Getty Miami Dolphins WR Danny Amendola
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Danny Amendola has emerged as a legitimate fantasy football option in recent weeks. Between injuries to the team’s receiving corps and his rapport with quarterback Brock Osweiler, Amendola has begun paying off for fantasy owners who picked him up off waivers.
His past two games specifically have been helped by the fact that the Dolphins were incredibly thin at receiver, with both Kenny Stills and Albert Wilson battling injuries. And on the surface, Amendola remained a solid fantasy option once again this week when Kenny Stills was ruled out early Sunday.
Unfortunately, the script was flipped shortly after when NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport revealed Stills looked good in a pregame test would be active against the New York Jets.
While this news does impact Amendola some, it may hurt other Dolphins receivers more. Let’s take a look at whether one of Osweiler’s favorite targets remains in play for Week 9.
Should You Start or Sit Danny Amendola?
It’s probably a safe bet that Stills won’t be used quite as much as he was prior to the groin injury. Last week was a bit of an outlier for Dolphins receivers, though, as Amendola, Jakeem Grant and DeVante Parker all played at least 95 percent of the offensive snaps, per Football Outsiders. The return of Stills may cut Amendola’s snaps down slightly, but it’s likely the other two names who are dealt a slightly larger blow.
Stills is unlikely to see a huge workload and even in Week 7 with him on the field, Amendola played 98 percent of the team’s snaps. His workload seems to be the safest of any Miami receiver and over the past three games, Amendola has received 24 targets, catching 19 of them.
The matchup plays a big role here for fantasy owners. The Jets have allowed 129 receptions for 1,535 yards and 10 touchdowns this season to wideouts, making them one of the worst defenses against the position in fantasy. In turn, Amendola will remain in play even with the return of Stills so you can roll him out with confidence.
Amendola is ideal for point-per-reception leagues, and I’d prefer to use him in 12-team leagues or larger in Week 9.
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