Waddle caught 104 passes as a rookie in 2021, followed by a 1,356-yard, eight-TD season in 2022, looking the part of a No. 6 overall pick even after taking a backseat to Tyreek Hill in terms of volume. Then came 2023, in which Waddle missed three games and scored four TDs while Hill ran laps around the league. If that seemed bad, 2024 was an outright catastrophe, with Waddle falling shy of 1,000 yards for the first time (744 in 15 games) and often being overshadowed not just by Hill but also by RB De'Von Achane and TE Jonnu Smith. A Miami offense that had been explosive in 2023 was merely average in 2024, throwing fewer deep/intermediate passes and more short balls, which corresponded with Waddle finishing fourth on the team in targets. Part of the problem was QB Tua Tagovailoa missing so much time after finally staying healthy for a full season in 2023, but there were also issues with the offensive line and with opponents doing a better job defending coach Mike McDaniels' favorite concepts. Waddle still looked blazing fast to the naked eye, and he caught 69.6 percent of his targets for 9.0 YPT, yet he was targeted on just 18.3 percent of routes (after topping 23 percent each of his first three seasons). Not long ago, Waddle looked like a fantasy WR1 in the making, waiting only for Hill to decline or leave Miami. The new reality, however, is much less promising. Waddle turns 27 this season, and he still has fierce competition for targets -- though Smith was traded in June, replaced by the formerly retired Darren Waller -- in an offense with a concussion-prone QB and multiple weaknesses on the O-line.
