At 28 and well-poised to break the 2,000-yard barrier, is Tyreek Hill’s post-Chiefs season his true peak?

Tyreek Hill has been playing at a high level ever since he entered the NFL. Drafted in 2016, he was initially a return specialist but has since transitioned into playing as a wide receiver. He has made it to the Pro Bowl every season he has been in the league. He won Super Bowl LIV with the Kansas City Chiefs.

With such a record, it might be assumed that he has already had his best years. But looking at his age and record this season, it looks quite the opposite. He is just 28 years of age and does not look to be slowing down. Quite literally, he is the fastest player in the league and he is making the best use of it as he is coming into his prime age.

He has 1,233 receiving yards and four touchdowns in 11 games this season. He had 1,239 yards in the entirety of the last season in 17 games. His 112.1 receiving yards per game are the highest he has ever had and it looks good enough that he might cross 2,000 yards this season. His level in previous seasons was always good enough to see him selected to the Pro Bowl. With the career year he is having now, that seems to be locked in as well.

Despite all his past accomplishments, one could argue that he is hitting his true peak right now. The Miami Dolphins sit on a 8-3 record and are just one game shy of the top seed in the AFC. That spot is currently occupied by Tyreek Hill's former team, the Kansas City Chiefs.

In fact, Tyreek Hill is one of the reasons the Miami Dolphins have done so well. His speed and ability have liberated all aspects of the offense. Having an elite receiver like that gives the quarterback a better chance to put up numbers and allows other receivers more space on the field.

If this is him entering his prime, imagine how good he might become.

Tyreek Hill's effect on the Miami Dolphins

The difference since adding Tyreek Hill to the offense this offseason has been striking for the Miami Dolphins. This season, they have a total of 4,254 yards of offense, averaging 386.7 yards per game. They are the third-best in the league behind the Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills. Considering only passing yards, they have 3,211 passing yards at 291.9 yards per game. This is the second-highest in the league behind the Chiefs.

Last season, with Tua Tagovailoa still as their starting quarterback (but without Tyreek Hill), the Miami Dolphins only had 5,219 total yards in 17 games. That is 307 yards per game and puts them in the bottom half of the table. That is nearly 80 yards per game less than this season. Their passing yards per game were only 214.8, which is again nearly 80 yards per game less than their current average.

It shows that the main jump in output has been in the passing game every since Tyreek Hill joined the Dolphins.

Beyond his own stats, he has also helped Tua Tagovailoa and Jaylen Waddle reach new heights. Jaylen Waddle had 1,015 receiving yards last season in 16 games. In 10 games already this season, Waddle has 878 receiving yards and will likely break his mark from the previous season.

What is astonishing is how Hill being there has given him so much more space to play. Waddle had 104 receptions at 9.8 yards per catch to reach his figure last campaign. The average is nearly double this year at 17.2 yards per catch with only 51 receptions.

Tua Tagovailoa has also seen the benefits of having Hill there. He has 2,564 yards in just nine games this season. Last season, in 13 games, he had 2,653 passing yards.

Having Hill has made a huge difference to the quarterback and receivers of the Miami Dolphins. In turn, he also seems to have benefited from the new setup and is looking forward to having his best year ever.

It will be interesting to see if this is his peak, or if there are new heights to come.