Jaylen Waddle injury update: Latest on Dolphins WR for fantasy football Week 3 

Miami Dolphins star wide receiver Jaylen Waddle was hit in the Week 2 victory and had to be checked for a concussion. He remains in the protocol as the third week of official practice begins. His status for next week's matchup remains unclear as a result. Concussions are something the league, especially with the Dolphins' own controversy last year, is trying to cut down on and take seriously.

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Jaylen Waddle Injury Update

The star wide receiver is progressing through the protocol, per head coach Mike McDaniel. Concussions can linger and can easily cost a player a week or two of game time, but things appear to be trending in the right direction following the win against the New England Patriots.

As of Saturday, he has been listed as out with a concussion for this week's matchup with the Denver Broncos. He was the leading receiver in Week 2 with 86 yards on four catches before having to exit.

The silver lining on Waddle's injury is that he's currently in stage 3 of the NFL's concussion protocol, which means he is practising, though contact is not mandated for the speedy WR just yet. The Dolphins star has a couple more stages to go through to clear protocol, but as things stand, he has been ruled out for this weekend's game.

Since he can't go, the Dolphins would have to turn to other options in the passing game. It could mean an increased role for Robbie Chosen or even Cedrick Wilson, who has been a healthy scratch this year.

Tyreek Hill, who was already the top wide receiver on the offense, will see perhaps even more volume in the wake of the injury. Tagovailoa likes throwing him the ball, and he may not have any other option if Waddle's concussion lingers.

Waddle's absence also makes the matchup a little easier for the Broncos, who've started the season with two straight losses - against the Raiders and the Commanders.

Considering safety Justin Simmons and OLB Frank Clark are both out for this week's game against Miami, guarding both Waddle and Hill would've been a tall order for Sean Payton's Denver.

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What happened to Jaylen Waddle?

Jaylen Waddle was the intended receiver on a pass from quarterback Tua Tagovailoa late in the game last week. The pass was incomplete but the wide receiver took a hard helmet-to-helmet hit from linebacker Marte Mapu, who was penalized for it.

Jaylen Waddle suffered a concussion

Trainers immediately went to check on him as he remained down for a moment. They eventually took him into the tent and assessed him for a concussion, the protocol for which he is still currently in.

His status will need to be monitored throughout the week. Even if he is progressing as McDaniel says, there's a chance he is still a game-time decision.

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When will Jaylen Waddle return?

Since he's currently in stage three of concussion protocol, all signs point towards Waddle being available for Week 4 of the Dolphins' schedule, which will see them take on Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills.