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UPDATE: The Dolphins have not announced the news, but Tua shared video of Rick Ross congratulating him on being the new starting quarterback. So, I guess that counts as confirmation?
Tua confirms the big news that he is taking over as #Dolphins starting quarterback, sharing a message from Rick Ross on his IG. pic.twitter.com/L6ykvhoxAY
— Josh Tolentino (@JCTSports) October 20, 2020
As the saying goes, that escalated quickly!
The Miami Dolphins are on a bye this week, but the team is preparing for a new era in Week 8. The Dolphins are naming Tua Tagovailoa their starting quarterback, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Tagovailoa made his debut in garbage time against the New York Jets this past Sunday. Ryan Fitzpatrick has helped lead the Dolphins to a 3-3 record, completing 70 percent of his passes for 1,535 yards with 10 touchdowns and 7 interceptions.
The move makes sense in the bigger picture, but for this year, it’s a bit of a surprise. Fitzpatrick has the Dolphins playing better than I think most people expected. That being said, the team’s wins have come against awful Jaguars and Jets squads and a 49ers team trying to figure things out amidst injuries. The Dolphins’ three losses came against the Patriots, Bills, and Seahawks.
The organization likely sees a team that can be competitive week-to-week, but is not a legit playoff contender for the time being. The expanded playoff race — three wild card teams in each conference instead of two — opens the door for a playoff appearance, but the Dolphins would seem to be thinking a little more long term.
From a fantasy football perspective, it’s unclear what this will mean in the short term. Will Tua have a favorite receiver? Will he lean on a veteran like DeVante Parker, or will his practice time have helped him build a rapport with someone else? A quality pass-catching tight end can be a young quarterback’s best friend, but so could a solid pass-catching running back. Tagovailoa has more upside than Fitzpatrick, but there will be plenty of inconsistency.