Miami Dolphins News

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Chris Bell (knee) will remain in a red non-contact jersey Tuesday, but head coach Jeff Hafley said the rookie is set to do a little more after making his practice debut Monday. Bell was activated from the non-football injury list Monday as he works back from the torn ACL he suffered at Louisville on Nov. 22. He only took part in individual drills in his first session back. The next step is team work while still wearing red, though Hafley said he doesn't expect Bell to practice against the Giants or play in Saturday's preseason game. Miami is taking this one slowly. Bell, the 94th overall pick in April, caught 72 passes for 917 yards and six touchdowns in 11 games last season before the injury ended his year. There's still no clear date for full contact. Bell getting back onto the field matters, but he's not close enough yet for fantasy managers to count on an immediate role.

Miami Dolphins rookie third-round wide receiver Caleb Douglas (lower body) is back at training camp practice on Tuesday after a little injury scare on Monday, according to David Furones of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Douglas worked with the starters in the preseason opener last Friday against the Washington Commanders and caught one of his two targets for a 28-yard gain. Nobody is expecting much of the Dolphins' new offense led by QB Malik Willis, but there is plenty of opportunity for Douglas to seize a starting role in 2026 in his first year in the NFL. Right now, Jalen Tolbert and Malik Washington are the team's top pass-catchers, with Douglas competing with Tutu Atwell and fellow third-round rookie Chris Bell (knee) for the WR3 role. Douglas had over 800 receiving yards in each of his final two seasons in college at Texas Tech and 13 total touchdowns in 2024 and 2025. He will probably go undrafted in most shallow fantasy leagues, but he's worth a look as a late-round flier in deeper formats for his opportunity alone in a weak WR room in Miami.

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Caleb Douglas briefly left Monday's practice and went inside, according to David Furones. Douglas was walking fine when he left and returned to the field before practice was over. He put his helmet back on but did not participate in the final period. There has been no injury announced or explanation given for why the rookie stepped away. Douglas has been one of Miami's more consistent performers this summer, with head coach Jeff Hafley recently saying he had earned his spot on the team's initial depth chart. The third-round pick also made his presence felt in Friday's preseason opener against Washington, catching one pass for 28 yards and leading Miami in receiving yardage. Monday's brief exit is something to note, but Douglas returning to the field before the end of practice is at least an encouraging sign.

The Miami Dolphins have activated rookie wide receiver Chris Bell (knee) from the non-football injury list, and the first-year player could soon begin practicing with the team. Once viewed as a first-round talent, Bell tore his ACL in December and fell to the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft. His rare combination of size and speed allowed him to dominate in his final collegiate season at Louisville, racking up over 900 yards on 72 receptions, and while he will now be playing catch-up to begin his NFL career, he could find a mid-season role in a wide-open Dolphins receiver room. Fellow rookie and third-round pick Caleb Douglas has been a training camp standout, and Malik Washington led the team with three catches in Friday's preseason opener, but with the third receiver spot currently being held by Jalen Tolbert, there is a path for Bell to crack the starting lineup by season's end, making him a player to at least remember in the closing rounds of deep drafts. UPDATE: Bell was limited to individual drills in his training camp debut on Monday, according to Sports Illustrated's Alain Poupart.

Miami Dolphins second-year quarterback Quinn Ewers (groin) suffered a groin injury early in his action in Friday's preseason opener against the Washington Commanders and is now considered week-to-week, a source told David Furones of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. As a result, the Dolphins are bringing back QB Mark Gronowski for more depth at the position behind starter Malik Willis and Cam Miller. Ewers, a seventh-rounder in 2025 from the University of Texas, appeared in four games (three starts) as a rookie last year, going 55-for-83 passing for 622 yards, three touchdowns, and three interceptions. The 23-year-old will not be available for the team's next preseason game on Saturday, Aug. 22, versus the New York Giants, but he could be ready to return for the final preseason tilt on Friday, Aug. 28, against the Atlanta Falcons. If healthy for the start of the 2026 regular season, Ewers is primed to open up his second year in the NFL as the backup to Willis.

Miami Dolphins Pro Bowler De'Von Achane was the only running back in the league to reach double-digit fantasy points in all of his 2025 starts, and in Friday night's preseason opener, it took him only one drive to reach that mark. Achane touched the ball on half of the team's 14 plays on a 93-yard drive to open the game, and his first five runs went for at least five yards before he was given two goal-line carries, punching in the second for a one-yard touchdown. With Achane's stock falling throughout draft season, tied to an offense of which little is expected in 2026, the impressive scoring drive was as assuring as anything fantasy managers could have asked for. The RB5 in 2025, Achane is currently being drafted as the RB7 and frequently falling out of the first round of 2026 drafts, but Friday's competitive action served as a reminder that he remains one of the most electric players in the league and could still prove to be a league-winner.

