Bye week boosts Dolphins WR Jaylen Waddle ahead of second-half playoff push

<div><figure> <img alt="Before the season game Kansas City Chiefs vs. Miami Dolphins" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/G83JccqL3WeO_TSZHTkNOTK4yWQ=/0x0:4000x2667/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72866268/1757502774.0.jpg"> <figcaption>Photo by Jürgen Kessler/picture alliance via Getty Images</figcaption> </figure> <p>Jaylen Waddle is averaging 13.1 yards per reception and has three touchdowns through eight games. </p> <p id="8pLt0R">The <a href="https://www.thephinsider.com/">Miami Dolphins</a>, currently standing at 6-3, hold the top spot in the AFC East. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and company features a 4-0 home record and won three of five games leading to the break.</p> <p id="IoOgM1">With eight games left on the schedule, Dolphins’ wide receiver Jaylen Waddle felt the bye week couldn’t come at a better time. Miami’s third-year wide receiver missed <a href="https://www.miamidolphins.com/team/injury-report/week/REG-3">Week 3 with a concussion</a> and appeared on the injury report with <a href="https://www.miamidolphins.com/team/injury-report/week/REG-2">oblique</a> and <a href="https://www.miamidolphins.com/team/injury-report/week/REG-8">back</a> injuries. </p> <p id="73G1d9">“It helped a lot,” <a href="https://media.miamidolphins.com/transcripts/">Waddle said on Tuesday. </a>“We got some good work in before we left. Gave us a couple days off just to rejuvenate, really. Body recovery. I got a lot of treatment, not just me but all the guys. It was important to get our body right, especially going into the last stretch of the season.”</p> <div id="ysIQDK"></div> <p id="GKLSft">Waddle caught 40 of 59 targets this season for 522 yards and he’s scored a touchdown in each of Miami’s last three wins. The Dolphins didn’t release an injury report last week, but there’s a chance Waddle would’ve appeared after <a href="https://gridironheroics.com/jaylen-waddle-knee-chiefs-miami-dolphins-news/">his leg was rolled on while blocking</a> in Week 9’s loss to the <a href="https://www.arrowheadpride.com/">Kansas City Chiefs</a>. </p> <p id="D7Nv9U">“Little nicks and dinks and bruises,” Waddle said of his injuries. “That comes with the season, but that bye week definitely helped me. I feel like in the long run, the second half of the season, I just feel a lot fresher.”</p> <p id="j5BHpS">As the <a href="https://www.espn.com/nfl/stats/_/view/team">league leaders in yards per game</a> (435.3) and passing yards per game (287.4), the Dolphins’ offense receives a significant boost when Waddle returns to form. With five of eight remaining games taking place at Hard Rock Stadium, his resurgence could supercharge Miami’s late-season playoff push. </p></div>