Jaylen Waddle Predictions And Ranking For 2025 Fantasy Football

Jaylen Waddle's fantasy football value has dipped after two down seasons in Miami, but his big-play potential still makes him an intriguing option in 2025 drafts.
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (17) runs with the football against the Las Vegas Raiders during the second quarter at Hard Rock Stadium.
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (17) runs with the football against the Las Vegas Raiders during the second quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

In this story:


Jaylen Waddle’s production has steadily declined since his explosive rookie season, as injuries and a changing offensive structure in Miami have limited his impact. Despite back-to-back 1,000-yard campaigns, he enters 2025 with career lows across the board and questions about his consistency in fantasy football.

Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins

After the Miami Dolphins signed Tyreek Hill, their offensive structure change led to Waddle becoming a more explosive receiver. He saw his targets (117) fall by 24 from his rookie season (141) while playing one more game. Waddle finished with 29 fewer catches (75), with a new top in receiving yards (1,356) and touchdowns (8). His yards per catch (18.1) aligned with his college career (18.9).

Between the regular season and the playoffs in 2023, Waddle missed three games. He gained 100 yards or more in only three contests (7/121/1, 8/114, and 8/142/1), with two coming vs. the Jets. Waddle reached the 1,000-yard mark for the third consecutive season but set three-year lows in catches (72), receiving yards (1,014), touchdowns (4), and targets (104). He scored fewer than 15.00 fantasy points in nine of his 14 starts.

Similar to Hill, Waddle has seen his yards per catch regress in back-to-back seasons (18.1, 14.1, and 12.8). In addition, his catches over the last three years (75, 72, and 58) were well off his rookie campaign (104), partly due to five missed games over the past two seasons. 

Waddle also scored a career-low two touchdowns in 2024. He failed to reach 10.00 fantasy points in PPR formats 10 times over his 15 starts. His best three outcomes (5/109, 8/144/1, and 9/99) all came at home. 

Jaylen Waddle Fantasy Football Outlook:

This draft season, Waddle draws a mid-tier WR3 rating in early high-stakes drafts. His ceiling remains high, making him a value in the fantasy market.

Waddle’s talent and past production make him a worthy mid-round gamble, especially if he can stay healthy and regain his big-play form. While his floor has lowered, he has the ability to deliver league-winning weeks in the right matchups.

More Fantasy Sports On SI News:


Published | Modified
Shawn Childs
SHAWN CHILDS

With 20+ years of experience in the high-stakes fantasy market, I aim to research and compete at the highest level in baseball and football each season. I've contributed as a writer/analyst for Sports Draft Daily, ScoutPro, Scout Fantasy, Fulltime Fantasy, FFToolbox, and Sports Illustrated Fantasy. I'm honored to be in the National Fantasy Baseball Championship Hall of Fame. My drafting philosophy is risk-averse yet open to betting on potential game-changers. I approach player selection with a neutral perspective, acknowledging that fantasy sports are inherently unpredictable due to injuries, performance dips, and managerial decisions. My work focuses on these main areas: - Season-long fantasy baseball and football - BestBall Baseball and Football Events - Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS): DraftKings, FanDuel, and Underdog - Long Shot Player Prop Parlays for NFL I participate in various leagues and contests, including NFBC, NFFC, RTSports, FFPC, DraftKings, Underdog Fantasy, FanDuel, and FFWC, with the goal of leveraging my extensive experience and research for success in each game format. A fantasy follower can expect in-depth profiles of NFL and MLB players, along with season-long and weekly projections for each fantasy football season. In addition, I have many strategy articles to help develop fantasy players' learning curves.

Share on XFollow Shawn__Childs