Ryan Tannehill Silences Doubters of Miami Dolphins this Season
By Dan Salem
One player about to make the sleeper leap to the next level is Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill. His numbers have been electric and now the team must follow.
Dan Salem and Todd Salem debate in today’s NFL Sports Debate. Two brothers from New York yell, scream, and debate sports.
TODD:
Looking around the NFL, there are a number of players across both conferences that seem to be on the precipice of…something. These are popular players who could be in store for a steep decline in performance or below-the-radar contributors who have been given up on ready to make a sleeper leap to another level.
More from NFL Spin Zone
- Dallas Cowboys made the trade everyone else should have made
- Pittsburgh Steelers rookie sleeper everyone should be talking about
- Anthony Richardson putting jaw-dropping talent on display immediately
- Denver Broncos’ stud wide receiver might be out for a while
- Washington Commanders: Three takeaways from win over Ravens
The first player I have my eye on falls into the latter category. It is Miami Dolphins’ quarterback Ryan Tannehill. I am very high on Tannehill this season and expect to see him jump into the top tiers of the quarterback position in 2016.
Many around the league thought the young passer would get there last season. There were high expectations on both he and the Miami team as a whole entering 2015. They failed to live up to the hype and finished last in the competitive AFC East. Now, as folks have written them off, the team and Tannehill specifically fall squarely into the category of a post-hype sleeper. I am on board.
Though the offense lost Rishard Matthews this offseason, the pass catchers should be a great and deep bunch. Jarvis Landry will lead the crew that has a number of very young and talented pieces, including rookie running back Kenyan Drake, who should be an asset in the passing game. Miami also lucked into arguably the best player in the 2016 NFL Draft in left tackle Laremy Tunsil.
Related Story: 3 Keys to Dolphins' Success in 2016
The running game may be weak having lost Lamar Miller and not replaced him with anyone of note, but that should allow Tannehill to go off more often in these games. He had already been increasing his yards per game and adjusted yards per attempt each of his four seasons in the league. Both should take yet another jump up in year five for a man who has never missed a start as a professional.
Maybe it’s misguided to expect a great season from a man who hadn’t really broken out in four years and is coming off of a career-worst 6-10 season for an under-performing franchise, but count me as a believer in Tannehill.
DAN:
Ryan Tannehill is entering his fifth season in the league and despite average at best finishes for his Dolphins, Tannehill has been great statistically. I foresee another top-level fantasy season from the quarterback, but only victories will put him into that upper-tier of NFL signal callers.
Tannehill has conquered every NFL hurdle except the most important one, wins and losses. He crossed the 4,000 yard mark in passing each of his last two seasons. More importantly, his touchdown totals were each double his interceptions, with over 24 TDs in each of the last three years. Those are excellent stats and I expect Tannehill to produce again in 2016. But you lose me a little when it comes to Miami improving significantly as a football team.
The upper echelon quarterbacks all appear to carry their teams, making them better and elevating them to new heights. Perhaps Tannehill has done just that, but without a winning season on his resume, I’m skeptical about such an impact this year. It’s hard to fathom how the team has yet to win more games, when its quarterback is playing so well. But those are the facts. Miami must face three of the top defenses in the NFL six times again this season and one its most elite offenses twice. Its division rivals are some of the toughest in the league. I don’t think the narrative shifts for Tannehill because of it.
must read: Good, Bad and More for Dolphins in 2016
Miami took a step back in 2015, even though Tannehill did not. 2016 needs to be his bounce back season, no matter where the Dolphins fall in the standings. Until the playoffs are in hand, Tannehill will struggle to elevate in the minds of NFL fans.