There were times in 2022 when Tagovailoa looked like the best quarterback in Fantasy, and other times when it looked like he should never play football again. Tagovailoa had some impressive performances last season when healthy, scoring at least 29 Fantasy points in four games, including a 50-point outing in Week 2 at Baltimore. But multiple concussions limited Tagovailoa to 13 games, and there are many Fantasy managers who consider him an injury risk this season. The Dolphins are confident in Tagovailoa, who has been cleared to play, and he's worth drafting as a low-end starter in all leagues. He has an amazing receiving corps with Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, and Mike McDaniel allowed Tagovailoa to thrive in their first year together. You'll need to draft a second quarterback with Tagovailoa in one-quarterback leagues to cover yourself in case he gets hurt, but he has top-10 upside at his position. In one-quarterback leagues, Tagovailoa is worth drafting with a mid-round pick. In Superflex and two-quarterback leagues, expect Tagovailoa to be drafted no later than Round 4.
Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa: Outperformed by Allen in loss
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Tagovailoa completed 25 of 35 passes for 282 yards with one touchdown and one interception in the Dolphins' 48-20 loss to the Bills on Sunday. He also rushed twice for seven yards, committed a fumble that he recovered and picked up a second loose ball.
Tagovailoa and his high-octane arsenal of weapons appeared set to keep pace with an equally high-powered Bills offense early with a pair of scoring drives capped by De'Von Achane touchdown runs. However, Buffalo's attack ultimately overwhelmed Miami's defense, and Tagovailoa couldn't keep up while also taking four sacks and throwing a third-quarter interception in Dolphins territory when the game still was within reach. Tagovailoa naturally has the ability to bounce back from what was a somewhat subpar performance by his team's lofty standards, a goal he'll look to accomplish in a home date with the Giants in Week 5.
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Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa: Spearheads record-setting win
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Tagovailoa completed 23 of 26 passes for 309 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions in the Dolphins' 70-20 win over the Broncos on Sunday.
Tagovailoa's name will be at the helm of a performance that will go down in the annals of NFL history, even as the Raheem Mostert-De'Von Achane duo accounted for five total rushing touchdowns. However, part of the backfield tandem's success came in conjunction with Tagovailoa, who hit Achane for a no-look four-yard shovel scoring pass early in the second quarter and a 10-yard touchdown strike on the first play of the final period while also connecting with Mostert for a 19-yard touchdown throw late in the third. Tagovailoa's first touchdown of the day went to Tyreek Hill and covered 54 yards in the first quarter, and the fourth-year signal-caller finished the first half a perfect 16-for-16 through the air. Through three contests, both the 2020 first-round pick and the offense as a whole look to be in complete mastery of head coach Mike McDaniel's creative system ahead of a marquee Week 4 road matchup against the Bills next Sunday.
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Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa: QBs to Start
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The Broncos so far have allowed 19.1 Fantasy points to Jimmy Garoppolo in Week 1 and 25.3 points to Sam Howell in Week 3. And now they get to face Tagovailoa and Miami's passing attack -- good luck. Tagovailoa didn't have his best game in Week 2 at New England with just 14.3 Fantasy points, but he scored 33.1 points in Week 1 at the Chargers and has proven capable of those types of performances on a weekly basis. He's also averaged 288.8 passing yards per game in his past five home outings going back to last year. I wouldn't be surprised if Tagovailoa is a top-five Fantasy quarterback once again in Week 3.
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Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa: Modest output in win
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Tagovailoa completed 21 of 30 pass attempts for 249 yards, one touchdown and one interception in Sunday's 24-17 win over New England.
Tagovailoa was held in check by a division opponent after going off for 466 yards and three scores against the Chargers last week. The 25-year-old connected with favorite target Tyreek Hill for an early touchdown, but the passing game gave way to Raheem Mostert (18-121-2) and Miami's running game in the second half to seal the victory. Tagovailoa may be without his second favorite target, Jaylen Waddle (head), next week after the wideout exited Sunday's contest to be evaluated for a concussion. Either way, Tua's fantasy managers are hoping for results closer to Week 1 when the Dolphins head home to host the Broncos next Sunday.
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Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa: QBs to Start
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One of the reasons I loved Tagovailoa as the Start of the Week in Week 1 was because Fantasy managers didn't seem willing to trust him at the Chargers. When I wrote this story last week, he was only started in 54 percent of CBS Sports leagues. Now, after he went nuts against the Chargers for 33.1 Fantasy points, Fantasy managers are apparently still hesitant since he's just started in 69 percent of leagues as of Wednesday. I know it seems like a daunting matchup at New England, but Tagovailoa is actually 4-0 against Bill Belichick in his career. While he's healthy, he's a top-10 Fantasy quarterback in all leagues.
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Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa: Sharp in preseason finale
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Tagovailoa completed four of six passes for 67 yards and rushed once for no gain in the Dolphins' 31-18 preseason loss to the Jaguars on Saturday night.
