Which Dolphins have the best shot to be named to the Pro Bowl Games?
The Dolphins’ ultimate goal this season is making the playoffs and vying for a Super Bowl but their success and the popularity of top stars on the team could mean several players are named to the 2023 Pro Bowl Games.
As of last Wednesday, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa led all NFL players in fan voting. Wide receiver Tyreek Hill wasn’t far behind, garnering the fifth-most votes and the Dolphins ranked fourth in total votes.
Fan voting, which counts for one-third of the total vote, ended last Thursday. Player and coach voting accounts for the other two-thirds. With the NFL set to reveal the Pro Bowl rosters on Wednesday, here is a look at the 10 Dolphins who have the best chance to be named to the all-star team.
Tyreek Hill
Hill has been on a record-setting tear in his first season with the Dolphins, most recently passing Mark Clayton for most receiving yards in a season in franchise history. Entering Week 15, his 1,460 receiving yards only trail the Vikings’ Justin Jefferson. A household name with several Pro Bowl and All-Pro nods, Hill ranks in the top five in fan votes and it would be a surprise if players and coaches did not send him to his seventh Pro Bowl.
Tua Tagovailoa
Despite some struggles in December, Tagovailoa is having a breakout season. And though he is one of the most polarizing players in the NFL, Tagovailoa’s popularity was shown in his leading the entire league in votes. Tagovailoa is competing with the likes of Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen for one of three spots for AFC quarterbacks and his raw numbers don’t measure up to some signal-callers because he missed three games due to injury. However, he has been one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the NFL this season and outside of Mahomes and Allen, you can make the argument for Tagovailoa over any other player.
Terron Armstead
The 10-year left tackle has played through a litany of injuries but has only missed one game this season. He’s been a foundational member of an offensive line that has improved from the 2021 season. According to Pro Football Focus, Armstead has only allowed one sack on 371 pass block snaps. Armstead was the leading vote-getter among AFC offensive tackles when the league gave a fan voting update on Wednesday. He’s respected by his peers and coaches, too, helping his chances to get voted in.
Jaylen Waddle
Hill has set numerous records as the Dolphins’ top pass-catcher this season but Waddle hasn’t been far behind. Entering Week 15, Waddle ranked seventh in receiving yards (1,003) and fifth in yards per reception (17.0). After setting the NFL’s rookie reception record in 2021, Waddle has become the first player in Dolphins history to put together 1,000-yard receiving seasons in his first two years. As of the NFL’s voting update on Nov. 28, Waddle was fourth among wide receivers.
Alec Ingold
Few teams in the NFL use a traditional fullback, so Ingold doesn’t have as much competition as his counterparts at other positions. In the league’s latest voting update, Ingold led all AFC fullbacks with 125,250 votes. In his first season with the Dolphins, Ingold has been a valuable and versatile player. He’s already set career-high marks for catches and is on pace to set a career-high for receiving yards.
Jevon Holland
The second-year safety was viewed as a breakout candidate in 2022 and has put together a strong season while playing different positions on the field. Entering Week 15, Holland has already matched his rookie marks for interceptions (2) and combined tackles (69), and he also has 1.5 sacks. As of the NFL’s voting update on Nov. 28, Holland was third among free safeties.
Xavien Howard
Like the 2021 season, Howard hasn’t always played at a Pro Bowl level and injuries have been a factor, most notably an early-season groin injury. The raw numbers aren’t there either, with just one interception for a player who leads the league in picks since he entered the league in 2016. But Howard, who has been named to three Pro Bowls, could get pushed through by players and coaches who have high regard for him.
Bradley Chubb
The Dolphins acquired Chubb from the Broncos in a trade deadline deal in early November. Since then, he’s flashed the pass rush skills that made him a Pro Bowler in 2020. In five games as a Dolphin, Chubb has 2.5 sacks, bringing his season total to eight, which is tied for 18th in the NFL. As of the NFL’s voting update on Nov. 28, Chubb was eighth among outside linebackers.
Jaelan Phillips
After breaking the franchise’s rookie sack record (8.5) in 2021, Phillips has improved as an all-around player in Year 2. Entering Week 15, He’s up to six sacks this season and has recorded three sacks in the last four games. However, Phillips’ sack numbers aren’t at the top of the league -- tied for 37th -- which makes his Pro Bowl chances more of a longshot.
Christian Wilkins
Wilkins continues to be one of the league’s most underrated players at an unglamorous position. A year after leading all defensive linemen in tackles, he again leads his position group in that category entering Week 15. He’s also tied for fifth among linemen with 14 tackles for loss. There’s no doubt the fourth-year player has played at a Pro Bowl level this season. It’s just a matter of whether his peers and coaches around the league reward him for his production.
This story was originally published December 16, 2022 at 6:06 PM.
