Miami Dolphins

2025 Recap

Miami finished 7-10 in 2025 and missed the postseason.

De'Von Achane did virtually everything the Dolphins could have asked from their primary fantasy weapon. In 16 games, he produced 301 fantasy points, 1,350 rushing yards, eight rushing touchdowns, 67 receptions, 488 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns.

His FAZE weekly profile was even more impressive:

• 1 NUKE
• 1 BOOM
• 9 HIT
• 5 MID
• 0 BUST

Achane finished with a perfect 100% Consistency rating.

That matters because defenses were not unaware of him. Miami's offense was struggling in other areas, allowing opponents to increasingly focus attention on Achane, and he still produced without a single FAZE BUST result.

The rest of the season did not provide enough stability to keep Miami competitive in the AFC, and the organization responded with a complete reset.

2026 Offseason

Miami did not attempt a minor repair.

The Dolphins changed the leadership structure, moved on from major pieces of the previous offensive era and began rebuilding around a younger roster.

The most important offensive constant is Achane.

The biggest offensive change is Malik Willis taking over the quarterback opportunity.

The receiving room has been stripped of the star power that previously defined Miami. That creates uncertainty, but it also creates open opportunity for players such as Malik Washington, Caleb Douglas, Jalen Tolbert, Tutu Atwell and the other young receivers competing for meaningful roles.

Miami also invested heavily in young talent across the roster, including premium draft capital on the offensive line and defense.

The long-term direction may prove correct.

The short-term cost is substantial.

2026 Outlook

This is a rebuild year.

Miami should be evaluated accordingly.

The Dolphins are installing a new culture under Hafley, evaluating Willis as a starting quarterback, developing young offensive linemen, rebuilding the receiving hierarchy and attempting to establish a younger defensive core.

Achane gives the offense one established superstar.

After him, almost everything is being earned.

That makes Miami fascinating for fantasy purposes because opportunity will eventually create usable players.

It does not make Miami a strong football team entering the season.

The schedule gives the roster very little margin to learn slowly.

• De'Von Achane remains an elite offensive talent and premium fantasy asset.
• Achane produced a 100% FAZE Consistency rating across 16 games in 2025.
• Malik Willis gives the offense a quarterback rushing dimension it did not previously possess.
• Willis is inexpensive enough that fantasy managers do not need him to become a star to return value.
• Miami has invested premium resources in rebuilding the offensive line.
• The young receiver room provides legitimate opportunity for someone to emerge.
• A rebuilding season gives Miami freedom to evaluate young talent aggressively rather than protecting veteran hierarchy.

• Jeff Hafley is entering his first season as an NFL head coach.
• Malik Willis has never established himself across a full NFL season as a consistent starting passer.
• The receiving corps lacks an established high-volume NFL WR1.
• Miami no longer has the receiving star power that previously forced defenses to defend every blade of grass.
• The defense is undergoing significant transition.
• The roster lacks enough proven top-end talent beyond Achane to project immediate contention.
• The schedule is extremely difficult for a rebuilding team.

Miami's offense should begin with De'Von Achane.

He remains the best player in the offense and one of the most dangerous home-run hitters in fantasy football.

The previous system helped create space for Achane through speed, motion and defensive conflict. Miami cannot assume the new offense will create identical conditions, but it should preserve the principle: put Achane in space and make defenders solve multiple threats simultaneously.

Malik Willis changes how that can happen.

Willis' mobility allows Miami to create zone-read stress, movement throws, quarterback keepers and play-action concepts that force backside defenders to account for the quarterback.

The system should not ask Willis to become a stationary volume passer.

Build around his legs.

Simplify the reads.

Run the football.

Create defined throws.

Let Achane remain the explosive center of gravity.

Miami's defense is also part of the rebuild.

Hafley's defensive background should help establish the desired identity, but the personnel must prove that it can execute the system consistently.

The goal should be a defense that plays fast, competes physically, generates pressure and allows the young secondary to develop without being exposed on every passing down.

Miami has young defensive pieces worth developing.

That does not make the finished product predictable yet.

The defense should be evaluated as a developmental unit until the new structure proves itself.

The offensive line may ultimately become one of the most important pieces of Miami's rebuild.

Miami has invested heavily in young linemen and should prioritize becoming more physically dependable rather than relying exclusively on speed and scheme to solve offensive problems.