Playing with the first-team offense in Friday night's preseason opener, Miami Dolphins wide receiver Malik Washington led the team with three catches on his three targets. Quarterback Malik Willis and the starters looked sharp, opening the game with a 14-play, 93-yard touchdown drive before the backups took over and inefficiency reigned for the rest of the night. Washington was targeted on the first two plays of the game, a four-yard catch followed by an eight-yard completion to move the sticks and get the drive rolling. Of Willis' four completed passes, only one went away from Washington, a 28-yard deep shot to rookie Caleb Douglas. While the Dolphins offense has been panned for much of the offseason, little more could be asked of the first unit in their limited action, and if Washington's chemistry with his new quarterback can carry into the regular season, he could prove to be an incredible value as RotoBaller's WR86, particularly in PPR leagues.

Miami Dolphins running back Ollie Gordon II had seven carries for 39 yards in the 20-7 preseason loss to the Washington Commanders. Gordon split carries and snaps with Jaylen Wright, while starter De'Von Achane handled every snap for the first-team offense. The second-year back outperformed Wright in their first preseason action, averaging 5.6 yards per carry to Wright's 3.7. While Achane is expected to be the Dolphins' workhorse back in 2026, Gordon has a chance to win the backup running back job if he can string together solid production over the rest of the preseason. Currently ranked RB83 in RotoBaller's position rankings, Gordon could be a player to snatch late in deeper leagues.

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jalen Tolbert caught just one pass on three targets for 27 yards in the team's 20-7 preseason loss to the Washington Commanders. Tolbert's 27-yard reception came on the second drive, and backup Quinn Ewers targeted him three times on Friday. On the team's 14-play opening drive, Tolbert played zero snaps, while rookie Caleb Douglas and Malik Washington spent most of their time with the first team. Jalen Reagor served as the third receiver in 11 personnel, while Tolbert and Tutu Atwell did not play on that opening drive. With rookie Chris Bell (knee) expected to be a factor this season as well, Tolbert's fantasy value is too low to consider drafting at this time.

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Caleb Douglas ran with the first-team offense during Friday's preseason contest against the Washington Commanders. He finished the game with two targets, one catch, and 28 receiving yards. The final box score doesn't nearly tell the full story. Not only did Douglas run his routes with the first-team offense (including quarterback Malik Willis), but he also made a spectacular one-handed catch while being covered. This natural playmaking ability should allow Douglas to climb up the depth chart rather quickly. Ever since being drafted in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft out of Texas Tech, the 22-year-old has been pushing for a larger role. As it stands, he's in the mix to fetch high-value targets in a relatively depleted receiver room that also features Malik Washington, Jalen Tolbert, and Tutu Atwell, as well as rookies Douglas, Kevin Coleman, and Chris Bell (knee). Douglas is a solid bench option for 2026 fantasy football, and he could emerge as a deep-league flex if the Dolphins offense can put together sustained drives.

In what was his first competitive work against another team since taking over as the starting quarterback of the Miami Dolphins, Malik Willis showcased some of the highs and lows that fantasy managers will likely need to endure for the 2026 season. In a joint practice with the Commanders on Wednesday, Willis found success, as he has through much of camp, when targeting rookie Caleb Douglas, who was recently named a starter and praised before practice by head coach Jeff Hafley. Willis also threw an interception to Mike Sanristil that was returned for a touchdown. Those types of ups and downs are to be expected from a first-time starter on one of the more talent-depleted offenses in the league, but an area highlighted by team writer Travis Wingfield, and the reason Willis is worthy of a late-round selection in single-quarterback drafts, is his rushing upside. Wingfield notes that Willis broke contain several times and scrambled for what would have been lengthy gains in a real game scenario. Willis provides one of the highest rushing floors in the league, and if he can simply keep things on track offensively while avoiding costly mistakes, he has a chance to far surpass his current ADP of QB21.

As of now, Miami Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley plans to play quarterback Malik Willis in the team's preseason opener on Friday against the Washington Commanders, according to Joe Schad of The Palm Beach Post. All of the Dolphins' starters should be ready to play, but final decisions will be made after evaluation and discussion. If Willis does start on Friday, he's likely to play only one or two offensive series as he looks to get more comfortable with his new team and offense. The 27-year-old has looked more comfortable running the offense of late in training camp as he gets set to head into his first year in South Beach after impressing the last two years with the Green Bay Packers, albeit in just 11 total games (three starts) when filling in for the injured Jordan Love. The former third-rounder by the Tennessee Titans from Liberty has an intriguing dual-threat skill set, but in an offense lacking viable receiving threats, we're expecting plenty of growing pains and inefficiency in 2026. Fantasy managers shouldn't be targeting Willis, outside of deep two-QB superflex leagues.

The Miami Dolphins released their first unofficial depth chart ahead of their preseason opener against the Commanders on Friday, and one of the standout aspects is the inclusion of rookie wide receiver Caleb Douglas among the team's starters. A third-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, Douglas was the first of five offensive skill position players selected by Miami in April and the first to crack the starting lineup. Head coach Jeff Hafley spoke glowingly of the 22-year-old wide receiver on Wednesday, telling reporters he has "been one of our most consistent guys, and he's showed up every day." With three starting receivers listed, Douglas appears next to Jalen Tolbert and Malik Washington, and he will be a player to watch on Friday as he continues to pick up steam deep into training camp.

