Jaylen Waddle traded to Broncos: Fantasy football fallout

The NFL offseason never ceases to amaze. In a surprise move early Tuesday, the Miami Dolphins traded WR Jaylen Waddle and a 2026 fourth-round pick to the Denver Broncos for a 2026 first-round pick, as well as third- and fourth-round picks, per reports.

This move comes after the Dolphins parted ways with QB Tua Tagovailoa (who signed with the Falcons) and signed QB Malik Willis in free agency. After the 2025 season, Miami let go of head coach Mike McDaniel and brought in former Packers DC Jeff Hafley while also hiring former Green Bay exec Jon-Eric Sullivan as GM. The Waddle move is just the latest in a slew of transactions for the Dolphins in a busy offseason.

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With Waddle out of town, this will have a big fantasy football ripple effect for players on both teams. Let’s break down what it means.

Fantasy impact for Dolphins, Willis, Achane, more

The Dolphins needed to save some money after cutting Tagovailoa loose and the Waddle move does just that. And it’s clear the team is going to go in a more run-heavy direction under Willis, who had showcased his rushing ability in a small sample, starting for the Packers at times when Jordan Love was hurt the past two seasons. In those starts, Willis didn’t attempt more than 21 passes in a single game. In that same span, he rushed for 261 yards on 42 attempts with three touchdowns.

Waddle leaving town doesn’t really impact Willis’ fantasy stock, since a lot of that was derived from his rushing upside. If the passing game is lacking, that could impact RB De’Von Achane, who was a top-five back in half-PPR formats in 2025. Achane should still get plenty of touches but defenses may have an easier time scheming against Miami.

Miami should add a wideout through the 2026 NFL Draft, now that the franchise has another first-rounder to work with. The Dolphins now have the 11th pick and 30th pick. If there’s any player currently under contract who gets a boost with the Waddle move, it’s WR Malik Washington, who had 46 catches for 317 yards and three TDs in his second NFL season.

Fantasy impact for Broncos, Sutton, Nix, more

Denver now has a lot of mouths to feed in this offense. Waddle joins an already deep group featuring Courtland Sutton, Troy Franklin, Pat Bryant and Marvin Mims Jr., plus TE Evan Engram. The Broncos also brought back RB J.K. Dobbins to pair with RJ Harvey again in 2026. We also saw QB Bo Nix take a step back as a passer in Year 2.

But Waddle is a talented receiver and we saw him thrive in the Dolphins offense despite playing alongside Tyreek Hill. So Sean Payton should be able to provide a solid offensive ecosystem that can sustain multiple pass-catchers. Waddle should slot in as a solid 1A option to Sutton’s 1B in the Denver passing game.

This is a tough move for dynasty managers who have Franklin and/or Bryant on their rosters. Franklin ranked second on the Broncos in targets (104), receptions (65), yards (709) and TDs (6) behind Sutton in 2025. He should still be involved as the third receiver operating on the outside opposite Waddle, while Sutton works as the slot guy. It’s hard to see Bryant getting a ton of work unless there’s an injury.

Final Thoughts

The Dolphins’ passing game could be pretty lackluster in 2026. Someone is going to have to catch passes but that will likely still be Achane leading the way, especially with no Waddle. Washington will be an interesting sleeper along with whoever the Dolphins decide to draft.

As for the Broncos, Sutton and Waddle should both be able to exist and be solid WR2s with WR1 upside week-to-week, depending on the matchup. Nix gets an upgrade as well, having another reliable target. Perhaps this means Harvey doesn’t get as much work in the passing game. Franklin and Bryant get a knock and will be tough to justify with a pick in fantasy drafts come August.