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As fantasy football managers are making lineup decisions for Week 15 and their playoff matchups, some last-minute COVID situations will shape their decisions and separate the winners from the losers.
Let's check in on the COVID situation for Jaylen Waddle and see if it will impact his playing status in the Miami Dolphins Week 15 Sunday afternoon game against the New York Jets.
Is Jaylen Waddle playing this week? Who is the best waiver wire pickup in case Waddle is forced to miss Week 15? Below we take a quick look at the updated COVID status for Waddle and attempt to answer these questions.
Is Jaylen Waddle Playing Against the Jets in Week 15
Jaylen Waddle was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list on Thursday, according to NFL Network Reporter, Cameron Wolfe. Typically a player will miss at least one game as a result of being placed on the COVID list. Since Waddle was designated on Thursday, he will almost assuredly be out for the Dolphins Week 15 game vs. the Jets.
What Is The Effect Of Jaylen Waddle's Absence?
Waddle vacates a whopping 8.8 targets per game. He's the Dolphins' leading receiver on the season with 86 catches for 849 yards and four touchdowns. DeVante Parker is second on the team seeing eight targets per game, while Mike Gesicki comes in third, seeing 6.9 targets per game. Both Parker and Gesicki should see an uptick in volume come Sunday against the Jets, who allow the 6th-most passing yards per game on the season (254).
The important thing to note, however, is that Waddle typically operates out of the slot. Take a look at his route tree below, courtesy of NextGenStats of NFL.com:
Is Albert Wilson Worth Picking Up and Starting?
Somebody will need to take his place there. With Parker outside and Gesicki in-line, Albert Wilson becomes the most likely guy to line up in Waddle's place. He's played a bigger role recently, averaging 5.8 targets on 54% of the snaps his last four games. We already know Tua Tagovailoa likes to throw to his slot guy, so why not Wilson? There's no reason he shouldn't see at least seven targets in this game in a full-time role.
He may not have the red zone appeal of a Parker or Gesicki, but it's clear the Dolphins scheme ways to get him the ball. He's an exciting player and an underrated route-runner. He's got the ability to put up a nice line filling in for Jaylen Waddle. I even think he's got a safe floor in PPR leagues this week, as he should see upwards of seven targets in this one. Consider him a low-end WR3 with some nice upside in Week 15.
Should I Start DeVante Parker and Mike Gesicki?
Parker feels like a must-start against a weak secondary. He should play close to 90% of the snaps and should get plenty of looks down in the red zone. The same goes for Gesicki, who I'd consider a top-10 tight end this week despite averaging just 3.7 receptions for 35.8 yards in his last six games. Gesicki, at 6'6", is also a huge weapon in the red zone, and always has the chance to reel one in.
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