The Dolphins are one of four teams on a bye week in Week 6, and with the roster crunch of bye weeks, some good players can end up on the waiver wire. One player who has been dropped in many leagues is Caleb Douglas, who has been sidelined with an ankle injury. Could this be a great opportunity to swoop in and stash Douglas while the rest of your league is focused on players not on bye weeks?
Let’s dive in and take a look at Douglas’s season so far, and what to expect from him for fantasy football for the rest of the season.
Caleb Douglas Injury Update
Douglas has not practiced or played since Week 2, when he sustained an ankle injury in the second half of his team’s loss to the 49ers. He was spotted in a walking boot after the game, but coach Jeff Hafley said it was “too early to tell” if he would miss any time. Douglas not only missed Week 3, but he also missed Week 4 and Week 5 as well, and he has yet to return to even a limited practice.
Before the team’s matchup in Week 5 against the Bengals, Hafley said that Douglas was making progress but was not able to practice yet. He sounds like he’s not terribly far from a return, but since he hasn’t practiced yet, it’s hard to put a clear timeline on when he’ll be back in action. The team did not opt to put him on IR, though, which could indicate that he’ll have a shot to return in Week 7 after the bye week.
His return is uncertain, but it may be just a few weeks away. The fact that he didn’t get placed on IR does not ensure a quick return, but it may suggest the team did not initially expect him to miss four games or more.
Caleb Douglas Fantasy Football Outlook
When he returns, Douglas will have instant starting receiver potential. The Dolphins don’t have many other players who have stepped up as pass-catchers, and Douglas looked very sharp throughout training camp and preseason. He made highlight-reel catches and established himself as a starter across from Malik Washington from the first game of the preseason.
In Week 1, he hauled in 5-of-7 targets for 94 yards in the Dolphins’ loss to the Raiders. He led the Dolphins in catches and receiving yards, while finishing just one target behind Washington for the team lead in that category. Douglas looked the part of a WR1 and seemed to have a strong connection with Malik Willis.
The passing game has struggled while he has been out, with only Washington a reliable fantasy option. De’Von Achane was also lost for the year to a knee injury, putting more pressure on the passing game without the superstar running back to build the offense around.
Willis has only completed 56.2% of his passes this season and only posted 85 and 137 passing yards in his last two games. He has two passing touchdowns and four interceptions, and he could definitely use more play-making options at receiver.
Douglas could be a big boost to Willis’s production, but Willis’ struggles could also limit Douglas’ upside. The Dolphins haven’t been a productive offense as a whole, but Douglas could step right back in as a top option at receiver. His potential volume makes him worth adding if possible, especially if you have the room on your bench and Douglas is available. He has upside to be a top-20 receiver by the end of the season, especially since the Dolphins may have to throw a lot while playing from behind.
He won’t be any help this week, but if you can look longer-term, he makes a great stash option for after the bye. The Dolphins come back to a fairly fantasy-friendly schedule against the Jets, Patriots, Lions, Colts and Bills in their next five contests.
The Bottom Line: Add Caleb Douglas if Roster Flexibility Allows
If you have the space, adding Douglas could be a great way to pick up wide receiver depth with a high ceiling for later in the season. He’s only owned in 10% of season-long leagues on Yahoo! since he’s been out so long, but he brings a high enough ceiling when he returns to be an outstanding stash candidate if you can make it through the next week or two with him on your bench.
