Do you ever find yourself returning to something, whether it is a bad habit or a past relationship, and you know there are red flags all around you, but you go back to it anyway? If you do, then this is exactly the article for you. Despite the judgment of the hivemind that is football fanatics, I still believe that Jaelan Phillips can and will rebound in the 2024 season. Some may say I am crazy, and there's truth to that, but I can assure you players like Phillips don't grow on trees. If you live in fear of the maybe's and could be's, then fantasy football isn't your game. You need to free your mind from the fear of last season and focus on the potential of the upcoming year. Jaelan Phillips will do this if you take the chance on him. And here's why.
What Happened to Jaelan Phillips in 2023?
To rebound from a season, we must understand why the player didn't produce last season. Footballguys is a glass half-full company, but for the sake of playing devil's advocate, I'll start with the darkest part of this. Jaelan Phillips tore his Achilles last season. No player wishes this on his worst enemy. Achilles injuries are objectively the worst possible injury a player can have, let alone a player who must be explosive with his lower body on every play. Before that, he missed time with various other injuries, including a lumbar and oblique injury early in the 2023 campaign. This is truly the low point of his young career, filled with lots of potential and promise. A player with multiple injuries like this is enough for people to write him off as nothing more than "injury-prone." But there's more here that we need to identify when breaking down why he can rebound from this.
Why Take a Chance?
So why take a chance on a player like this? Well, an easy place to start looking for that answer is by diving into his stats. Last season, despite the multitude of injuries, he recorded at least half a sack in all but two games he played (eight total games in 2023). In the eight games he played, he recorded 6.5 sacks and 43 total tackles. He was well on his way to career highs in every major category and was separating himself as a focal point of the Dolphins' defense, a defense in desperate need of a breakout star. He had monster games when healthy. His game splits speak for themselves: Week 1, 11 tackles and 0.5 sacks. Week 7, seven tackles and a sack. Week 11, 6 tackles, two sacks, and an interception! I'll spare you from the rest, but they're not far off from this. He's a bonafide star when healthy, and while it may not seem like he will ever be the same, I believe it is too early to think that way.
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A Rare Player
In IDP Fantasy Football, players like Phillips are hard to find. He is still in the age range of being considered an ascending asset at 25 years old. His value on the market is at an all-time low, so there's a unique window to buy him this preseason. When he is healthy, he is worthy of building your edge-rushing players around him as a focal point, but until we are back to seeing him play a full season, I understand the hesitancy in doing so. If you don't have the stomach to go all in, then might I suggest buying the dip as a depth addition for your team? It's not often you can get a 25-year-old edge rusher for the price he's going for. In some start-ups/ redraft leagues, he's going undrafted! Throw out a late-round flyer to a manager, and be happy they'll take it!
Jaelan Phillips and the Miami Organization
Part of the reason why Phillips has a chance to rebound is because we need to start buying into what the Dolphins are as an organization. Coach Mike McDaniel has reinvigorated the offensive identity of this team, keeping them on the high side of points per game, so the next step in this potential evolution must be on the defensive side. We saw a glimpse of that this offseason with additions like Chop Robinson in the draft or the newly signed Emmanuel Ogbah. While the team did lose a key potential player in Shaquil Barrett before he even played a snap, we can't forget about the other edge rusher, a star in his own right, Bradley Chubb who is also rehabbing an injury. Chubb is one of those players who will be the primary focus of the offensive lineman. This gives Phillips a unique opportunity for the coveted 1-1 coverage, which, as previously noted in his statistics, he has proven he can and will win. As is the overarching theme of this article, we must hurry up and wait, to see if Chubb will return to form this season post-injury. If the Dolphins get this pair of edge rushers back and with the addition of Chop Robinson to this line, I expect big numbers for all involved by building on one another's performance.
Closing
There's no reason to feel ashamed about fearing the reinjury potential of a player with a significant setback. You must also realize you can't hit a home run unless you take a big swing. The same can be said in IDP Fantasy Football. You must be willing to take a risk here and there for that potential big BOOM! That is if you're trying to win your league! If you're content with sitting in the shadows or being a good team and not great, stay far away from this risky player. Meanwhile, the sharks that swim in the Footballguys IDP articles, because I can assure you that if you aren't brave enough to take this risk, someone else will be! Jaelan Phillips is a league winner at his lowest price as a player. He has proven to us he can perform at a high level, but he had bad luck last season. Don't let one thing ruin your opinion of a great player!
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