As expected, Tagovailoa made a relatively brief appearance and had highlights on both of the drives he was in for. The fourth-year pro led the Dolphins on an 11-play, 74-yard march on his second possession, one that culminated in a field goal. He'd also recorded his longest completion on his first pass, a 32-yard connection with Tyreek Hill on Miami's first play from scrimmage. The performance served as a fitting tune-up for Tagovailoa and the rest of the first-team offense, and the focus will now shift to a Week 1 road showdown against the Chargers on Sunday, Sept. 10.
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Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa: Will play in preseason finale
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Coach Mike McDaniel said Tagovailoa will play in the Dolphins' preseason finale against the Jaguars on Saturday, Tom D'Angelo of The Palm Beach Post reports.
Tagovailoa will play "more than a series, less than a half," according to McDaniel. In the same breath, McDaniel praised Tagovailoa's offseason work, which recently drew criticism from ESPN on-air personality Ryan Clark. "I can say hard facts that I've seen with my own eyes and it's been top five on the team," McDaniel said about the QB's work ethic. "Every metric of strength that is measured he's shattered his previous highs and in some instances he's almost twice as strong with things. And that's a daily commitment that he hasn't wavered from. He's taken nutrition to another level. He's taken his commitment to what he's trying to do and really thought outside the box, and really, really worked at it. I couldn't be happier with the work that he's put in and what I've actually viewed from my own eyes."
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Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa: Healthy preseason debut
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Tagovailoa completed five of seven pass attempts for 61 yards, no touchdowns and one interception in his preseason debut against the Texans on Saturday.
Things got off to a shaky start when Tagovailoa completed his first pass to a Texans' defender for an interception. The 25-year-old rebounded on Miami's next possession by leading a 93-yard drive that led to a Raheem Mostert rushing touchdown. Tagovailoa would exit after just two drives as he prepares to start for the Dolphins once the regular season kicks off. The 2020 first-round pick is focused on staying healthy after suffering injuries to the head/neck area last year, something he prepared for by learning an improved falling technique through jiu-jitsu practice this past offseason.
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Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa: Not slated to play Friday
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Tagovailoa is not in line to see action in Friday's preseason opener against the Falcons, Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network reports.
Wolfe also indicates that Atlanta signal caller Desmond Ridder is not slated to play in the contest. In Tagovailoa's anticipated absence, Skylar Thompson and Mike White are available to handle Miami's QB reps Friday.
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Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa: Bulked up for Year 4
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Tagovailoa has added noticeable size and strength during Miami's offseason training program, David Furones of the Orlando Sentinel reports.
Tagovailoa's mindset is on improvement entering Year 4, as his offseason has featured not only strength training but also techniques to avoid future concussions and practice with a helmet camera to put him more in sync with coaches. Last year Tagovailoa proved an ability to thrive in coach Mike McDaniel's scheme, at least when healthy, but concussion issues limited him to just 13 appearances. Now with another offseason of familiarity with McDaniel's system, plus increased chemistry with star wideouts Tyreek Hill (undisclosed) and Jaylen Waddle, Tagovailoa should be viewed as a high-upside option in 2023 fantasy drafts after the top options at his position are off the board.
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Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa: Optimistic about avoiding concussions
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Tagovailoa said Wednesday that he considered retirement this offseason but instead decided to prioritize training that may help him avoid future concussions, the Miami Herald reports.
Tagovailoa noted that doctors told him he isn't at significant risk for chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and doesn't have any extra risk of suffering additional concussions. Head injuries limited him to 13 games last season in what was otherwise a breakout campaign, with Tagovailoa throwing 25 touchdowns to only eight interceptions while leading the league in yards per pass attempt (8.9). He'll have a similarly favorable setup this season under second-year head coach Mike McDaniel, with Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle forming the fastest wideiout duo in the NFL and having a strong argument to be considered the best. The team's skill-position players look much the same as in 2022 minus tight end Mike Gesicki, whose role had been scaled back under McDaniel in any case.
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Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa: Fifth-year option exercised
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The Dolphins officially picked up Tagovailoa's fifth-year option Monday.
Miami's decision to exercise Tagovailoa's fifth-year option, giving him a guaranteed $23.2 million salary for the 2024 season, is a sign of confidence in the young signal-caller. The 25-year-old excelled in coach Mike McDaniel's system with top receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle before concussions derailed his 2022 campaign, as he led the NFL in passer rating for much of the early part of the season. Tagovailoa has since cleared the concussion protocol, and as Mike Gavin of NBC New York reports, his offseason training thus far has prioritized techniques for avoiding future head injuries. Even with Mike Gesicki having moved to the Patriots in free agency, Tagovailoa looks primed to again lead an explosive offense in 2023.
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Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa: Fifth-year option to be picked up
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The Dolphins have informed Tagovailoa that they plan to pick up his fifth-year contract option, NFL Network's Mike Garafolo and Adam Schefter of ESPN report.
As a result, Tagovailoa is in line to be guaranteed $23.2 million for the 2024 season. By picking up his option, the Dolphins are essentially demonstrating their confidence that the No. 5 overall selection in the 2020 NFL Draft can effectively helm the team's offense in 2023, and beyond. The 25-year-old is coming off a 2022 campaign in which he was hampered by concussion issues that limited him to 13 contests. Since the conclusion the regular season, however, Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN relays that Tagovailoa has cleared the league's concussion protocol, putting the QB in a position to return to football activities once the Dolphins re-take the field.
