Chris Bell ascends to first team on depth chart

With nine targets over his previous two games, Bell looked to be building some momentum headed into Week 9. Instead, he posted the dreaded goose egg. The good news is that Bell ran a route on 77 percent of Malik Willis’s dropbacks. He’s running as the team’s WR3, but there’s barely enough passing volume to keep the WR1 in the FLEX mix. Bell remains an interesting dynasty stash, but he is not on the redraft radar headed into Week 10.

The third-round rookie was limited to short-area work in today’s loss to the Patriots, but his five targets and four receptions both tie for career highs. He also lost two yards on a run play. Bell has had a few gaffes this year, but he is seemingly recovering well from last year’s ACL surgery. He is a player worth stashing on benches in many 12-team leagues, and could warrant WR5 treatment against the Lions next week.

Bell finished second on the team in targets but fourth in receiving yards. Caleb Douglas was finally healthy this week and stole the spotlight with 70 yards and two touchdowns despite seeing just three targets. After being held without a catch in back-to-back games, Bell’s modest Week 7 showing is still a step in the right direction. On the other hand, he simply isn’t seeing enough targets to be a weekly fantasy consideration right now. He should remain on the waiver wire in most fantasy leagues this week.

Bell was targeted just twice on the day, catching neither target. He did see a carry on an end-around play, rushing for 26 yards on his sole touch of the game. He has ramped up to a starting receiver’s workload of snaps, ranking second among Dolphins receivers with 41 snaps. Though Bell is the field more, he has yet to be a key part of the Dolphins offense and will see less opportunities once Caleb Douglas (ankle) returns. Bell is best left on fantasy benches when the Dolphins come out of their Week 6 bye.

He’ll be a FLEX dart throw against the Bengals. Bell continues to get listed with his knee injury as the Dolphins bring him along slowly, but he seems wheels up for Sundays as things currently stand.

The Dolphins have been managing Bell’s practice reps for a few weeks, but it hasn’t been an issue on Sundays. He ran 85 percent of the routes in Week 4 and his route share has gone up in every game. He is in the WR5 range headed into Week 5 versus the Bengals.

Bell’s Week 4 outing was heartbreaking. His near-68-yard touchdown on the Dolphins’ third drive will live with him, and fantasy managers alike, for a while. Malik Willis rolled right out of the pocket, facing pressure and lobbed a wobbly pass to Bell downfield. The rookie wide receiver caught it, took off downfield, stumbled through a leg grab and ran into the end zone. Unfortunately, the officials determined Bell had stepped out of bounds, along the right sideline, during the scramble drill. Dolphins coach Jeff Hafley did not challenge it. Upon replay, one can make the case that his pinky toe’s shadow grazed the white line, but it was an awfully close call. Aside from that, Willis sent him a wobbly, incomplete overthrow beyond the sticks on the Dolphins’ first drive and later tried to force a fadeaway jumper to him 25 yards downfield. The pass was contested and fell incomplete. The talent is there. Despite the rough outing, Bell warrants FLEX consideration against the Saints in Week 5.

Bell posted a 4/67 receiving line last week, though the Dolphins are still managing his reps. The Vikings’ blitz-based defense poses problems for Miami, limiting Bell to WR4 status this week. The rookie wide receiver should be rostered in 12-team formats.

Douglas will miss his second straight game with an ankle injury, paving the way for fellow rookie Chris Bell to build on his Week 3 performance in which he went for 4-67-0 on eight targets. Bell and all Dolphins pass-catchers will be tough for fantasy managers to trust as anything more than WR4s on the road against a Vikings defense that could give them fits all afternoon.

The Dolphins’ ascending rookie wide receiver is on track to face the Vikings this week, although he continues to be limited by his surgically repaired knee. Bell should be viewed as a FLEX starter with an admittedly tough matchup against the Vikings.