That matters directly for Achane.

He does not require perfect blocking to create explosive plays, but a more stable offensive line can increase the number of clean opportunities he receives before contact.

It also matters for Willis.

A strong running game and credible protection reduce obvious passing situations and allow the offense to use movement, play action and designed quarterback runs more effectively.

The line has developmental upside.

Miami needs that upside to arrive quickly.

Miami's defensive front contains some of the roster's more intriguing young talent.

The unit needs to become the stabilizer for a defense that may experience growing pains in the secondary.

Generating pressure without constantly exposing the back end through aggressive blitzing would give Hafley considerably more flexibility.

This is another area where the long-term outlook may be more attractive than the immediate projection.

The secondary enters 2026 with major questions.

Miami has invested in young defensive backs, but talent and draft capital do not automatically become dependable NFL coverage.

Young players will be tested immediately because Miami's schedule features several established quarterbacks and high-level offenses.

The secondary may improve substantially over the course of the season.

Early volatility should be expected.

Miami matters for fantasy because opportunity always creates value somewhere.

Achane is already established.

Willis has a clear late-round fantasy case because rushing quarterbacks can produce useful fantasy weeks without elite passing volume.

After those two, the value is likely to emerge during the season rather than before it.

The receiving room is the key.

Caleb Douglas is a rookie.

Malik Washington remains young.

Kevin Coleman Jr. is another developmental name.

Jalen Tolbert and Tutu Atwell provide veteran competition.

Someone has to run routes.

Someone has to receive targets.

Someone has to produce fantasy points.

FAZE does not need to guess who that will be in August.

The correct strategy is to watch first-team usage closely and be prepared to attack the waiver wire before the rest of the market reacts.

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Concentrated

The premium value is concentrated in De'Von Achane.

Malik Willis provides a separate late-round upside case.

Everything beyond those two is currently an emergence bet.

Miami may absolutely create another fantasy asset during the season.

FAZE simply does not need to pay for that player before Miami identifies him.

• Can Jeff Hafley establish a competitive identity during a full organizational rebuild?
• Can Bobby Slowik design an offense around Malik Willis' strengths?
• Can Willis become a more consistent NFL passer while preserving his rushing upside?
• Does Achane remain an elite fantasy producer outside Mike McDaniel's system?
• How much will Willis' rushing ability change Miami's run-game structure?
• Which wide receiver emerges from the open competition?
• Can rookie Caleb Douglas turn opportunity into a legitimate offensive role?
• Does Malik Washington take the next step?
• How quickly does Miami's young offensive line develop?
• Can the Dolphins survive the brutal opening schedule without the season unraveling?

• **De'Von Achane:** Elite offensive centerpiece and the one established premium fantasy star on the roster.
• **Malik Willis:** Developmental starting quarterback with meaningful rushing upside.
• Young offensive line: A major organizational investment that can eventually change Miami's offensive floor.
• Young receiving corps: Unproven but carrying significant available opportunity.
• Young defensive core: Developmental talent that should receive extensive evaluation during the rebuild.

Miami entered 2026 without much of the star power that defined the previous version of the offense.

The departures of Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle fundamentally changed the identity of the passing game.

Those losses matter for Achane because defenses no longer have to devote the same resources to an established pair of elite-speed receivers.

They matter even more for Willis because he is being asked to establish himself without the receiving environment that previously defined Miami.

The Dolphins chose the reset.

The 2026 report must evaluate the consequences honestly.

Kadyn Proctor

• Player: Kadyn Proctor
• Position: OT
• Why they matter for fantasy: Proctor is part of Miami's attempt to establish a stronger long-term offensive foundation. His development directly affects Achane's rushing environment, Willis' protection and the offense's ability to function without relying entirely on scheme-created space.

Caleb Douglas

• Player: Caleb Douglas
• Position: WR
• Why they matter for fantasy: Douglas enters an unusually open receiving competition. He is not an approved standard redraft target yet, but his opportunity makes him one of Miami's most important rookie waiver-wire watches. If he earns first-team routes and targets, fantasy managers should react quickly.

Will Kacmarek

• Player: Will Kacmarek
• Position: TE
• Why they matter for fantasy: Kacmarek enters an unsettled tight-end room with a credible path to earn a role. He is not a standard redraft target, but his third-round investment and opportunity make him a developmental player to monitor as Miami establishes its new passing hierarchy.

