The Miami Dolphins haven’t been the greatest fantasy source in recent years, but they have some intriguing young weapons that have been showing promise.
Rookie QB Tua Tagovailoa struggled, but somehow the Dolphins ended with a 10-6 record. Their offense ended up 15 th overall in points, but it was their defense that really helped keep the Dolphins relevant. They allowed the 6 th least points in the NFL and were a hot commodity in fantasy leagues.
Unfortunately, if the Dolphins’ defense is the only fantasy-relevant asset, it doesn’t say much for the overall team. But like I said above, the Dolphins do have young weapons that may be worth a look later in drafts in hopes to get a sleeper. Let’s take a look at where these Dolphins are going and if they are worth drafting as sleeper potentials.
ADPs come from our 12-team PPR ADP.
Myles Gaskin – Running Back
Now I wouldn’t call Myles Gaskin a sleeper based on his round 4 ADP (22nd RB off the board), but he could easily outperform his ADP if he sticks around that #22 RB ADP. Gaskin missed a majority of the 2 nd half of the 2020 season due to a sprained MCL and then being on the COVID-19 list.
He played in 10 games (starting 7) and managed 584 yards and 3 touchdowns. He also caught 41 passes for 388 yards and 2 touchdowns. Gaskin showed that he is capable of both rushing and catching the ball, and probably would have hit 1000 yards rushing had he not gotten injured. Tua obviously liked to throw to him as well, which gives him tremendous value.
Gaskin was the bell cow when he was on the field and that should continue in 2021. I’d be very happy with Gaskin as my #2 RB, and he could hit the top 15 RBs by the end of the season.
Wide Receivers
The Dolphins have 3 WRs worth taking a look at, and we will start with newly acquired Will Fuller. Fuller is currently being drafted as the 38 th WR and in the back end of the 8 th round. This seems interesting since DeVante Parker has been the most consistent Dolphins’ receiver in recent years, so I’m a bit hesitant on Fuller being the first Dolphin receiver off the board. Also, Fuller is often injured, so he most likely won’t play a full season. At his current ADP I would not call Fuller a sleeper, so let’s move on.
At the #46 WR spot, we have Jaylen Waddle, a rookie WR from Alabama that the Dolphins took 6 th overall. Waddle is going in the back end of the 10 th round, which seems like a very interesting spot for a decent sleeper value. Rookie WRs don’t always perform, so there is a big risk in trusting Waddle to give you a ton of value. That said, Waddle rejoins Tagovailoa so there may be some chemistry right off the bat. Waddle is a speedy receiver, just like Fuller, so if I had to pick one I’d take the better value in Waddle.
Lastly, we have DeVante Parker, who is being drafted as the 48 th WR and in the middle of round 11. Parker led the Dolphins’ receivers last year with 793 yards and 4 touchdowns and was the favorite target. Parker has shown that he has huge potential when he stays healthy, and I believe he has slipped due to the addition of speedsters Will Fuller and Jaylen Waddle (rookie receivers are always drafted a bit too high). If Parker remains the top target, he for sure will outperform his ADP and probably has the best sleeper value for now.
As news comes out of camp, these ADPs may change quite a bit. I would think the Dolphins will have Parker, Fuller, and Waddle as their top 3 targets, but Tua must improve his play, or else none of these receivers will reach their true potentials.
Mike Gesicki – Tight End
Out of all the Dolphin’s players, I actually think Mike Gesicki has the best sleeper value. Gesicki is being drafted as the 14 th TE off the board, meaning he isn’t being drafted as a starter in 12 team leagues.
Gesicki was targeted 85 times in 2020 and caught 53 passes for 703 yards and 6 touchdowns. He only trailed DeVante Parker in yardage and caught the most touchdowns for the Dolphins. Gesicki finished 7 th in ESPN scoring for the TE position, yet is being drafted as the 14 th TE.
Tight Ends are always hard to predict and after the top 3-4 it’s always relatively close, but Gesicki seems to be undervalued based on 2020’s stats. If Gesicki can perform as he did in 2020 and get some more solid play from his QB, he will easily be a sleeper TE.
Tua Tagovailoa – Quarterback
Yeah, I wouldn’t touch Tua at all regardless of his ADP. He is the 23 rd QB off the board and is being drafted in the 14 th round. Tua struggled in 2020, throwing for only 1814 yards and 11 touchdowns. He threw 5 interceptions and only ran for 109 yards and 3 touchdowns. Based on last year’s play, Tua doesn’t show the potential to be a true sleeper unless he truly progressed in the offseason.
Filed under: Free Articles
