The main question surrounding Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa is missing four games last season. Will Tagovailoa stay healthy enough to sneak into the top five at the QB position in 2023 fantasy football formats? Let’s take a closer look.
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Tua Tagovailoa’s Fantasy Outlook for the 2023 NFL Season
Heading into the 2022 NFL season, many labeled it a make-or-break season for Tagovailoa. Fortunately, Tua displayed some of the traits that made him the fifth pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, throwing with anticipation and accuracy to help produce a career year with 3,548 yards and 25 TDs.
On the flip side, even in his career year, Tua still had trouble staying on the field. He suffered a very concerning three concussions during the NFL season and missed four games. However, when Tua was on the field, he proved to be a viable fantasy option in a completely revamped Miami passing attack.
New head coach Mike McDaniel’s impact was significant. His offensive tempo, dictating defensive personnel with one of the higher 21 usage rates in the league, helped create mismatches for the speedy duo of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.
This helped produce four top-five fantasy finishes for Tua at the QB position in 13 games.
@KingOfPhinland what a throw Tua to Hill pic.twitter.com/z6dPSfJlLT
— Tommy in Hialeah 🇵🇷🐬 (@Dolphinfan201)
Advanced passing metrics all indicate Tua took a big step in 2022. If he can stay on the field, this high-powered Miami offense could make Tua a great breakout option at the QB position.
Is Tua a Good Fantasy Pick?
The real question comes to whether or not you tend to avoid risk or chase upside on draft day.
Tagovailoa proved he has a QB1 ceiling in this new-look Miami offense. But he’s also proven his durability issues, which were a concern in college, have continued in the NFL. Tua even considered retirement at one point because of the concerning amount of concussions he sustained last season.
Currently, he is going off the board in the eighth round as the QB11. I totally understand if fantasy managers would rather pass on Tua at that price and go with players like Jahan Dotson, Khalil Herbert, or Gabe Davis to avoid the risk that comes with Tua.
However, the upside is real. If Tua can put together his first healthy season in 2023, he could vastly outplay his current spot of QB11 off the board.
- PFN Consensus Rankings: 92nd overall
- ADP: 87th overall
