Dolphins are worried about keeping the others healthy.
WR Tyreek Hill: While he’s watched Kansas City win the Super Bowl without him in back-to-back years since being traded, Hill has seen his numbers reach new heights in Miami—catching exactly 119 passes and clearing 1,700 yards in both seasons. A hamstring issue down the stretch impacted his quest for 2,000 yards last year, but Hill can certainly push for the mark again, and he’s shown a rare ability to recover from and play through soft-tissue injuries throughout his career, which makes the age (30) less of a concern than it might be for other wideouts. If you are comfortably rostering him with the history of off-field issues, Hill will draw top-five consideration.
WR Jaylen Waddle: Waddle dealt with injuries last year and was unable to repeat his breakout 2022 season when he went for a 75/1,356/8 line on 18.1 yards per reception, but there’s no doubt he remains one of the league’s most dangerous game-breakers—especially with opponents being unable to key on him because of all the speed on Miami’s offense. The former No. 6 overall pick has provided fantasy owners a surprisingly steady floor to pair with the ability to strike with a chunk play or touchdown at any given moment, and his 8/142/1 line against the stingy Jets last December with Tyreek Hill out was extremely encouraging.
WR Odell Beckham Jr.: Beckham wasn’t a featured option last year in Baltimore, but he produced on the opportunities he did get with 16.1 yards per reception and 8.8 yards per target—boosted by a stretch from Week 9 through Week 14 where he totaled a 17/343/3 line in five games. Now, OBJ is hoping to fully turn back the clock in Miami, but he’s averaged 473.7 receiving yards per season since 2020, missed the entire 2022 campaign, and will turn 32 in November. We’d expect Miami to play through their “core four” of Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Raheem Mostert, and De’Von Achane.
WR Malik Washington: Washington is an interesting addition for the Dolphins as another Mike McDaniel favorite, and although he went in the sixth round, the Virginia product could have easily been selected in the early fourth round. Look for Washington to push for the No. 4 wide receiver role and potentially unseat Braxton Berrios as the primary returner with a strong preseason.
WRs Braxton Berrios, River Cracraft, Erik Ezukanma, and Braylon Sanders: Berrios should be safe, but again, Malik Washington is a definite threat to his role and will provide the additional juice that Mike McDaniel wants. For the final spot at wide receiver, Cracraft has been the most stable contributor and Ezukanma has the most athletic upside, but don’t sleep on Sanders making the team in his third season.
TE Jonnu Smith: As the No. 2 tight end in Atlanta last year, Smith had career-highs in targets (70), receptions (50), and receiving yards (582)—so he could make the case to rank as a low-end TE2 in a high-powered offense. However, Miami might play too much through Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, and the track team at running back, which limits the upside for Smith and the rest of the offense.
TE Durham Smythe: Smythe played a career-high 76% of the offensive snaps last season, but he’s primarily valued for his blocking—and the addition of Jonnu Smith will likely lead to a decrease from his highs in receptions (35) and receiving yards (366) last year. Also, touchdowns are very important for complementary tight ends, but Smythe only has three scores in 95 career games.
Other Notes
Best IDP value: CB Cam Smith
Smith—the No. 51 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft—didn’t really see the field as a rookie, but he’ll be getting a clean slate with Vic Fangio out as defensive coordinator, and the talent is there for him to emerge across from Jalen Ramsey. Having the ability to play the slot should help Smith see the field one way or another, and the best-case scenario would be beating out both Kendall Fuller and Kader Kohou to be an every-snap player.
Stat to know (via draft guide)
Since the Dolphins hired Mike McDaniel, Tua Tagovailoa has averaged 272.9 passing yards per game in 2022 and 272.0 passing yards per game in 2023.