The Miami Dolphins are expected to be without a key player this Sunday when they take on the Baltimore Ravens in a showdown for the AFC’s No. 1 seed.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, wide receiver Jaylen Waddle is not expected to play this week against the Ravens.
“My understanding is he’s not expected to play Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens,” Schefter said.
The third-year wide receiver suffered a high ankle sprain in the Dolphins’ win over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 16. Waddle’s lone reception against the Cowboys went for 50 yards, putting him over 1,000 receiving yards for the third consecutive year to start his career with Miami — making him the first player in franchise history to do so.
Waddle has the second most receiving yards of any player on the Dolphins with 1,014, behind only Tyreek Hill (1,641) and 723 yards ahead of the next player. Waddle’s four receiving touchdowns are also second on the team, again only trailing Hill (12).
The combination of Hill and Waddle at the wide receiver position gives Miami one of the fastest offensive attacks in the entire NFL, and while Hill still presents a challenge unlike any other player in the NFL by himself, not having Waddle to defend at the same time will make life easier for Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald this Sunday.