Dolphins Potential 2026 Offense Hit With Brutal Grade
· Yahoo Sports
The NFL world seemingly expects the Miami Dolphins to be one of the worst, if not the worst, teams in the league. While that may sound a bit premature, it is the patchwork roster that has aided those claims.
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New general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan constructed a team that is full of low-cost free agent veterans who have not quite panned out with their previous teams. On the offensive side of things, the wide receiver and tight end group remains too questionable, giving the unit a brutal grade.
ESPN's Bill Barnwell ranked the combined wide receiver, tight end, and running back rooms for the league, and he gave the Dolphins the bottom spot.
"Unfortunately, this might be the worst receiving corps I've seen assembled on purpose by an NFL team in recent memory. Third and fourth wideouts such as Jalen Tolbert and Tutu Atwell are the veterans being forced into starting roles. Third-round picks Chris Bell and Caleb Douglas -- who might be fourth or fifth wideouts in other lineups -- are going to be pushed into the lineup by midseason. I'm a little excited about Greg Dulcich, who was second in the NFL in yards per route run among tight ends from Week 9 onward last season, but he'll need to be prime Travis Kelce to make this group of receivers work," Barnwell wrote.
Barnwell stated that Tutu Atwell and Jalen Tolbert are more so third and fourth wideouts than a WR1, who are now leading the unit. It is a bit hard to argue that fact, considering both have not gotten near the 1,000-yard receiving mark in their careers.
Only Tolbert surpassed 600 yards once. To be fair, both were also on teams that had strong pass catchers, making it harder to break out in a significant way.
Rookies Chris Bell and Caleb Douglas may make some noise, but Bell is recovering from a torn ACL that could keep him off the field for all or most of the 2026 season.
Tight end Greg Dulcich did return to the team after a 2025 season that saw him show flashes of brilliance in limited time. However, whether or not he can be a true TE1 remains to be seen.
The only established part of the Dolphins offense is the running back room, which is anchored by De'Von Achane.
Achane brought in 1,350 rushing yards and eight touchdowns, along with 488 receiving yards and four touchdowns. His 5.7 yards per carry average also led the league.
Backups Jaylen Wright and Ollie Gordon II rotated in, picking up 288 yards and 199 yards, respectively, with a total of five rushing touchdowns. They could be counted on even more in 2026.
Miami's run game alone should rank them a bit higher, as it is a shining spot and one that does not have questions. Still, Barnwell believes the team is the worst offense in the league.
The silver lining in this ranking is that the Dolphins cannot get any worse. The team and offense may surprise some people, and training camp will certainly show if that is even possible.