Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill says he won't "force the ball" to free-agent wide receiver acquisition Mike Wallace, according to the Miami Herald.
Ryan Tannehill says he ‘won’t force the ball’ to Mike Wallace
After a quiet Week 1, there was some question about the amount of look the Dolphins’ new wide receiver would get, and Tannehill addressed that Wednesday. We break down the fantasy implications.
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Wallace, who caught only one pass on five targets Sunday against the Cleveland Browns, spoke about his displeasure with the attention he received. The team paid much more attention to Brian Hartline, who caught nine passes for 114 yards and a touchdown.
“I’m going to play the quarterback position the way the coaches install the plays,” Tannehill said Wednesday. “We’re going to try and get [Wallace] the ball when he’s in the play, but we’re not going to force him the ball.”
Fantasy impact: Tannehill spent his rookie year throwing to Hartline, so it stands to reason he'd feel comfortable with a longer-term teammate than Wallace, who came over from the Steelers in the offseason. It would be something if it were to come out that the Dolphins didn't "install the plays" for Wallace to get the ball Sunday, as Tannehill somewhat seemed to intimate, but it seems more likely that Wallace was simply covered up by Browns' Pro Bowl cornerback Joe Haden, leaving more space for Hartline to make plays.
It is way too early to downgrade Wallace significantly based on one game against a top-flight corner. The team hosts Indianapolis Sunday, a team with no single defensive player as imposing as Haden. Wallace’s number should see a boost.
