Miami Dolphins: Predicting Their Receiving Leaders
The Miami Dolphins put the work in to revamp their receiving unit in 2021. Now they’re going into the new season with a handful of new toys but just how successful can they be?
Jaylen Waddle – Predicition: 950 yards/10 TDs
Waddle might not be the leader in yards this year but he’ll lead the team in touchdowns. With chemistry already established with Tua Tagovailoa, he’ll develop is his safety net. He’s quick enough to make defenses miss and will more often than not be a short to mid-range receiver. Not that Miami won’t send him on the occasional deep route, but his ability to make people miss and control the down markers will make him an underneath threat who helps control the game clock. He’ll shake enough tackles to keep him a red zone threat and should get double-digit touchdowns. His floor is Jarvis Landry and his ceiling will be Tyreek Hill and that’s saying a lot.
Devante Parker – Prediction: 1100 yards/6 TDs
Parker is the hardest of the Dolphins receivers to predict based on his ability to stay healthy. He’ll be the receiver who sets up the deeper threat as well as be a deep threat. He’s versatile and if he can get on a hot streak will control games but Miami needs to find ways to not only keep him on the field but keep him involved. He’ll win more contested passes which is why teams will pressure him in the red zone taking away his touchdowns, but he’ll consistently get them into scoring position.
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Will Fuller – Prediction: 1250/8 TDs
Fuller will miss the first game of the season but should still have a great year for the Dolphins. So much attention will be paid to the rest of the receivers that at any given point a deep ball will be open. More often than others, Fuller will be the one behind the defense. Consistency will be his low point this year but only because teams will have to focus on him more.
Lynn Bowden Jr. – Prediction: 650 yards/4 TDs
Bowden will be the all-purpose receiver for Miami, since he has experience running the football he’ll be asked to create mismatches for defenses. While he may be a decoy, he’ll still get his yardage on the ground or in the air. He might get 4 receiving touchdowns but he could balance it out with 4 rushing touchdowns as well. Tua will have to decide where he best fits based on looks from the defense.
Mike Gesicki – Predicition: 850 yards/ 7 TDs
Fans expect Gesicki to have a baller year in Miami being that he’s in a contract year. However, there’s a lot of passes to be spread around and teams will focus on the bigger bodies who control the clock. Gesicki will have to earn every inch of the down marker. He’s a quick pass candidate so he won’t have a lot of room for backs to catch up while the football is in the air. With that alone teams will be playing him much closer off the hip. Still, you can expect someone with his ability to make plays and be productive in the offense.
The rest of the team will be up in the air. Depending on who makes the roster, how they’ll get used, and how the ball gets spread around, they’re hard to predict. Players will have one extra game this year to improve their stats. Whether or not they can stay healthy or play consistently is yet to be seen. Who will lead the Miami Dolphins in receiving this year?
Rick ODonnell aka Caveman Rick has many years covering the Miami Dolphins, Sports, and all sorts of movies and television.
