Jaylen Waddle 2023 NFL season props, odds: Dolphins receiver will be ready for Week 1 vs. Chargers after injury

Remember when the Miami Dolphins traded out of the No. 3 overall spot in the 2021 NFL Draft with the 49ers so San Francisco could move up and select Trey Lance? One of the results of that hugely lopsided trade in Miami's favor was the Dolphins selecting Alabama wideout Jaylen Waddle at No. 6 overall, and two years later he's one of the NFL's best. Waddle has missed the entire preseason and barely practiced due to injury but expects to play Week 1 in a great matchup at the Chargers, who are -2.5.

In 2021, Waddle set an NFL rookie record with 104 receptions despite missing one game, adding 1,015 yards and six toucdowns. Last year, his catches dropped to 75 because his targets were shared with Tyreek Hill, who joined the team ahead of the 2022 season. Waddle still managed career highs with 1,356 yards and eight TDs. His 18.1 yards per catch led the NFL among qualified receivers.

Waddle holds the franchise record for most receiving yards in the first two years of an NFL career with 2,371 and is the only player in Dolphins history to begin his career with back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons.

How has he not been named to a Pro Bowl yet? Waddle and Hill have to be the NFL's best WR duo, and if Tua Tagovailoa stays healthy, they could put up historic numbers in 2023. The NFL record for receiving yards by a teammate duo in a season is 3,174 by Herman Moore and Brett Perriman for the 1995 Lions. The Miami duo had 3,066 in 2022, and that's with Tagovailoa missing four full games and being limited in another.

On Wednesday, Waddle ran routes with his teammates for the first time since suffering an abdomen injury about three weeks ago. He said he's "feeling good" and fully expects to play in the opener.  

Incidentally, the Colts reportedly asked for Waddle and "more" when talking to the Dolphins about a possible Jonathan Taylor trade. Miami laughed at that request, as it should. A top young receiver is far more valuable in the modern-day NFL than a good young running back like Taylor, who is on the Indy PUP list and not available the first four games even if traded now.

Here are Waddle's props active at DraftKings:

• To win NFL Offensive Player of the Year: +4000
• To lead NFL in receiving yards: +3000
• To lead NFL in receiving TDs: +2500
• To lead NFL in receptions: +3000
• Over/Under 1075.5 receiving yards: Under -115 favorite
• Over/Under 7.5 receiving TDs: Under -130 favorite
• Over/Under 85.5 receptions: Both -110
• Waddle or Tyreek Hill to have 1500 receiving yards: +100

There are no props for 100-yard games yet, but that might have been the site ensuring Waddle is ready for the opener. He had six 100-yard games last year -- just one as a rookie -- with a career high of 171 in Baltimore. Waddle is +20000 to win NFL MVP, but receivers generally don't win that award. Dan Marino in 1984 is Miami's only NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award winner, but QBs generally don't win that these days.

In coach Mike McDaniel's first season overseeing the Dolphins' offense, Tagovailoa become the youngest player to lead the NFL in passer rating (105.5) since Marino in 1984. Miami ranked sixth in the league by averaging 364.5 yards per game, its first top-10 offense since 1995. 

Note: The Dolphins put co-starting running back Jeff Wilson Jr. on IR Thursday, meaning he'll miss at least the first four games. Raheem Mostert should be the primary back.

For Week 1, the Dolphins are 3-point underdogs at the Chargers. The SportsLine Projection Model forecasts Waddle for 3.7 catches, 66 yards and 0.39 TDs (compared to 5.2/77/0.37 for Hill). Last year when Miami lost 23-17 at the Bolts, Waddle had two catches for 31 yards as the entire Dolphins offense was largely shut down. 

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