It has been a long time since the Miami Dolphins had superstar power throughout the roster. You’d have to go back to the days of Dan Marino to see a quarterback-wide receiver duo as deadly as WR Tyreek Hill and QB Tua Tagovailoa. That is probably why NFL Network’s Judy Battista listed both Hill and Tua in a recent article listing some of the top NFL MVP dark horse candidates heading into the 2024 NFL Season.
The first Dolphins player on Battista’s list might not necessarily be a dark horse, considering everything he accomplished throughout his career. Ask any defensive coordinator in football who the most explosive player in the league is, and many would say Tyreek Hill. Hill closed in on Calvin Johnson’s single-season record for the second consecutive season, ultimately falling just shy of the mark. But that doesn’t mean he’s been any less impressive.
Since joining the Dolphins in 2022, Hill has caught 238 of 341 targets for 3,509 yards and 20 touchdowns.
Here’s what Battista had to say about Hill::
Calvin Johnson has predicted that his single-season receiving record of 1,964 yards will eventually fall, and Hill was ahead of Johnson’s pace for most of 2023, until a late-season ankle injury limited him to 1,799 yards, which still led the league. For a wide receiver to win MVP — it’s never happened — will require a truly extraordinary season, but Hill is capable of it, thanks to his electrifying run-after-catch-ability and his chemistry with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Staying healthy through 17 games is the challenge for Hill, and it would help if the Dolphins’ offense — which finished first in offensive yardage last season — does not fade down the stretch as it did in 2023. Miami did not clear 20 points in either of the final two regular-season games, opening the door for the Bills to win the AFC East.
Tagovailoa has been in the MVP conversation in previous seasons, only to have injuries — to himself or others — quiet the chatter. This season could be different. For one thing, Tagovailoa stayed healthy in 2023, and, not surprisingly, that led him to post career highs in completion percentage (69.3), yardage and touchdown passes. He led the league in passing yards (4,624) and tied for fifth in touchdown passes (29). Now, Tyreek Hill (already mentioned above) is back. Jaylen Waddle just signed a new contract. And importantly, Tagovailoa — who previously packed on weight in an effort to avoid injury last season — has slimmed down again in hopes of regaining the mobility that was clearly compromised by the added pounds. If Tagovailoa can manage the delicate balancing act between being mobile and being healthy while still delivering the ball to two of the best receivers in the game, the numbers should get him back in the mix for the highest playing honor. For him to stay in the conversation, though, the Dolphins will have to avoid the late-season scoring difficulties that ultimately doomed them in ‘23.
Battista’s list, which appears in no order, includes some of the best the NFL has to offer. Other players besides Hill and Tagovailoa included in this list are:
Detroit Lions, QB Jared Goff
San Francisco 49ers, RB Christian McCaffrey
Arizona Cardinals, QB, Kyler Murray
Dallas Cowboys, EDGE, Micah Parson
Houston Texans, QB, C.J. Stroud
BONUS: Green Bay Packers, QB, Jordan Love
What are your thoughts on Judy Battista’s NFL MVP Dark Horses list for the 2024 Season? Do you agree that Tua Tagovailoa and Tyreek Hill belong on this list? Is there any other Dolphins player you think could sneak into the discussion before the season’s end? Let us know in the comments section below!
