Week 4 of the NFL season will conclude with a Monday Night Football doubleheader. In the first matchup, wide receiver Jaylen Waddle and the Miami Dolphins will host the New York Jets as both teams battle for their first win of the season.
It has been an uneasy start for the Dolphins in the early stages of the season. They are coming off losses to the Colts, Patriots, and Bills to start the year. This is an important matchup before the season slips into full disaster, with frustrations already beginning to boil over in Miami.
Looking at the odds on DraftKings Sportsbook, the Dolphins enter as 2.5-point favorites and hold -148 odds on the moneyline. The Jets hold +124 odds of getting the outright victory, with the game total set at O/U 44.5 points.
There are plenty of ways to get involved in the action outside of backing a side or total. This article will look at my top Waddle prop bets ahead of tonight’s Week 4 Monday Night Football matchup.
Best Jaylen Waddle Prop Bets on DraftKings Sportsbook
Jaylen Waddle to Record 5+ Receptions (+123)
It has been an ugly start to the season for the Dolphins overall, but Jaylen Waddle has mostly been excluded from this. Through the opening three weeks, he has pulled in 14 of his 17 targets for 137 yards and two touchdowns. He is coming off back-to-back games with five receptions after pulling in four catches in the opening week.
This is a friendly matchup for the Miami offense, with the Jets also showing some signs of struggle this season. New York ranks 29th in scoring defense and 22nd in yards allowed. Looking just at their pass defense, they rank 17th in yards allowed and 25th in net yards per pass attempt. Waddle has also had success against the Jets in his career, averaging 6.4 receptions for 75.9 yards per game across the seven times he has faced them.
Miami is desperately trying to get back on track, and Waddle will continue to be a point of emphasis in this effort. When the team is at its best, the offense is built on quick passing with the playmakers being granted the opportunity to make things happen in space. Waddle may not be quite as dynamic as his counterpart, Tyreek Hill, but he will remain a key part of this offense. Look for the Dolphins to make a clear effort to lean on their short passing game and for Waddle to see a consistent level of passes thrown his direction. Count on the Alabama product to pull in at least five receptions for the third straight game with the favorable defensive matchup in mind.
Jaylen Waddle Anytime Touchdown (+185)
Waddle enters this game having notched a touchdown in back-to-back games and will look to extend this streak with the favorable defensive matchup in mind. Tua Tagovailoa has five passing touchdowns on the season, with Waddle being on the receiving end of two of these. He is tied with De’Von Achane for the most receiving touchdowns thus far on the team.
This is a matchup that the Dolphins need to have a positive result to have any chance of getting their season back on track. Expect Mike McDaniel to be prepared to reach deep in his playbook and look for any sign of consistent offense. Waddle has done his part to deliver on his opportunities to this point and will look to do the same tonight. What he may lack in explosiveness in comparison to Hill, Waddle makes up for with a more diverse route tree and sure hands, which is especially valuable around the red zone.
Waddle leads the Dolphins in red zone targets this season, including seeing two pass attempts inside the 10-yard line. New York has allowed five touchdowns through the air already this season, including four to Aaron Rodgers in the opening week. It is a strange comparison based on the career he has had to this point, but Rodgers’ style of play this season has looked similar to Tagovailoa with a clear focus on getting the ball out of his hands quickly to avoid hits and allow the wide receivers to make plays. It is yet to be determined if the Dolphins’ QB will have the same level of success, but count on Waddle remaining his top red zone target tonight. He has 22 receiving touchdowns notched in his career, so look for Waddle to add to his total by reaching paydirt for the third straight week.
