3 most underrated Miami Dolphins’ players during 2021 season

Durham Smythe

Much of the talk of tight ends surrounds Mike Gesicki, and for good reason. The fourth-year tight end has been a regular fixture on highlight reels this season, mostly with his one-handed catches. He has become one of Tagovailoa’s favorite targets, and was seemingly Miami’s only reliable offensive weapon during the early portions of the year.

But it is another tight end with an expiring contract that deserves some thanks from the fan base for his contributions to the turnaround. Durham Smythe has, statistically, been one of the most reliable receivers for Miami this season. He catches over 78 percent of all targets that come his way, the highest of any Dolphins receiver with more than 5 catches (Gaskin sits at 80.4 percent).

Gesicki may be the sexier downfield option for Miami, and will be the one who demands the bigger contract this coming off season. But if the Dolphins are looking to save some money and sign a player who is more of a traditional blocking tight end rather than a hybrid wide receiver, then Smythe could be the choice that the front office goes with. Monitoring the tight end position during the spring will be one of the more interesting story lines to watch for.