The Phinsider

Drake Maye is an effective runner from the QB position with 38 attempts for 211 yards and 2 TDs this season, averaging just over 5 rushing attempts per game. The Dolphins have faced only a couple of run threats from the QB spot this season; Patrick Mahomes went 1 for 1 yard and Kyler Murray ran 3 times for 21 yards in meaningful play. Maye's rushing volume and efficiency present a significant challenge for Miami's run defense, which must play disciplined defense against both the Patriots' RBs and the QB to stop the leak.

The Dolphins did well against Wilson in their recent game against the Jets, limiting the elite receiver's production.

Walker has been held under 100 rushing yards only by the Seahawks this season; the Dolphins limited him to under 100 yards, demonstrating their ability to contain elite running backs, though their run defense has slipped in recent games.

Maye is an effective runner from the QB position with 38 attempts for 211 yards and 2 TDs (just over 5 attempts per game); the Dolphins will need to play disciplined run defense against both the Patriots' RBs and Maye's rushing ability.

Douglas is the top target for the Patriots with 34 targets and has 23 catches for 256 yards and 3 TDs; he works primarily in the slot and will face rookie Dolphins CB Chris Johnson, who has played well in recent games but will be tested.

Raridon is a rookie tight end with 12 catches on 16 targets and 2 TDs this season; his target share has started going up, and the source notes not to rule him out as a factor in the Patriots' passing attack against Miami.

Henry is 2nd in targets with 31 and has 26 catches for 296 yards and a TD; he averages 6.6 yards after catch per reception with an average depth of target of 6 yards. The source identifies Henry as a major concern for the Dolphins' pass defense and expects the Patriots to attack Miami with him as a primary target.

Stevenson is 3rd in targets with 24 and has 20 catches for 204 yards and a TD; he averages 9.4 yards after catch per reception with an average depth of target of 0.8 yards, essentially securing a first down on every catch. The source expects the Patriots to attack the Dolphins with Stevenson as a primary target.

Brown was acquired by the Patriots from Philadelphia and will be a matchup problem for Dolphins cornerbacks; however, in 3 games played so far, he has only 9 total catches on 20 targets, remaining quiet despite being due for a potential breakout game.

Willis is adding to the Dolphins' offensive formula with designed runs and key scrambles; he is 99 yards away from breaking the franchise record for most rushing yards by a QB in a season set by Fiedler. Against the Jets, Willis looked like a competent passer despite prior struggles, playing well against a top pass defense.

Achane is currently injured, which has led to Ollie Gordon II taking over as the primary running back for the Dolphins.

Gordon has taken over the Dolphins' backfield for injured De'Von Achane and is averaging 4.7 yards per carry with a touchdown in each of the last 4 games, serving as the engine driving Miami's offense.

Running back suffered an injury that opened the door for Ollie Gordon II to assume a starring role in the Dolphins offense; the injury context is central to Gordon's elevated usage and fantasy relevance this season.

Second-year running back has transitioned from depth player to starring role following De'Von Achane's injury; Gordon credits first-year head coach Jeff Hafley's collaborative coaching approach—sitting in offensive meetings, offering defensive scheme perspective, and actively connecting with players—as helping him and the team develop cohesion after a 0-5 start.

The source cautions Willis against excessive scrambling despite his elite mobility, warning that cumulative hits from scrambling—analogous to 'riding motorcycles on the city streets'—pose short-term and long-term injury risk. The source urges Willis to 'make you the one and only Malik' and avoid the injury patterns of historical mobile QBs, emphasizing that hits are cumulative and involve double kinetic energy (from both QB and defender).

The source emphasizes Willis's physical durability and resilience, noting his 'build of a NFL linebacker' and shock absorption capacity. After absorbing a late hit that the source describes as cowardly, Willis 'barely fazed' and 'just brushed that dirty hit off,' demonstrating toughness the source values at 'millions to this organization.' The source contrasts Willis's durability favorably against injury-prone mobile QBs (Tarkenton, Cunningham, Lamar Jackson, Archie Manning, Michael Vick) who sustained cumulative upper and lower body damage from scrambling.

The source praises Willis's performance against the NY Jets as elite-level execution: perfect throws with proper weight transfer and footwork, quick decision-making on rhythm throws (one-two-three cadence), elite NFL throwing strength and speed, ability to vary delivery with change of speeds and arm angles, and successful pocket mobility. The source notes Willis 'matriculated us down the field' in similar fashion during preseason, describing the offensive execution as 'on-time and on-target' and 'dang near impossible to stop,' establishing a positive pattern to build upon.

