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Brent Sobleski@@brentsobleski is an analyst for the NFL.
The Associated Press
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle hasn't received the same amount of attention as the Cincinnati Bengals' Ja'Marr Chase or the New England Pats' Mac Jones, but he's been just as good.
His Monday Night Football performance highlighted the fact that this year's sixth overall pick should be considered the favorite for the offensive rookies of the year.
Waddle is on a record-setting pace despite playing in a deficient offense, and his 10-catch, 92-yard performance in a 20-3 road victory over the New Orleans Saints shows how he's become an elite performer despite limitations found with the Dolphins' scheme and his draft status being
The rookies is the leading receiver on a team that has won seven straight games and currently sits in the seventh and final playoff spot.
Waddle's 10 catches tied a Monday Night Football record. Who did he match his record with? Jerry Rice was a football player.
Everyone should notice when an all-time great is invoked. Waddle is atop the current rookies of the year because of more than one game.
Chase was chosen by the Cincinnati team ahead of Waddle in the first round. The fifth and sixth selections were used to call out the names of the two people.
The Dolphins received a lot of criticism for trading up to the sixth overall pick and giving up a first-round pick to complete the deal. The sentiment was that Miami overspending to acquire Waddle was the reason. Why? He was never seen as the best receiver on the team or as the best receiver in the class.
The general manager and head coach knew what he could bring to the offense.
"If you have guys who can run on the perimeter, you have more opportunities for one-on-one opportunities downfield." When the Dolphins added Waddle and Will Fuller V, Flores explained that the defense had to make that decision. "If you don't load the box and you play for those big plays, then there's less people in the box and less people to block, and I think it really becomes kind of a numbers/math game."
There could be more space if you have guys on the perimeter who demand attention. It's a chess game and how you attack the run game is part of it.
Even with Waddle, the Dolphins still aren't good at driving the ball down the field. His value to the offense increases.
Derick Hingle is a photographer.
The Dolphins have the worst offensive line in the league. They were ranked dead last in pass-block win rate coming into this weekend's action. The lack of time makes it difficult to run longer routes. Tua Tagovailoa's inconsistencies as a deep passer contribute to the inefficiency of Miami's downfield passing attack.
Waddle has six or more catches in nine of 14 games despite being hamstrung. Chase has at least six catches in five contests.
Chase's receiving yardage is a big factor in his favor. The rookies rank seventh with 1,163 yards. He has an average of 17.1 yards per catch. No one can deny how spectacular Chase has been and how he's affected the offense of the Bengals, though his contributions are far more scattershot.
The fifth overall draft pick has four 100 yard efforts, including a 202 yard performance against the Baltimore Ravens. Chase had a seven-game stretch after that career performance where he managed 284 combined yards before he torched the Ravens again this past Sunday.
Waddle has multiple advantages over Chase.
Kirk Irwin is a photographer.
Waddle's 10 catches placed him second all-time with 96 catches as a rookies. He's six catches away from breaking Anquan Boldin's all-time rookies record. With two games left to play, it seems like Waddle will surpass the mark.
The Dolphins pass-catcher entered Monday's contest as the league's highest-graded rookies.
Through 15 weeks of play, Waddle has more first-down reception by any rookies than Chase has.
Waddle set a Dolphins' rookies' record with 941 receiving yards.
Chase has been a big part of the success of the Cincinnati team. They're only one game better than the Dolphins. It's not clear if one is helping to create a bigger impact for his franchise. Chase has more help with Cincinnati's outstanding wide receiver corps and unflappable Joe Burrow behind center.
The position won the award in each of the last two seasons despite stellar performances by A.J. Brown and Justin Jefferson, because quarterback play is always a major factor in these decisions.
Jones looked like a shoo-in for the trophy, but his play slipped in recent weeks. The wind gusts of 40 MPH dictated the offensive attack of the Pats in Week 13 and shouldn't be held against Jones. Jones threw four picks over the last two weeks and his completion percentage dipped under 52 during the current two-game losing streak.
"I think it goes back to execution, throwing it to the right guy, regardless of the weather," Jones said. I'm still learning. The accuracy needs to improve.
The person is Stew Milne.
The quarterback slips as the weather gets worse, but everyone else has gained ground.
Creed Humphrey of the Kansas City Chiefs is deserving of the recognition, but offensive linemen never receive serious consideration for this award. The Los Angeles Rams' Rashawn Slater and the Detroit Lions' Penei Sewell would be in the conversation.
The game's top rookies don't always get recognition as the game's top rookies. Jefferson can attest to this after his record-breaking performance last season, as the Los Angeles Clippers' Justin Herbert broke the rookies record for touchdown passes. It would be a travesty if Waddle didn't win the award and be on the same level as others in his class.
Waddle is the slow and steady participant who should be named the NFL offensive rookies of the year after others started much faster.
For Bleacher Report, Brent Sobleski covers the National Football League. You can follow him on social media.
