Miami Dolphins wide receiver Mike Wallace is supposed to be a deep threat, but he's been anything but through four weeks with his new team. Wallace has caught just one pass of 20 yards or more (34 yards), but it's not for lack of trying, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.
Mike Wallace’s best fantasy weapon, the deep ball, being taken away by opponents
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Mike Wallace can’t catch the deep ball because opposing defenses are planning for it. We break down the fantasy implications.
Mike Ehrmann
Wallace is actually targeted frequently on deep balls, or rather, he’s frequently running routes that could lead to him getting the deep ball thrown his way. But as Miami offensive coordinator Mike Sherman suggests, teams are frequently putting the two safety-looks on Wallace to specifically take away the aforementioned deep ball.
In 2010, Wallace caught an NFL-high 14 passes of 20 yards or more. It went downhill from there, and he only had six such receptions with the Pittsburgh Steelers last season. According to Sherman, Wallace ran 12 deep ball routes against the New Orleans Saints but the coverage didn't allow them to be completed.
Fantasy Impact: If you continue to read Jackson's piece, there are a lot of negative stats to call to attention, including some rankings for Wallace. But you don't need anyone to spell it out for you that Wallace has been bad this season. He's been a disappointment for fantasy owners, seems to have a disconnect with quarterback Ryan Tannehill and if he doesn't pick things up, he could be in for his worst season yet. Teams are taking away his best weapon: the deep ball.
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