Running back Ollie Gordon II was photographed celebrating the Dolphins' 28-25 Week 7 victory over the Jets at MetLife Stadium on October 25, 2026, as part of a young Miami roster experiencing its first win of the 2026 season after starting 0-5.

Wide receiver Malik Washington expressed confidence in the team's ability to execute after the Week 7 victory over the Jets, stating the win provides a confidence boost while the team maintains focus on execution and improvement regardless of outcome. Washington emphasized the team will continue to work on details and clean up mistakes, viewing the victory as validation that 'we can do this and we can keep pushing forward.'

The source indicates Willis will start at least through the second Jets game, with the team having no choice but to keep him for now. The evaluation period is still early at only 5 games, and the source compares Willis's development trajectory to historical QBs like Darnold, Mayfield, and Daniel Jones, who took longer to develop and received more starts as first-rounders in better situations. The source suggests waiting to see what Willis does in the next 12 games before making final roster decisions.

Willis's early-season performance has been characterized as abysmal by the source; he plays scared and is slow in processing what he sees on the field. While he shows flashes of accuracy on 2-3 mid-range passes per game and is rated one of the worst for on-target throws overall, the source notes he understands the plays but struggles with execution. The evaluation is still ongoing after only 5 games, with the source suggesting the experiment has not finished and final direction on Willis's future will come two months after the season ends.

Malik Washington is a passable #3 receiver being asked to play as a #1 due to injuries to Douglas and Achane. He ran a terrible route on Willis's second INT against Cincinnati, bringing the defender into the path of the ball. The source notes Washington should be a checkdown target for Willis to improve decision-making, but his limited pedigree and role mismatch have contributed to Willis's struggles.

Chris Bell is identified as a receiving target and playmaker for Willis, but has been a source of frustration. The source notes he has had 2 TDs chalked off by mental errors, suggesting dropped passes or route mistakes that have cost Willis scoring opportunities. Bell is also mentioned as one of the checkdown targets Willis should prioritize over deep throws.

Multiple commenters argue 5 games is too small a sample size to make a definitive evaluation. One source says 'Play the season then decide what to do. If Willis had been amazing through 5 weeks that would also be the correct answer.' Another notes 'Only 5 games' and that the evaluation of coaches is also incomplete. The consensus among this group is to wait until the full season is complete before making roster decisions, as it remains unclear how much of Willis's struggles stem from supporting cast issues versus his own limitations.

One source perspective argues Willis's body of work needs context: with Douglas and Achane out, he is throwing to a 'truly horrific set of pass catchers.' Malik Washington is a passable #3 being asked to play as a #1, and no other receiver is even below average. Dulcich has been a huge disappointment, and Bell and Coleman are not ready. Despite these constraints, Willis played well against Cincinnati (the best defense in the league) and would have won if rookie receivers stayed in bounds and avoided drops. Two of his TDs were chalked off by mental errors by Chris Bell. His fumble against Minnesota came after being hit as he threw on a 3-step drop. His second INT against Cincinnati came on a terrible route by Washington. The source notes Willis is 4th in the league in rushing yards for QBs and 2 of the guys above him have played a game more.

The source concludes Willis has not proven to be the long-term answer after 5 games. One commenter states 'I've never believed Willis was likely to become a long-term NFL starter, so my answer is no. At this point, the experiment has run its course.' Another notes his performance is 'not even close to what Sullivan and Hafley promised.' The consensus is that Miami must prioritize finding a new starting quarterback for next season, whether through draft or free agency, as the fan base cannot tolerate this level of QB play for two consecutive years.

Willis has struggled with inconsistent footwork, frequently narrowing his throwing stance and throwing off his back foot, which destroys passing accuracy. He bails out of clean pockets instead of stepping up, missing open short-to-intermediate targets. He holds the ball too long (2.93 seconds average) and hesitates to use his mobility effectively despite being 4th in the league in rushing yards for QBs through 5 games.

Through 5 games, Willis has posted a 68.4 passer rating (lowest among QBs with at least four starts), 58.5% on-target accuracy (league-worst), 849 yards, 2 TDs, and 4 INTs. The source attributes his struggles to painfully slow processing and decision-making, erratic footwork (frequently throwing off his back foot), holding the ball an average of 2.93 seconds, and over-reliance on deep throws (21% of passes are 20+ yards despite only 20% completion rate on deep attempts). Despite context around receiver injuries and offensive line issues, the source concludes his performance has been below what is needed to compete.

