WR Waddle tops all NFL rookies in receptions but lags in receiving yards
The Dolphins envisioned Jaylen Waddle being a major component of their offense when they selected him with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft out of the University of Alabama.
His skill set and speed gave him the tools to make an impact immediately. His relationship with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, whom Waddle played with in college, was a plus as well.
The 22-year-old has gotten off to a solid start to his NFL career and is keeping pace or leading rookie skill position players in key categories six weeks into the season.
Waddle leads all rookies with 37 catches, three more than Steelers running back Najee Harris and 10 more than both the Bengals’ Ja’Marr Chase and Eagles’ DeVonta Smith, the three receivers closest to him in terms of catches. Should he play in every game, his 6.2 catches per game puts him on pace for 105 this season, which would far exceed the Dolphins’ rookie record of 84 by Jarvis Landry set in
He has also been targeted 49 times, a mark that also leads NFL rookies. His three receiving touchdowns are second among rookies to Chase, who has five.
However, Waddle’s 301 receiving yards is fifth among rookies — behind Chase (553), Smith (345), the Giants’ Kadarius Toney (317) and the Falcons’ Kyle Pitts (308).
“Waddle has done a nice job,” coach Brian Flores said Saturday. “Not perfect, but I think his routine and the way he goes about things on a daily basis and the way he’s a sponge about how people are playing in coverages.”
With DeVante Parker, Preston Williams and Will Fuller all out on Sunday, Waddle became the Dolphins’ top wide receiver in Miami’s 23-20 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in London. He caught 10 passes for a career-high 70 yards and was on the receiving end of both of Tagovailoa’s touchdown passes.
But while Waddle has showcased his potential early in his career, he isn’t boasting about his individual performance, not when his team is 1-5.
“It don’t really mean nothing if we don’t win,”
Waddle said. “That’s what tops it off.”
SNAP COUNTS
While Waddle was Tagovailoa’s favorite target on Sunday, he wasn’t the Dolphins receiver who had the most snaps on the field. That went to Mack Hollins, who was on the field for 68 of 70 offensive plays. Waddle was on the field for 65 plays, with Albert Wilson (25) and Isaiah Ford (five) rounding out the group. Hollins’ four catches and 61 receiving yards were both the second-highest totals of his Dolphins career, behind only a five-catch, 66-yard outing on Dec. 13, 2020, against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Tight end Mike Gesicki was on the field for only 49 snaps — 70 percent of the offense’s plays — but caught eight of nine passes thrown his way for 115 yards. Surprisingly, he was on the field less frequently than fellow tight end Durham Smythe, who was on the field for 58 plays.
Running back Myles Gaskin followed up a career game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers by playing only 25 snaps after struggling early against the Jaguars. He
was tied with Malcolm Brown for most offensive snaps played by Dolphins running backs. Salvon Ahmed was on the field for 19 plays.
With both Xavien Howard and Byron
Jones out Sunday, Noah Igbinoghene and Justin Coleman started and played every defensive snap against Jacksonville. For Igbinoghene, it was his first start since Week 4 of the 2020 season. For Coleman, it was his third start of the season and the
first time he played more than 50 defensive snaps in a game this year.
Rookies Jaelan Phillips and Jevon Holland continue to see their snap counts trend upward. Phillips played 54 of 66 snaps, a season-high 82 percent. Holland played all 66 snaps on defense and has missed just two snaps during the past two weeks.