Tua vs. Tyreek: Who is the Miami Dolphins offensive MVP?

The case for Hill

The Miami Dolphins traded a huge pile of draft picks to the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for Hill, and he paid immediate dividends. In his first season with the Dolphins, Hill caught 119 passes for 1,710 yards and seven touchdowns while averaging 14.4 yards per reception, all while being second in the league in targets with 181. He was also PFF’s highest-graded receiver in both offense (92.1) and receiving (92).

Hill wasn’t only successful as an individual. His arrival saw Miami take a massive leap forward, going from having a borderline-mediocre offense to an elite one. In comparing offensive stats from 2021 to 2022, the jump is drastic. The Dolphins went from 23rd to ninth in total touchdowns, 20th to fifth in passing touchdowns, 18th to fourth in passing yards, 28th to first in yards per pass attempt, 21st to third in 20-plus yard completions,17th to first in 40-plus yard completions, and 23rd to eighth in passer rating.

Hill’s arrival also helped open up the field for second-year wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, who finished the year with 117 targets and 75 receptions for 1,356 yards and eight touchdowns while averaging 18.1 yards per catch. Hill and Waddle made up arguably the best receiver duo in the NFL, ranking second and seventh, respectively, in receiving yards, and providing Tagovailoa plenty of pitch-and-catch throws. Also, in contrast to Tagovailoa, Hill was healthy and available in all 17 regular season games and the playoff game.

The numbers are impressive, but it’s hard to separate Hill’s stats from McDaniel’s offensive scheme. How much of it was Hill being amazing and how much was McDaniel putting Hill in the right place to make a play? Both are necessary, but it makes muddies the water for an MVP conversation.