Jaylen Waddle posted his career-best in terms of yardage when the Miami Dolphins beat the Carolina Panthers 33-10 on Sunday. He also scored a touchdown as well as showcased his lightning-quick speed.

After a fourth straight win against a team that started the season 3-0, there is plenty of positives to take from Waddle’s rookie season.

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Waddle Is Growing Into The Role

When the Miami Dolphins had the sixth overall pick, there were many that wanted the Dolphins to take Ja’Marr Chase had the Cincinnati Bengals taken Penei Sewell fifth overall.

Instead, Chase was taken with the fifth overall pick. Waddle was the next player to be drafted. Many Dolphins fans were upset they didn’t take Chase but from all accounts, the Dolphins would have taken Waddle even if Chase hadn’t been selected by the Bengals. According to Dolphinswire, Waddle was number two on the Dolphins’ draft board, behind Trevor Lawrence.

Whether this was down to his talent, speed, or relationship with Tua from their college days is unclear. He may have started off slow during his rookie year but has really come to his own in recent weeks.

Waddle scored a touchdown and gained 61 yards in the week one win over the New England Patriots. However, he did not post more than 60 yards until the week six loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in London, a game that also saw him score two touchdowns. This appears to have been a turning point for him, with only one game since where he has posted less than 60 yards. This came in the week eight loss to the Buffalo Bills, incidentally the last time that Miami has lost a game. He had not caught for a touchdown since the Jaguars’ loss until the win over Carolina but had plenty of yardage to shout about along with a rushing touchdown in week eleven. He had 83 yards against both the Atlanta Falcons in week seven and against the Houston Texans in week nine.

Showcasing His Speed And A Promising End To Season Ahead 

His 137 yards and one touchdown during the Panthers win showed the NFL world what the Dolphins have in him if they did not know already. There was one pass made by quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, that saw Waddle take it for a 57-yard gain and close to the end zone.

His season stats currently lie at 759 receiving yards, four receiving touchdowns, and two rushing touchdowns. With twelve games played and five remaining for the Dolphins, Waddle is projected to end the 2021 campaign with 1,089 receiving yards, 6 receiving touchdowns, and 3 rushing touchdowns.

Miami’s five remaining games come against the New York Giants and Jets, New Orleans Saints, Tennessee Titans, and New England Patriots. The next three games see the Dolphins face teams who have combined for a 12-21 record so far this season. This presents Waddle with a great opportunity to increase these numbers.

A tough challenge awaits the Dolphins in their final two games, against the Titans and Patriots who both have an 8-4 record at the time of writing. Both these teams have mostly been tough to play against this season and this will be a tough defensive battle, but both teams may already have their division and the top seed in the AFC wrapped up. This could see the resting of certain players, with the Titans already without running back Derrick Henry for the remainder of the regular season. Waddle can certainly have a day against both these days.

Optimism should be high from Dolphins fans about their new wide receiver. In just twelve games as a pro, he is already the number one receiver in South Beach.