Miami Dolphins quarterback Malik Willis has been impressive during early glimpses of the team's new-look offense, according to Chris Perkins of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. Specifically, he wrote that Willis "keeps stacking good days ... doesn't repeat mistakes, shows good leadership and strikes the right chords on and off the field." That's an encouraging sign for fantasy managers, especially after plenty of offseason dialogue about the state of the Dolphins with Willis at quarterback and Jeff Hafley as head coach. We're not saying the Dolphins are a playoff lock, nor is Willis a projected Pro Bowler, but there's at least something here for fantasy managers to get excited about. The former Liberty product put his mobility on display last year in Green Bay, and he could crack the top 24 fantasy quarterbacks if he continues to run well while limiting turnovers in Miami. As it stands, he ranks as the QB21 in RotoBaller's latest fantasy football draft rankings for 2026.

The Miami Dolphins announced Monday that they placed kicker Zane Gonzalez (undisclosed) on injured reserve, ending his 2026 season. Gonzalez was injured during Saturday's practice, and head coach Jeff Hafley said it was a "week-to-week timeline." Gonzalez spent the 2025 season with the Atlanta Falcons, making 19 of 22 field goals and 17 of 18 extra points in nine games. With Gonzalez on injured reserve, the Dolphins will turn to Riley Patterson to handle kicking duties in 2026. The 26-year-old made 27 of 29 field goals and 34 of 35 extra points last season. While the Dolphins' offense may limit Patterson's fantasy production, he could be worth a shot if he continues to kick accurately this season.

After missing most of training camp due to a hand injury, Miami Dolphins tight end Greg Dulcich (hand) practiced at full capacity on Monday. Dulcich returned to the field last Thursday, wearing a non-contact jersey, which he shed on Monday. The former Broncos and Giants tight end is expected to be the team's lead tight end in 2026, following the decision not to re-sign veteran Darren Waller. Dulcich hauled in 26 of 33 targets for 335 yards and one touchdown last season, though he finished strong. While injury and passing-game concerns plague Dulcich's fantasy value in 2026, he could be a full late-round flyer in deeper leagues.

Miami Dolphins running back De'Von Achane is set for a heavy workload in the 2026 season, according to head coach Jeff Hafley. Speaking on the Rich Eisen Show, Hafley said, "[Achane] will never give a head tap. I said, 'Don't worry, buddy.'" "After you touch the ball 40-45 times, I'm going to have to pick you up and carry you back to the locker room." In his third season, Achane had over 1,800 yards and 12 touchdowns on 305 attempts. With strong endorsement from his head coach, Achane may be in line for a larger workload in 2026. With defenses more focused on stopping Achane, he could be more inefficient than he's been over his three-year career. If his volume improves, he could threaten to be the RB1 overall this season.

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Caleb Douglas might be ready to make an impact right away. According to C. Isaiah Smalls II, both Douglas and Malik Washington are separating themselves from the pack in Miami. Douglas has a great chance of rising on the depth chart given the lack of viable options in this receiving room. The Dolphins selected Douglas in the third-round of this year's draft out of Texas Tech. The 23-year-old landed in a great spot without much competition, so he might be a Day 1 contributor in Miami. Douglas could be an interesting late-round option, especially in deep leagues.

Speaking to the media on Saturday, Miami Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley suggested that rookie wide receiver Chris Bell (knee) could play in the preseason. When asked about Bell's current status, Hafley said, "He's progressing nicely. He's accelerating, decelerating; he's able to cut. It would be a huge benefit if we can get him some work in the preseason." Bell is currently on the PUP list as he recovers from a torn ACL he suffered in November 2025. While it seemed likely the rookie receiver would miss time in the regular season, Hafley appeared optimistic that he's improving, and fantasy managers could take advantage of a great value if Bell is healthy enough to start the season.

Miami Dolphins quarterback Malik Willis is finally getting a real shot to start after two years behind Jordan Love. He completed 30 of 35 passes for 422 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions in four appearances last season, then added 123 yards and two scores on the ground. The useful part for fantasy is not the 85.7% completion rate. It is the rushing. In his final two appearances, Willis ran 19 times for 104 yards and two touchdowns while also throwing for 409 yards and two scores. That gives him a way to survive weeks when Miami's passing game stalls, and there could be a few of those. Tyreek Hill is gone, Jaylen Waddle was traded, and the receiver room is now built around Malik Washington, Jalen Tolbert, Tutu Atwell, and three rookies. That is a lot to ask of a quarterback with six career starts. RotoBaller has Willis at QB21, which is a fair place for the gamble. His legs make him a useful QB2 in Superflex leagues. In ordinary one-quarterback formats, he is better viewed as a matchup option than a draft-day plan.