Is Jaylen Waddle Injured? Latest on the Dolphins WR’s Status After Slow Start on MNF vs. Steelers
After an up-and-down season, the Miami Dolphins still have a chance to make the playoffs in Week 15. Taking on the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday Night Football, the Dolphins hold their destiny in their own hands; a win keeps them alive, a loss ends their playoff aspirations.
While both teams have struggled to do much of anything, the Dolphins can take comfort in the fact that they only face a 7-3 deficit going into the locker room at halftime. However, Miami must find a way to get wide receiver Jaylen Waddle more involved in the offense if it wants to make a second-half comeback.
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What Happened to Miami Dolphins WR Jaylen Waddle?
No, Waddle is not injured; in fact, the Dolphins’ fifth-year wideout has played in all 13 games for the Dolphins this season. While a reliable presence for quarterback Tua Tagovailoa this season, the former Alabama wide receiver has struggled to get going against the Steelers in Week 15 on Monday Night Football.
Through two quarters, Waddle has been targeted twice, catching one for 10 yards. However, the missed target was not Waddle’s fault as Tagovailoa tossed up a duck that wound up getting intercepted by Steelers cornerback Asante Samuel Jr.
TUA PICKED!
Asante Samuel Jr. wins the jump ball over Jaylen Waddle ‼️
(via @steelers)pic.twitter.com/MSLjhQkqhc
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 16, 2025
After watching Tyreek Hill go down in Week 4, Waddle took over as the lead receiving option for a struggling Dolphins offense. Through 13 games, he’s caught 57 of 86 targets for 812 yards and six touchdowns. His yardage and touchdown totals are already improvements on his 2024 season, and he still has three more games to add to it.
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Despite Miami’s struggles this season, Waddle’s value has been evident in PFSN’s WR Impact metric, as he ranks 14th overall among wide receivers with a score of 84.1. He and running back De’Von Achane have been the lone bright spots on an offense that’s struggled for most of the season, ranking 18th in PFSN’s Offense Impact metric with a score of 74.5.
While it is still unclear what direction Miami will take in this Monday Night matchup, it will be intriguing to see what direction the team moves in the offseason. The offense has struggled immensely under Tagovailoa’s direction. Could weapons like Waddle be better with another arm under center?
That will be up to the new general manager to decide. He’s got three and a half games to prove his worth, and utilizing Waddle could go a long way to keeping Tagovailoa on this roster. However, it seems clear that the quarterback is the weak link on the roster.
Editor’s Note: This is a breaking news story and will be updated throughout the day as more information becomes available.
