Week 2 vs. Buffalo Bills
DeVante Parker led all Dolphins with seven targets in Week 1, finishing 4-81. Parker played on 83% of the offensive snaps and should have another big role in Week 2 as Will Fuller continues to be absent. While the idea of Parker being covered by Tre'Davious White and the Bills defense sounds intimidating, Parker actually played well against Buffalo in 2020. Parker finished 5-53-1 in his first game against Buffalo and 7-116 in his second game. We don't expect another 100-yard game from Parker this week, but he should be a solid mid-tier WR3 in Week 2.
Week 1 at New England Patriots
DeVante Parker took a step back last season after his late-career breakout in 2019. He'll likely take another step back in 2021 as the Dolphins brought in a pair of talented wideouts in Jaylen Waddle and Will Fuller. The latter, however, will be absent in this Week 1 matchup against the Patriots. While that's good news for Parker, the bad news is he'll face a tough Patriots secondary. Parker finished 4-47 on four targets in his only game against New England last season. We're expecting a similar performance from him again in 2021, putting him in WR4 territory.
Fantasy Upside
DeVante Parker finished another season with over 100 targets, giving him two consecutive years hitting that milestone. Parker played well when healthy, averaging 5.7 receptions and 73.1 yards in games where he played at least 80% of the offensive snaps. He should be in line for another strong season as he plays on the outside. He’s also a strong red zone target considering his size compared to the other Dolphins receivers.
Fantasy Downside
The Dolphins changed a lot heading into 2021. The receiving corps got deeper with the additions of Will Fuller and Jaylen Waddle, and the quarterback room was shrunk to just Tua Tagovailoa. Parker played a lot better with Ryan Fitzpatrick under center, and the stats prove it in an almost remarkable way as both quarterbacks played in eight games with the WR. In eight games with Fitzpatrick, Parker finished 43-544-3. In eight games with Tagovailoa, Parker finished 29-345-2. Parker has also started training camp on the PUP list with an undisclosed injury.
2021 Bottom Line
Parker should still be a featured receiver in Miami, but the arrivals of Fuller and Waddle certainly hurt his projections. We have Parker projected the lowest out of the three main receivers, although they’re all relatively close in draft stock. We have Parker projected just inside the top 50 WRs, which is around his ADP. Parker should be viewed as a solid WR4 heading into 2021.
Week 17 at Buffalo Bills
DeVante Parker was a somewhat surprising inactive last week as he deals with a hamstring injury. He appeared at Wednesday's practice, and with a must-win Week 17 game, it'd seem as if he'd be ready to play this week unless he suffers a setback. Parker could benefit as the Bills are debating whether to rest their starters. Even if they don't, Parker had a nice game against Buffalo in Week 2, finishing 5-53-1. However, that was with Ryan Fitzpatrick at quarterback. The Dolphins run a much more conservative offense under Tua Tagovailoa, who is expected to start in Week 17. There's a lot to take into account this week for Parker (QB situation, injury, Bills' starters), which makes the decision to play him difficult. Right now, we like him as a WR3 to WR4 play against Buffalo.
Week 16 at Las Vegas Raiders
DeVante Parker was out last week, and he may be out again in Week 16 as he deals with a hamstring injury. Parker has been limited in practice this week and is officially listed as questionable. If he does play, he gets a favorable matchup against the Raiders (No. 21 aFPA), who have allowed the fourth-most (tied) receiving touchdowns to wide receivers this season. His injury may limit him though, whether in snap counts or production, if he is active. He'd be a somewhat risky WR3 play in Week 16 if active.
Week 14 vs. Kansas City Chiefs
DeVante Parker saw eight targets last week, finishing 4-35. Parker fantasy owners were hoping to see Ryan Fitzpatrick start last week since Parker has played much better with Fitz than with Tua Tagovailoa. For instance, Parker is averaging 3.8 receptions for 38.8 yards with Tagovailoa compared to 5.2 receptions 69 yards with Fitzpatrick. However, Tagovailoa is here to stay as he's healthy enough to start. Parker hasn't been awful with Tagovailoa, but his stock has certainly taken a hit. This week he gets a middle-of-the-road matchup against the Chiefs (No. 14 aFPA) where we project him to put up WR2 numbers.
Week 13 vs. Cincinnati Bengals
DeVante Parker was happy to see Ryan Fitzpatrick return as quarterback, as the WR saw a season-high 14 targets. Parker finished 8-119, his first 100-yard game this season since Week 4. Parker is averaging 39.8 receiving yards in Tua Tagovailoa's four starts compared to 69.0 receiving yards in Fitzpatrick's seven starts. No matter who starts this week, Parker should be in for a good game as he draws a favorable matchup against the Bengals (No. 31 aFPA). The Bengals have given up 14 receiving touchdowns to WRs, which ties for fourth-most in the league. We like Parker as a solid WR2 play in Week 13.
Week 12 at New York Jets
DeVante Parker had a great game considering the Dolphins' offensive struggles in Week 11. Parker finished 6-61-1 on nine targets as the Dolphins used two quarterbacks in Week 11. Parker hasn't been quite as dominant as we thought he would in the absence of Preston Williams. We saw a notable uptick in Parker's production last season when Williams left, but that hasn't been the case in 2020. Still, Parker has WR2 appeal, and that's where we have him in Week 12 in a favorable matchup against the Jets (No. 26 aFPA).
Week 11 at Denver Broncos
DeVante Parker saw a team-high seven targets last week, but was ineffective by finishing 2-31. Parker hasn't been great since Tua Tagovailoa took over at quarterback, averaging 3-32.7 with one goal-line touchdown in three games. Parker even has a better opportunity with Preston Williams on IR. Despite the overall low production, it's nice to see Parker lead the team in targets in back-to-back weeks. If he converts on more of those looks, he should be back in the WR3 range. That's about where we have him in Week 11 in a fairly tough matchup against the Broncos. Denver has allowed the ninth-fewest total receiving yards to WRs, but have allowed 11 touchdowns to the position.
Week 10 vs. Los Angeles Chargers
DeVante Parker led the team in targets last week (7), finishing 6-64 as a receiver. Expect him to see even more targets moving forward now that Preston Williams has been moved to injured reserve. The Dolphins are thin at receiver behind Parker, and are currently thin at running back with Myles Gaskin (and potentially Matt Breida) sidelined. Parker unfortunately draws a tough matchup against the Chargers this week (No. 9 aFPA), but can still be viewed as a solid WR2 play. We're projecting around 5-6 receptions for about 60 yards from Parker in Week 10.
