With the Dolphins falling short in the playoffs, some fans are apparently looking for ways to improve the team by shipping off one of their assets. They've settled on Jaylen Waddle as possible trade bait, to the chagrin of Tyreek Hill.
Waddle hasn't been perfect. He missed three games due to injury last year, and scored only 4 touchdowns in the games he played in. He's also (perhaps part of the reason fans are cool on him) been very quiet in playoff losses the last two years, totaling just 5 catches for 75 yards in those two contests. And certainly he's been helped the last two seasons by Tyreek drawing a lot more defensive attention.
But he's also gone over 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first three seasons. Among all first-round wideouts from the last 30 years, only nine had more total yards at this stage of their careers than Waddle. And virtually all of those guys went on to be pretty awesome in Year 4, and beyond.
Table shows the top first-round wideouts since 1990, sorted by total yards (years 1-3). Last two columns show receiving yards in Year 4, as well as their fantasy rank (PPR) in that fourth season. More than half (20 of 37) went over 1,000 yards that year; nearly a third (11) ranked in the top 12 at their position. That's the track Waddle is on.
FIRST-ROUND WRS, TOTAL YARDS (YRS 1-3), 1994-PRESENT | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Draft | Pk | Player | Yds(1) | Yds(2) | Yds(3) | Total | Yds(4) | Rk(4) |
2020 | 22 | Justin Jefferson, Minn. | 1400 | 1616 | 1809 | 4825 | 1074 | 32 |
1998 | 21 | Randy Moss, Minn. | 1313 | 1413 | 1437 | 4163 | 1233 | 8 |
2014 | 12 | Odell Beckham Jr., NYG | 1305 | 1450 | 1367 | 4122 | 302 | 84 |
2011 | 4 | A.J. Green, Cin. | 1057 | 1350 | 1426 | 3833 | 1041 | 24 |
1999 | 6 | Torry Holt, St.L. | 788 | 1635 | 1363 | 3786 | 1302 | 13 |
2021 | 5 | JaMarr Chase, Cin. | 1455 | 1046 | 1216 | 3717 | ? | ? |
2014 | 7 | Mike Evans, T.B. | 1051 | 1206 | 1321 | 3578 | 1001 | 17 |
2013 | 27 | DeAndre Hopkins, Hou. | 802 | 1210 | 1521 | 3533 | 954 | 29 |
2020 | 17 | CeeDee Lamb, Dall. | 935 | 1102 | 1359 | 3396 | 1749 | 1 |
2021 | 6 | Jaylen Waddle, Mia. | 1015 | 1356 | 1014 | 3385 | ? | ? |
1999 | 8 | David Boston, Ariz. | 473 | 1156 | 1598 | 3227 | 512 | 77 |
2021 | 10 | DeVonta Smith, Phil. | 916 | 1196 | 1066 | 3178 | ? | ? |
2018 | 24 | D.J. Moore, Car. | 788 | 1175 | 1193 | 3156 | 1157 | 17 |
2004 | 3 | Larry Fitzgerald, Ariz. | 780 | 1409 | 946 | 3135 | 1409 | 5 |
1995 | 8 | Joey Galloway, Sea. | 1039 | 987 | 1049 | 3075 | 1047 | 9 |
2007 | 2 | Calvin Johnson, Det. | 756 | 1331 | 984 | 3071 | 1120 | 6 |
2018 | 26 | Calvin Ridley, Atl. | 821 | 866 | 1374 | 3061 | 281 | 103 |
2009 | 29 | Hakeem Nicks, NYG | 790 | 1052 | 1192 | 3034 | 692 | 53 |
1996 | 1 | Keyshawn Johnson, NYJ | 844 | 963 | 1131 | 2938 | 1170 | 10 |
2015 | 4 | Amari Cooper, Oak. | 1070 | 1153 | 680 | 2903 | 1005 | 19 |
2004 | 13 | Lee Evans, Buff. | 843 | 743 | 1292 | 2878 | 849 | 33 |
2010 | 24 | Dez Bryant, Dall. | 561 | 928 | 1382 | 2871 | 1233 | 7 |
2014 | 20 | Brandin Cooks, N.O. | 550 | 1138 | 1173 | 2861 | 1082 | 15 |
2004 | 7 | Roy Williams, Det. | 817 | 687 | 1310 | 2814 | 838 | 32 |
2003 | 3 | Andre Johnson, Hou. | 976 | 1142 | 688 | 2806 | 1147 | 11 |
2011 | 6 | Julio Jones, Atl. | 959 | 1198 | 580 | 2737 | 1593 | 6 |
2005 | 3 | Braylon Edwards, Clev. | 512 | 884 | 1289 | 2685 | 873 | 34 |
2001 | 9 | Koren Robinson, Sea. | 536 | 1240 | 896 | 2672 | 495 | 69 |
2009 | 22 | Percy Harvin, Minn. | 790 | 868 | 967 | 2625 | 677 | 35 |
2007 | 23 | Dwayne Bowe, K.C. | 995 | 1022 | 589 | 2606 | 1162 | 4 |
2000 | 8 | Plaxico Burress, Pitt. | 273 | 1008 | 1325 | 2606 | 860 | 26 |
2009 | 19 | Jeremy Maclin, Phil. | 773 | 964 | 859 | 2596 | 857 | 22 |
2020 | 25 | Brandon Aiyuk, S.F. | 748 | 826 | 1015 | 2589 | 1342 | 14 |
2006 | 25 | Santonio Holmes, Pitt. | 824 | 942 | 821 | 2587 | 1248 | 14 |
1996 | 19 | Marvin Harrison, Ind. | 836 | 866 | 776 | 2478 | 1663 | 1 |
2014 | 4 | Sammy Watkins, Buff. | 982 | 1047 | 430 | 2459 | 593 | 41 |
2012 | 13 | Michael Floyd, Ariz. | 562 | 1041 | 841 | 2444 | 849 | 38 |
2012 | 20 | Kendall Wright, Tenn. | 626 | 1079 | 715 | 2420 | 408 | 75 |
2002 | 20 | Javon Walker, G.B. | 319 | 716 | 1382 | 2417 | 27 | 156 |
2019 | 25 | Marquise Brown, Balt. | 584 | 769 | 1008 | 2361 | 709 | 44 |
It's unlikely that the Dolphins will be looking to trade Waddle, but if they do (financial considerations, perhaps), they will not be lacking for suitors.
--Andy Richardson