Dolphins QB nominated for FedEx Air & Ground Player of the Week award for week seven performance against the Jets, posting 3 TDs and 0 turnovers. The source notes Willis's strong play alongside Douglas's breakout performance as evidence the Dolphins may have found their next superstar at wide receiver.

Rookie WR returned from ankle injury sustained in week two and immediately made an impact against the Jets, scoring 2 TDs on 2 receptions including a 63-yard catch-and-run grab late in the game. Nominated for Pepsi Rookie of the Week award for the second time this season. The source suggests Douglas may be the Dolphins' next superstar at wide receiver, acquired in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft.

Scored a fourth quarter touchdown in Week 8 win vs Jets on October 25, 2026, demonstrating end-zone involvement and red-zone opportunity in Miami's 28-25 victory.

Wright's rushing performance is concerning. His 6 carries on Sunday went for 2, 1, -3, 0, 6, and 2 yards—consistently getting stopped for losses or no gain. The source questions whether the issue is vision, seeing holes, or the wide zone scheme, but acknowledges Wright has talent and hopes he can turn it around. He has made plays in the return game, providing value there, but could be a trade deadline candidate given his rushing struggles.

The source identifies LaPorta as a potential 2027 free agent target for the Dolphins' TE group. LaPorta is described as a great receiving TE weapon that can play in line as well as off the line, and would be a great addition to Miami's unit. The source envisions a future TE group of LaPorta, Dulcich, and Kacmarek that could allow the Dolphins to play 13 or 23 personnel while maintaining a quality passing attack.

Dulcich caught all 5 targets for 86 yards on National Tight Ends Day, including a fantastic catch-and-run that was an ankle tackle from being a TD. Beyond receiving production, he provided key blocking on Miami's second TD drive, boxing out his defender to allow Willis a 1st down gain on 3rd-and-9 that potentially swung the game by 4 points. The source notes this smart football will never show up in the box score but helps the team succeed.

Ollie Gordon is currently 19th in rushing yards despite having only 3 carries for 7 yards in his first 2 games. Since becoming the primary back 3 games ago, he has averaged 97 yards per game; if he maintains that pace, he will finish with over 1,400 rushing yards. More importantly, Gordon has scored a TD in all 4 games he has been a heavy contributor and is on a Pro Bowl pace. While maintaining that TD pace will be difficult, he has a chance to finish with double-digit TDs. The source praises his aggressive running and fiery temperament as a refreshing part of a tough season.

Malik Willis played exceptionally well against the Jets, showing night-and-day improvement from prior performances. While his stat line won't blow anyone's mind, Willis was decisive, made smart decisions, and protected the ball. The source notes that 5 bad games were not enough to judge him, and neither is 1 good game, but this level of play could signal the start of an upward trend if sustained.

Greg Dulcich caught all 5 targets for 86 yards, including a fantastic catch-and-run that was an ankle tackle away from a TD. Beyond the stat line, Dulcich made a key blocking play on Miami's second TD drive on 3rd-and-9, boxing out his defender to allow Willis a 12-yard run for a first down—a play that could have swung the game by 4 points if missed. The source calls for more performances like this.

Chris Bell should move to the slot despite having the size, strength, and speed for outside receiver work. Bell has struggled generating consistent separation on the perimeter but has shown elite YAC ability and physicality after the catch; against Cincinnati he had a long run, and against the Jets he gained 8 yards on a WR screen that should have been stopped for a loss. The source argues Bell can do the most damage as an underneath slot player while retaining the flexibility to play outside.

Caleb Douglas caught both of his targets for TDs in his third career game, despite limited volume. The source notes his mere presence provides an offensive boost and volume will increase as he continues to develop. Douglas showed elite route-running ability on his TD catches, suggesting upside as a rookie receiver.

Braelon Allen ran for 104 yards on 17 carries (6.1 YPC) against Miami's top-10 run defense. Allen has stepped into the lead back role for the Jets in Breece Hall's absence and is averaging over 4 YPC in games where he is the primary contributor. The Jets leaned heavily on Allen in the second half (12 of 17 carries), signaling confidence in the rushing attack after falling behind two TDs.