MIAMI GARDENS - The Miami Dolphins secured their second win of the 2024 NFL Preseason , besting the Washington Commanders 13-6. This game saw more starters than the first, including quarterback Tua Tagovailoa , who was flawless in the one drive he played , going 5-5 for 51 yards and one touchdown. Although Tagovailoa got the start, top receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle did not.
The absences left a void for another receiver to step up and be the first option with the starting quarterback on the field. It rarely happens, and it’s a golden opportunity ripe for the taking. One man put on his big boy pants and did just that, and his name is River Cracraft .
Coming into his third year with the Dolphins , Cracraft is known as a sure-handed receiver who finds himself open more times than not but has not gotten the touches necessary to make him a weekly threat, but that’s due to Miami having a top-heavy receiving core, and his inability to stay healthy. When Cracraft is on the field, he makes plays, and yesterday’s game against the Commanders was another feather in his cap as to why he’s trending toward being the Dolphins WR3. Although Cracraft only had two targets in his appearance, he made the most out of them.
The first target was the first offensive play of the game, where he ran a zone beater, finding a soft spot in the defense and gaining sixteen yards. Tagovailoa found him with confidence and got the drive to a quick start. The second and final target was a thirteen-yard fade route to the corner of the end zone, and it was a thing of beauty.
Tagovailoa hit it with a chef’s kiss, put some anticipation and touch on it, and dropped it right into Cracraft’s breadbasket. Great route, throw, catch, and finish. The connection between Tagovailoa and Cracraft has been on display for the last few years.
Although it rarely sustains because of injuries, you can see the trust is there. Tagovailoa is self-described as a spot thrower, and with that, he has to trust that whoever he’s throwing to gets to the spot at the right time and comes down with the ball. Cracraft does it all.
In the battle for the Dolphins WR3, the forgone conclusion is that Odell Beckham Jr. will assume that role, no questions asked. I’m starting to think that won’t be the case.
I’m sure Beckham Jr. will make big plays throughout the season and become WR2 when Hill or Waddle are injured, but Cracraft brings something to the table that Beckham Jr. doesn’t, and that’s his blocking and rhythm built with Tagovailoa.
I may not have even brought this up if Beckham Jr. had been practicing, and impressive through training camp, but there’s no connection with Tagovailoa in real game situations, scrimmages, or even 11 on 11 against Miami’s defense. That takes time to build, and it hasn’t even started .
Cracraft being the best blocking receiver is a massive factor in him getting snaps compared to the other receivers trying to get on the field. Head coach Mike McDaniel is a sucker for a receiver or tight end who can block and make plays. It keeps the defense off balance and gives you an extra guy to create running lanes on outside runs, which the Dolphins love to use.
Maybe I’m crazy for suggesting that Cracraft will get more snaps than Beckham Jr. when the latter is fully healthy and in the swing of things, but the former has a track record of being in rhythm with the quarterback, making tough catches in traffic, and is the best blocker in the receiver room. I’ll take that guy to the bank all day as the WR3 on this team.
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