The Miami Dolphins have featured one of the league’s most dynamic offenses since Mike McDaniel became the fourteenth head coach in franchise history. Miami’s offense averaged 28 points per game last season while Tyreek Hill was a first-team All-Pro with 119 receptions and more than 1,700 receiving yards in back-to-back seasons.
The offense gravitates around Hill, but that hasn’t stopped Jaylen Waddle from becoming the first player in franchise history to kick-start his career with three straight seasons with 1,000 receiving yards. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa sparked Hill and Waddle’s production with a league-high 4,624 passing yards in 2023.
Finding a capable third-receiving option was one of Miami’s top priorities this offseason, considering a third target has failed to reach 500 receiving yards in the McDaniel era. Rarely seen in the NFL, the Dolphins are positioning themselves with a chance to be the sixth team in league history to feature three straight 1,000-yard receivers.
Easier said than done, but it’s important to consider that Tagovailoa led the league in passing yards, The Dolphins ranked No. 20 in pass attempts last year — but Tagovailoa was second among quarterbacks with an average of 8.3 yards per attempt (min. 100 attempts). Considering Miami’s pre-snap motion, Hill played 63% and Waddle played 56% of offensive snaps in 2023 but did massive damage with over 14 yards per reception each.
The Dolphins have struggled to incorporate a third banana while Hill or Waddle caught a breather on the sideline but enter 2024 with three players capable of joining them as 1,000-yard receivers.
Hill and Waddle are known for tormenting secondaries before and after the catch but remember, Odell Beckham Jr.’s 16.1 yards per reception ranked No. 8 among all receivers last season. The opportunity to play in McDaniel’s system was a major reason the three-time Pro Bowl receiver signed in South Florida.
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“The timing and everything [McDaniel] preaches got me excited,” Beckham. “Coach mentioned that on third down, Hill and Waddle were often double-teamed, leaving plenty of opportunities for others.”
That said, we’re still months from seeing how McDaniel will leverage the trio of receivers, and there are two other players capable of gaining chunk yardage if Beckham serves as a third-down assassin.
The Dolphins struggled to utilize a tight end but have certainly tried. Mike Gesicki was third on the team with 52 targets in 2022. Durham Smythe‘s 71.5% of offensive snaps played last season ranked fourth on the team and he saw 43 pass attempts come his way, trailing only Hill and Waddle.
Jonnu Smith, one of the league’s faster tight ends, joins the Dolphins after averaging seven yards after the catch per reception with the Falcons. He should be considered a sleeper option when factoring that his 582 receiving yards last season were a career-high, but sparks may fly if he pushes toward Smythe’s snap total after playing just 58% of snaps in 2023.
Roger Craig (1985), Lionel James (1985), Marshall Faulk (1999), and Christian McCaffrey (2019) are the only running backs to reach 1,000 receiving yards — a case could be made for De’Von Achane to be next. The second-year tailback made it a priority to become more of a receiving threat this offseason, and Miami’s 125 running back targets ranked No. 5 in the league last season.
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Achane led Dolphins tailbacks with 37 targets but averaged just 7.3 yards per reception despite 7.8 yards per carry on 103 attempts last season. With the addition of Jaylen Wright, there’s some benefit in converting some of Achane’s 103 carries into receptions. He’d avoid the war in the trenches and remain a downfield threat with either Wright or Raheem Mostert on the field.
Only a handful of teams have featured three 1,000-yard receiving options, but Miami’s big-play offense opens the door for a third option behind Hill and Waddle. After years of looking for the right fit, Beckham, Smith, and Achane all feature the desired traits to thrive as a dynamic threat in McDaniel’s offense.
