Dolphins Have Best Receiver Core In Division

Miami’s receiver core is #1 in their division.

As a unit, the Dolphins receiver core is tops in the AFC East.

The Dolphins may be picked by many to finish last in the AFC East in 2016, however, their receiver core is second to none in the division. Miami pass-catching core is stacked with both talent and depth, and might just be the unit that is key to proving the naysayers wrong.

Miami wideouts are led by third year player Jarvis Landry who is one of the best, if not the best, slot receivers in the NFL. Landry has caught more passes than any other Wide Receiver in NFL history over their first two seasons and is the heart and soul of the Miami Dolphins football team. I am not laying it on thick…Landry is a truly special talent who displays toughness and tenacity on EVERY play – as any Dolphin Fan very well knows.

Next is Devante Parker who is entering his second year in the league, and although he was out for most of rookie season, his limited showing displayed flashes of exceptional talent. He is projected by many football gambling fans to have a break out season because Parker has a rare combination of size and speed and an ability to dominate the ball at it’s highest point. As long as Parker can stay healthy, the sky is truly the limit for this youngster, who should also prosper from a full training camp this summer.

Third on the Dolphins depth chart is Kenny Stills, who is the fastest receiver on the team. He was sorely under used last season, but Coach Adam Gase has already stated that he wants to get Stills more involved in the offense because he is intrigued by his unique skill set. Gase also said Stills was a player he was very familiar prior to coming to Miami because while Gase was with the Bears, they attempted to acquire his rights. Lastly, Stills is entering the all important contract year which generally leads to a player having a very productive season in hope of a big pay-day.

The fourth receiver is third round rookie draft pick Leonte Carroo. Carroo is only a rookie, and an unproven quantity, so its hard to projected how well he will adjust to the speed of the NFL game. There is no denying that his college tape is extremely impressive and encouraging – but, in the end, it’s college tape. His play will be under a microscope because Miami traded quite a few draft picks to land this player in the third round, and he was a player that Coach Gase specifically wanted on his team. So for good or ill, he will get get plenty of opportunities this season.

Miami also drafted “Sproles 2.0” in Jakeem Grant, who even though he will have a limited roll, should still be able to add a completely new element to the passing game. The hope is that he will prove to be a match-up nightmare for many teams around the league.

The last player of note in the receiving group is Matt Hazel, who is entering his third season in the league. Even though he has yet to catch a pass in the NFL, Hazel is said to have improved each season. At the very least, he provides depth for the wide receiver unit and the possibility of proving to be more than just a back-up.

The other teams in the AFC East don’t posses Miami’s depth at receiver.

The rest of the AFC East teams have at least one solid receiver, however, that is not enough to warrant the whole group as great:

The Bills have an excellent Wide Receiver in Sammy Watkins. After that, the talent level takes a sharp dip with Robert Woods being the best of the rest: frankly, I do not believe he would even crack our starting lineup.

The Jets have a pair of very good Wide Receivers in Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker. They are likely the best pair of wideouts in the division, but after them, there isn’t much worth mentioning.

Last is the Patriots, who because of Tom Brady do not need to have great wide receivers. The have a very good receiver in Julian Edelman, who is cast in the slot mold. After that they have fragile Danny Amendola, who while not special is productive. Chris Hogan is a Dolphins cast off and a wildcard who has shown flashes. If Belichick and Brady can get him more opportunities and he can seize them, then the Patriots will likely have the second best receiver core in the AFCE.

Yes, it’s just one group on a whole team and it takes a team to win, but good coaches utilizes their strengths and Gase has proven capable of that throughout his career. With the NFL in full throttle of it’s passing emphasis, this is no small advantage. Go Fins!!!