No other Miami player is currently an approved standard FAZE draft target.

Caleb Douglas

Douglas is one of the most interesting waiver-wire watches on the roster.

He is a rookie entering a receiving room without an established target hog.

That creates opportunity.

It does not create an automatic draft recommendation.

Watch his first-team routes, snap share and target involvement.

If Miami begins showing that Douglas has earned a meaningful role, act before the broader fantasy market fully adjusts.

Malik Washington

Washington has an opportunity that did not exist when Miami's receiver hierarchy was dominated by established stars.

He still has to win it.

Treat him as an emergence candidate rather than projecting volume before Miami provides evidence.

Kevin Coleman Jr.

Coleman belongs on the same watch list.

Young receivers in an unsettled room can become fantasy relevant quickly if injuries, performance or chemistry with Willis move them up the hierarchy.

Do not draft the idea.

Monitor the role.

Jaylen Wright

Wright is Achane's primary established backup option and an important contingency player.

His 2025 FAZE profile did not establish dependable standalone fantasy value.

The question is whether the new staff creates a larger committee or continues to build the running game overwhelmingly around Achane.

Until that becomes clear, Wright is a contingency/watch-list player rather than a standard draft target.

Ollie Gordon II

Gordon remains part of the backfield competition and should be monitored for role changes.

Do not assign him a dependable workload without evidence.

Greg Dulcich

Dulcich is Miami's current veteran tight end option but is not an approved FAZE draft target.

FAZE's current board places him well outside draftable territory.

Do not manufacture a sleeper argument simply because Miami lacks established receivers.

If his role changes materially, the waiver wire remains available.

Quarterbacks

Malik Willis is one of Miami's most interesting fantasy experiments.

The prior FAZE sample is small and inconsistent:

• four games;
• 25% Consistency;
• one BOOM;
• three BUSTS.

That sample does not justify calling Willis dependable.

It also should not eliminate him from consideration.

Willis' rushing ability creates a fantasy path that traditional pocket passers do not possess.

The critical question is whether Slowik can build an offense around the things Willis does well rather than asking him to reproduce Miami's previous passing structure.

At his current price, FAZE does not need certainty.

FAZE needs upside.

Target range: Rounds 12-14.

He is a late quarterback swing, not a foundation.

Running Backs

De'Von Achane is a legitimate first-round fantasy running back.

FAZE ADP: 10

Market: 11

Position: RB6

FAZE and market are essentially aligned.

The 2025 numbers justify the price:

• 16 games;
• 301 fantasy points;
• 1,350 rushing yards;
• 8 rushing touchdowns;
• 67 receptions;
• 488 receiving yards;
• 4 receiving touchdowns;
• 1 NUKE;
• 1 BOOM;
• 9 HIT;

That is elite production and elite dependability.

The surrounding offense is changing.

The system is changing.

Defenses may be able to devote more attention to him without Miami's former receiving stars.

Those are legitimate variables.

They are not reasons to abandon a superstar.

Achane is still Achane until the evidence says otherwise.

If he is available around picks 10-12, draft him.

Jaylen Wright and Ollie Gordon II remain secondary options whose roles must be established by the new staff.

Wide Receivers

There is no approved standard Miami wide-receiver draft target entering this report.

That is not the same as saying the room will produce no fantasy value.

It means FAZE refuses to guess.

Caleb Douglas, Malik Washington, Kevin Coleman Jr., Jalen Tolbert, Tutu Atwell and the other verified roster receivers are competing for an enormous amount of available opportunity.

Watch usage.

Watch first-team routes.

Watch who Willis trusts when plays break down.

Watch red-zone involvement.

Then attack the waiver wire early.

An emerging Miami receiver could become one of the more useful early-season waiver additions precisely because the entire room begins below the normal fantasy radar.

Tight Ends

Greg Dulcich is not an approved draft target.

FAZE's current valuation places him outside normal draftable territory.

The lack of established receiving talent gives the tight-end room theoretical opportunity, but theoretical opportunity is not enough to override FAZE's existing player evaluation.

Monitor Dulcich.

Do not draft him merely because Miami needs somebody to catch the football.

Defense / Special Teams

Miami DST should not be treated as a priority draft asset.

The defense is young, the secondary is developing, the staff is new and the schedule provides very few comfortable early matchups.

