Jaylen Waddle was arguably the most reliable complementary wide receiver in fantasy football in 2022. The Miami Dolphins head into the new campaign with one of the most entertaining passing offenses in the NFL, and there should be a ton of fantasy production to go around once again. Waddle’s ceiling couldn’t be higher as he heads into his third season.
2023 Fantasy Football: Jaylen Waddle Profile
Recap of 2022 season
What’s not to like about Waddle’s sophomore run in 2022? Despite playing alongside one of the NFL’s best wide receivers in Tyreek Hill, Waddle finished with 75 catches on 117 targets for 1,356 yards and eight touchdowns.
Updated Miami Dolphins outlook
The Dolphins put their handprint on NFL free agency in 2023. The offense added former New York Jets quarterback Mike White, and wide receiver Chosen Anderson. Hill, Waddle and Cedrick Wilson Jr. headline the team’s WR room.
Best case scenario
Waddle’s big-play potential going into 2022 translated to exorbitant fantasy numbers on many occasions last season. Don’t expect that to slow down any time soon. While Hill proved to still be at the top of his game in his first campaign with the Dolphins, he’s also contemplated retirement this offseason. That’s not to say he’s about to call it quits sometime during the year, but when a player speaks on it for the first time, it usually means that there isn’t a lot left in the tank. The Dolphins are clearly grooming Waddle to be their WR1 of the future, and 2023 might very well be the beginning.
Worst case scenario
The Dolphins are a team that frankly can’t function without their quarterback. In this case, we’re talking about Tua Tagovailoa. We’ve seen just how prolific the Dolphins’ offense can be at full health, but they’ve also shown how quickly it can deflate if something goes awry. The last thing that fantasy managers want to see is Waddle reverting to boom-or-bust status every week.
Prediction
Waddle should jump into at least the top-10 in fantasy football output this season among wide receivers. Consider him a high-end WR2 in standard formats and someone who can provide WR1 value in most weeks in PPR formats.
