Miami Dolphins wide receiver Will Fuller has been rules out of Sunday’s contest against the Buffalo Bills with a ‘personal issue’. It goes without saying that some things are more important than football and whatever private issue Fuller is dealing with, it can hopefully come to a peaceful and happy conclusion. But while Fuller takes the time away from the game to tend to his personal matters, the show will go on for the Dolphins without him; and up next is a major hurdle in the race for the AFC East.
Which brings the question of who the Dolphins most need to elevate their game in the absence of Fuller on the field?
The answer is the man who was presumably taking his reps during Sunday’s contest against the New England Patriots: wide receiver Albert Wilson.
Now, Miami could ultimately choose to move rookie Jaylen Waddle into the designated routes for Fuller in the offense on plays in which the team is hoping to dial up a deep shot — if Miami’s objective is to consistently target their best players in their best situations, Waddle most certainly has the kind of blinding speed that will warrant being placed in a role to run routes vertically down the field. But Wilson needs to live up to the expectations he set for himself when he was one of the most electric receivers in training camp. It was Wilson, not Fuller or Waddle or Parker, who was seemingly unstoppable for the first two weeks of training camp.
Miami needs Wilson to be that guy again. So whether he’s directly taking Fuller’s routes in the game plan or if he’s taking Waddle’s routes as Waddle moves to take Fuller’s Wilson needs to find the best version of himself for however long Will Fuller is away from the game. That’s Miami’s best (and arguably only) hope to field the same kind of explosive threats and big-play potential they dreamed of when they signed Fuller in free agency back in March.
We’ll see if Wilson is up to the task. But he’s the next man up and Miami needs him to deliver.