There may be streaming value later if Hafley's defense develops.

Make Miami prove it first.

Schedule Difficulty: Difficult.

Critical Stretch: Weeks 1-5 opening gauntlet before the Week 6 bye.

The first five games tell the story.

Miami has a plausible opportunity to compete with Las Vegas.

Then come San Francisco, Kansas City, Minnesota and Cincinnati before the Week 6 bye.

That is an extremely difficult developmental runway for a rebuilding roster with a first-year NFL head coach and a new starting quarterback.

The schedule is not merely inconvenient.

It materially lowers the team's expected win total.

The Week 6 bye gives Miami an early opportunity to evaluate what works, but the Dolphins may already be playing from behind by the time they reach it.

Miami's fantasy-playoff schedule is:

• Week 15: at Green Bay
• Week 16: vs Los Angeles Chargers
• Week 17: vs Buffalo

Achane remains a player fantasy managers start regardless of matchup.

Willis' rushing ability may preserve fantasy viability against stronger defenses.

Miami's emerging receivers should be judged based on established role by that point in the season.

Do not assume an August depth-chart lottery ticket will automatically become a fantasy-playoff starter.

Do not invent additional market rows.

These are the approved internal/market values supplied by Lonnie for the Miami report.

AFC East Label: Challenging

Miami enters the division as a rebuilding team.

The Dolphins should not be projected to compensate for their difficult overall schedule by controlling the AFC East.

Divisional games may create individual upset opportunities because familiarity compresses talent differences, but Miami is not entering 2026 with the division's strongest roster or most stable quarterback situation.

The correct expectation is development first.

If Miami becomes competitive sooner, that is upside.

Roster: C

Miami has intriguing young pieces and one elite offensive star, but too many premium positions remain unproven to describe the roster as an immediate strength.

Quarterback: C

Malik Willis offers legitimate athletic upside and late-round fantasy appeal.

He has not yet established himself as a consistent full-season NFL starter.

Coaching: C

Jeff Hafley has coaching experience and previously led a college program, but 2026 is his first season as an NFL head coach and he inherits a major organizational rebuild.

Offseason: C

Miami committed to the reset and added young assets, but the immediate football roster lost significant established talent.

The long-term strategy may ultimately grade higher than the short-term 2026 impact.

Division: Challenging

The AFC East does not provide Miami an easy path while the roster develops.

Schedule: D — Difficult

The opening five-game sequence and broader opponent quality provide very little margin for a young team learning new systems.

Projected Record: 4-13

Miami may steal games because this is still the NFL.

There is a plausible downside closer to two or three victories if the passing offense struggles and the opening schedule creates early momentum against the Dolphins.

There is also a higher ceiling if Willis surprises and the young roster develops rapidly.

FAZE's central projection is four wins.

Final Locked Playoff Odds™: 2%

Tier: Extreme Long Shot

Projected Record: 4-13

Miami's playoff path requires several major variables to break correctly at the same time.

Willis must establish himself quickly.

The offensive line must develop.

Someone in the receiving corps must emerge.

The defense must mature faster than expected.

And Miami has to survive a schedule that gives a rebuilding roster very little room for early mistakes.

Achane gives Miami an elite offensive weapon capable of changing games.

Willis gives the offense a wildcard because quarterback rushing can create production that is difficult to model.

The young roster gives Hafley developmental upside.

Those factors create a ceiling.

They do not create a likely playoff team.

The locked 25% reflects a franchise beginning a rebuild rather than completing one.

• Draft De'Von Achane as a legitimate late first-round running back.
• If Achane is available around picks 10-12, take the elite talent.
• Target Malik Willis only in Rounds 12-14 as a low-cost quarterback upside play.
• Do not draft Greg Dulcich based solely on theoretical opportunity.
• Do not manufacture a Miami wide-receiver target before the hierarchy becomes clear.
• Watch Caleb Douglas, Malik Washington, Kevin Coleman Jr. and the rest of the receiver competition closely.
• Be aggressive on the waiver wire when Miami reveals its route and target hierarchy.
• Monitor Jaylen Wright and Ollie Gordon II as backfield contingency options.
• Avoid treating Miami DST as an automatic draft asset against this schedule.
• Bet on Achane's talent.
• Buy Willis' upside only at the correct price.
• Make everyone else earn the investment.