The 2026 NFL season is underway, as NFL regular-season football has finally graced our television screens for the first time in 7 months. The Miami Dolphins will kick off their campaign against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, September 13th, at 4:25 pm EST. While the Miami Dolphins this season are expected to be towards the bottom of the NFL, thanks to beginning a rebuild and having an absolutely brutal schedule, there are still plenty of players to watch as the season progresses.
You never truly know what will happen once the whistle blows. So, here are some bold, but still plausible, predictions for each position group for the Miami Dolphins. I severely doubt most, not to mention all, of these predictions come to pass, but don’t be surprised if one or two of these come to fruition.
Bold Predictions for every Miami Dolphins Position Group
Malik Willis leads all QBs in rushing yards
It is unrealistic to expect the Miami Dolphins’ new quarterback to replicate his 85.7% completion percentage from his 2025 season as a spot starter for the Green Bay Packers, but Malik Willis’s rushing ability will most certainly translate as a full-time starter. In Willis’s 4 games and 1 start last season, he put up 22 rushes for 123 yards (5.6 yards per carry), which would project to be about 524 rushing yards for a full season (30.8 per game). In the two games where he got much more playing time, he averaged 52 rushing yards per game, which would put him at 884 for a full season. He had similar rushing production in 2024 as well.
Last season, Josh Allen led all quarterbacks with 579 rushing yards, which is around the mark Willis should hit if he plays all 17 games. This does come with the caveat that the Baltimore Ravens’ Lamar Jackson was injured, missing 4 games, and was hobbling for most of the rest. It’s overly optimistic to assume Willis will fully translate his smaller-sample-size rushing ability over a full season, but the possibility is there. Plus, with Miami still figuring out their wide receiver group, along with them having one of the best running backs in the league, read options and designed quarterback runs could be common sights on Sundays this season.
Aug 14, 2026; Landover, Maryland, USA; Miami Dolphins quarterback Malik Willis (2) jogs off the field after the game against the Washington Commanders at Northwest Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
De’Von Achane finishes with 2000 all-purpose yards
This is honestly the most realistic among these predictions and certainly the most self-explanatory. De’Von Achane will be the overwhelming focal point of this Miami Dolphins offense, even more so than last year, when he racked up 1350 rushing yards and 488 receiving yards for a total of 1838 all-purpose yards. Achane’s new contract shows how much new GM Jon-Eric Sullivan and head coach Jeff Hafley value Achane. With the rest of the skill positions going through a massive overhaul in the offseason, Achane will have to shoulder more of the offensive workload than he already has. Given how he played last season and his general attitude in the offseason, Achane seems to be up to the task.
Dec 28, 2025; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Dolphins running back De’Von Achane (28) runs for a gain past Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Jacob Parrish (25) and linebacker Lavonte David (54) during the third quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Rookie Wide Receiver Trio combine for 2000 receiving yards
It’s no secret that the Miami Dolphins are living and dying by their young players developing and playing big roles in this fledgling season. They are the youngest team in the NFL, and no position in Miami will rely on its rookies as much as wide receiver. In the 2026 NFL Draft, the Fins invested 2 3rd-round picks and a 5th-round pick on rookie receivers that are already primed to get heavy playing time in year one.
While 3rd-year receiver Malik Washington is primed to be the lead target and de facto wide receiver 1 in the slot to start the season, he will be flanked by the two 3rd-round receivers on the outside, with promise in Caleb Douglas and Chris Bell. Douglas had plenty of question marks entering his rookie season, but his training camp and preseason play have boosted his stock tremendously. He, of course, had arguably the catch of the preseason in the first preseason game against the Washington Commanders, but his play outside of that has also been a very welcome surprise for the teal and orange.
Chris Bell’s talent, on the other hand, was undeniable. A torn ACL in November of his 1st-team All-ACC campaign, however, had him miss pre-draft workouts and caused him to slide down draft boards. Bell had a great injury turnaround, with him returning the week of the final preseason game and immediately thrusting himself into the other starting receiver role over veteran signing Jalen Tolbert. The two should play off each other well, with Bell’s frame helping him on in breaking routes and pairing nicely with Douglas’s more home-run-hitting speed.
Wrapping up the rookie trio is 5th-round pick Kevin Coleman Jr. Coleman has been banged up over training camp and missed a couple of practices, but when he has played, he’s shown traits you’d want to see from a slot receiver. He’s starting the season behind Washington in the slot, but I would expect him to get a decent amount of snaps in 4-5 wide receiver formations. All told, the three receivers averaging 668 yards each would be impressive, but with how much of a workload they’re expecting to have this season, it’s certainly possible if all of them remain on the field for most of the year. After all, they are half of the Miami Dolphins’ receiving corps.
Greg Dulcich notches 50 Receptions
It’s no secret that the Miami Dolphins are currently in dire need of consistent pass catchers, and many of the faces expected to contribute in the passing game, from Willis to the rookie receivers, are new faces. So I’d expect to see a pretty hefty workload for the returning members of the receiving and, by extension, the tight end room. Greg Dulcich had a bit of a coming-out party towards the end of last season, contributing as a pass-catching tight end at the end of the 2025-2026 season for the Miami Dolphins. In his 10 games and 3 starts, Dulcich racked up 26 receptions for 335 receiving yards.