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Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa: Won't participate in Pro Bowl Games
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Tagovailoa remains in the NFL's concussion protocol and won't participate in next week's Pro Bowl Games, according to Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN.
The report notes that Tagovailoa, who had been named a first-alternate Pro Bowler, hasn't experienced any setbacks, but the Dolphins are proceeding deliberately with the QB, with his long-term health in mind. Earlier this month, GM Chris Grier indicated that the franchise will approach the 2023 season with Tagovailoa as its starting signal-caller, based on the belief (via doctors the team has spoken to) that Tagovailoa's past concussions won't leave him more prone to head injuries going forward.
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Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa: Expected back as starter in 2023
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Tagovailoa (concussion) is expected to return as the Dolphins' starting quarterback during the 2023 season, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Tagovailoa is already ruled out for Sunday's wild-card game against the Bills as he continues to progress through the concussion protocol. Should Miami advance further in the playoffs, it appears that Tagovailoa could have a chance of gaining full medical clearance and retaking the field, but regardless of Sunday's outcome, the quarterback has now made a decision on his long-term playing future. The 24-year-old hasn't yet been cleared to resume football activities since suffering his second documented concussion of the season in late December, but Schefter reports that medical professionals have advised that Tagovailoa will be able to continue his NFL career when back to full health. For Sunday's wild-card matchup, Skylar Thompson is set to draw another start while Teddy Bridgewater (finger/knee) remains questionable but could be active in a backup capacity.
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Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa: Not yet cleared for football activity
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Coach Mike McDaniel noted Monday that Tagovailoa (concussion) has not yet been cleared for football activity, Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN.com reports.
Louis-Jacques notes that the Dolphins are hoping to have more clarity on the QB's status Wednesday, while adding that Tagovailoa hasn't experienced any setbacks. As the team's playoff opener this coming weekend against the Bills approaches, Tagovailoa's availability remains uncertain, but McDaniel did relay Monday that he believes Teddy Bridgewater, who has been dealing with a finger injury as well as a knee issue, may have been in a position to have entered Sunday's game against the Jets if Week 18 starter Skylar Thompson had been forced to exit the contest.
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Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa: Ruled out for Week 18
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Tagovailoa (concussion) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Jets, David Furones of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports.
Head coach Mike McDaniel said that Skylar Thompson will draw his second start of the season this weekend as the Dolphins chase down a playoff berth, with Miami needing to beat the Jets and hope the Bills defeat the Patriots in order to punch its ticket to the postseason. Tagovailoa has yet to resume practicing, while Teddy Bridgewater (finger/knee) was limited in practice throughout the week and will be available only in a backup role Sunday if he's cleared to play. If Miami is able to secure a playoff spot, Tagovailoa could be an option to start in the wild-card round if he clears the five-step concussion protocol, but it's not clear where he currently stands in his recovery from the brain injury.
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Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa: Unlikely to play in Week 18
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Head coach Mike McDaniel said Monday that he's not even thinking about Tagovailoa (concussion) starting Week 18, suggesting the quarterback is unlikely to suit up Sunday against the Jets, Travis Wingfield of the Dolphins' official site reports.
McDaniel added that he's preparing as if Skylar Thompson and Teddy Bridgewater (finger) will be his top options for the regular-season finale, and that he hasn't even talked with Tagovailoa about when the quarterback will be able to play again, per Adam H. Beasley of ProFootballNetwork.com. The coach's comments contradict a report Sunday from Fox's Jay Glazer, who said Tagovailoa plans to play again this season if the Dolphins make the playoffs. Either way, it appears Miami will be without its starting quarterback due to a concussion for yet another contest this year.
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Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa: Not in line to start Sunday
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The Dolphins are preparing Teddy Bridgewater to start Sunday's game against the Patriots after Tagovailoa (concussion) was placed in the protocol for the second time this season, Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN.com reports.
Head coach Mike McDaniel noted Wednesday that Tagovailoa is being evaluated on a day-to-day basis, while adding that there's no timetable for the quarterback's return to game action. With that in mind, expect Tagovailoa -- who missed two games due to a concussion earlier this season -- to be officially ruled out Friday for the Week 17 contest, with his status beyond this weekend unclear. Rookie Skylar Thompson is likely in line to serve as Bridgewater's backup this weekend.
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Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa: Back in concussion protocol
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Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said Monday that Tagovailoa is in the NFL's concussion protocol, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
As a result, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald notes that Teddy Bridgewater is slated to get the majority of the Dolphins' quarterback reps Wednesday and Thursday and would be in line to start Sunday against the Patriots if Tagovailoa is unable to progress through the five-step protocol. Per Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN.com, Tagovailoa -- who also was in the protocol earlier this season and missed two games -- met with doctors Monday in the wake of the Dolphins' 26-20 loss to Green Bay on Sunday and was experiencing concussion symptoms.
