The NFL's deadline for players to opt out of this season is today at 4 p.m. ET, but two Miami Dolphins receivers made their decisions to sit out during a coronavirus pandemic on Wednesday in Albert Wilson and Allen Hurns. Not huge losses on their own, but a major blow to Miami's depth at the position that is already weak at best with projected starter Preston Williams far from a sure thing to be ready for Week 1 off a serious injury that cut his rookie season short.
Wilson was off to a great start with the Dolphins in 2018, his first season with the team, as he had 26 catches for 391 yards and four scores before going down with a season-ending injury. He didn't look like the same guy at all last year with 43 catches for 351 yards and one TD in 13 games. The 2019 season was Hurns' first with the Dolphins, and he was just so-so with 32 catches for 416 yards and two TDs in 14 games.
In this very unusual season, depth is going to be crucial for all teams because guys are going to test positive for the virus and miss games on top of normal injuries. Thus, losing Wilson and Hurns hurts more than usual.
The 6-foot-5, 220-pound Williams, meanwhile, was a touted high school recruit out of Georgia who started his college career at Tennessee, but he did little there for various reasons and transferred to Colorado State, where he had mammoth 2018 season and declared for the draft.
The Dolphins signed him as an undrafted free agent last spring, but he made the Opening Day roster. Williams showed plenty of promise with 32 catches for 428 yards – he was on pace to challenge Chris Chambers' team rookie record of 883 receiving yards -- and three scores before going down with a season-ending torn ACL in Week 9 vs. the Jets.
The various media following the Dolphins is reporting that the team is "cautiously optimistic" for Week 1, but torn ACLs can often take a full calendar year to heal. There's also the fact that Williams seems injury prone as his senior year in high school ended with a major injury to his other knee.
Williams and DeVante Parker are clearly the team's top two wideouts, with guys like Jakeem Grant and Isaiah Ford now to get more playing time. Could the Dolphins take a look at Miami native Antonio Brown? Alas, he is suspended the first eight games of the 2020 season. Doubtful.
With such a weak group of receivers and a very tough opening game at New England and defensive mastermind Bill Belichick on Sept. 13, this makes it incredibly likely, barring injury or positive COVID-19 test, that veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick is under center vs. the Patriots over No. 5 overall pick Tua Tagovailoa, who is the +800 third-favorite on the William Hill moneyline odds to win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. Better to throw Fitz to the wolves than the future of the franchise in Tua.
Via SportsLine NFL oddsmakers: Who starts at QB for Dolphins in Week 1?
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