With Dulcich only getting meaningful playing time in his rookie season and at the end of last season, the now 5-year veteran has only 67 total receptions in his career. Considering that 19 tight ends met the 50-reception mark last season, and with the Miami Dolphins really in need of solid safety valves with some modicum of experience for Malik Willis, Dulcich could very much reach this mark despite a low career total. This also depends on how much usage the tight end room will get in the receiving department. However, given that Dalton Schultz had 53 receptions the last time Bobby Slowik was truly in charge of an offense for the 2024 Houston Texans, it’s certainly doable.
Aug 20, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Miami Dolphins tight end Greg Dulcich (85) runs on the field during joint practice with the New York Giants at Baptist Health Training Complex. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
The Miami Dolphins average fewer than 2 sacks allowed per game
It was difficult to come up with a good offensive line prediction on a more individual level, so here’s a collective prediction. Last season, 11 teams averaged less than 2 sacks allowed per game (34 in a season), and Miami, even with an offensive line unit that was noticeably weak, finished with 38. Now, with another year for Patrick Paul and Jonah Savaiinaea under their belts, the return of Austin Jackson, the continued success of Aaron Brewer, and the addition of massive rookie Kadyn Proctor, Miami is primed to lower its mark to below the 34-sack threshold. Plus, with much of the Miami Dolphins’ offense relying on De’Von Achane, fewer pass attempts should help.
Chop Robinson racks up 10+ Sacks
This is a very critical year for Chop Robinson in terms of his future with the Miami Dolphins. With him entering his 3rd year as a 1st-round pick, Chop will be potentially entitled to a 5th-year option next offseason, so performance here is important for him individually. On Miami’s side, Robinson is far and away the number one edge rusher for a very beleaguered unit. Last year’s campaign was a massive sophomore slump for Chop, so he will have to put up or shut up with his first season as the top edge rusher for Miami.
Robinson’s offseason and preseason work were defined by his notable passion and his bulking up over the summer. He kept his speed and twitch while adding a bit more of a power game that he desperately needed after struggling mightily last season. With him basically having an unlimited leash thanks to a lack of real depth at the edge rusher position, Chop has plenty of runway to try different approaches to find the quarterback.
Jacob Rodriguez wins Defensive Rookie of the Year
Did you know that the Miami Dolphins have only had 3 players win Rookie of the Year? They join 11 other teams with 3 or fewer Rookie of the Year awards in their history. Defensive tackle Tim Bowens was the last to earn the title for the Fins in 1994, alongside running back Troy Stradford in 1987 and linebacker A.J. Duhe in 1977. So, suffice it to say, it’s been a while since the Dolphins have seen a Rookie of the Year. Jacob Rodriguez has the highest likelihood of doing so, as he currently ranks 7th in FanDuel odds to win the award despite being a second-round selection.
Along with that, Rodriguez was selected around the same spot and plays a similar role to last year’s defensive rookie of the year, the Cleveland Browns’ Carson Schwesinger. Given Rodriguez’s very impressive college pedigree, which led to an abundance of national awards and recognition, he will be all over the field making plays. He will most likely have a strong case for defensive rookie of the year when the 2026-2027 season concludes.
Chris Johnson records a pick-six
It’s a bit interesting how Chris Johnson has flown under the radar over the offseason, especially compared to fellow top-50 rookies Kadyn Proctor and Jacob Rodriguez. The 27th selection in this year’s draft is slotted in as the current starting nickelbacker/slot corner, so he’ll get plenty of opportunities to potentially take an interception back the other way. Johnson’s 2nd-team All-American season in 2025 had him log 4 interceptions and return 2 of them for touchdowns. Once Johnson finds his footing this season, a big-time play could be inevitable for the Miami Dolphins rookie.
The Miami Dolphins finish with 7 to 9 wins
This is probably the most lofty prediction, despite how small a goal it is. After all, the Miami Dolphins are expected to be downright bad this season, while a 7-to-9 win season suggests more mediocrity. This is coming from a fan of the Miami Dolphins who believes the team knows nothing else but mediocrity. The Fins refuse to be truly bad or good. In the past 18 seasons, since winning 1 game in 2007, 10 of Miami’s regular-season campaigns ended with the team winning 7 to 9 games. The lowest Miami has fallen in this time span was in the 2019 “Tank for Tua” season, when they went 5-11, but even that was a massive exceeding of expectations.
The Last Word
A common consensus among Miami Dolphins and NFL fans as a whole is that this team is the worst one they’ve fielded in a long time. Frankly, this isn’t even the worst team in the past decade. The 2019 team was very rough around the edges, and even last season’s team was greatly uninspired. Everyone knew going into last season that the squad was stagnant and mediocre at best. At least the team for this season has high variance, with all the newcomers the team is trotting out. Besides, the NFL will always subscribe to the adage “every given Sunday,” and games on paper will never tell the full story. Still, doubling the projected win total would be shocking.
You could argue that this outcome of the Miami Dolphins not being good enough for the playoffs but not being bad enough to get a top pick in next year’s draft would actually be the worst-case scenario for the team long term. After all, this has been the issue plaguing the organization for years: always the bridesmaid in both the Tank Bowl and the Super Bowl. Still, early exceeding of expectations for this rebuilding squad will be a very welcome sight after multiple failed rebuilds in recent years.
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