The Miami Dolphins’ first regular-season depth chart doesn’t just sprinkle in youth - it leans all the way into it.
Five of the 13 players selected are listed as starters, and one undrafted rookie made the cut too. For a team opening the season this way, the message is pretty clear: Miami is comfortable building around its rookie class and the younger players on the roster.
That shows up immediately on offense, where four rookies are projected to start. Kadyn Proctor is locked in at left guard, exactly where he worked throughout camp, and there was never much suspense there.
The real movement comes at receiver and fullback, with Caleb Douglas, Chris Bell and D.J. Herman all in the starting group.
Herman is listed as the team’s fullback, while Bell and Douglas are the boundary receivers.
Bell’s rise stands out most. He tore his ACL last November, yet he is already back as an NFL starter.
That recovery has been remarkable, and plenty around the team believe he had first- or second-round talent before the injury. Bell and Douglas won their jobs over newcomer Ryan Miller and veteran Jalen Tolbert.
Malik Washington is the third starting receiver and lines up in the slot. He built strong chemistry with Malik Willis during training camp and has looked better than he has at any point in his career so far.
There’s more rookie presence in the tight end group, where Will Kacmarek is listed as the No. 2 tight end. Seydou Traore and Justin Joly round out the unit, giving Miami three drafted rookies there. Joly entered the league with the Broncos in the fifth round before being released during final cuts.
On defense, the Dolphins have two rookie starters. Jacob Rodriguez is one of them, and his role hardly comes as a shock after Miami released Tyrel Dodson. He’s been that good.
The other is first-round pick Chris Johnson, who opens his NFL career at nickelback. Jeff Hafley clearly values Johnson’s versatility, and for now that flexibility gives Miami more options in how it shapes the defense. Johnson is expected to be more effective from the nickel, and this week that means handling the coverage assignment on tight end Brock Bowers.
Kyle Louis is listed at safety, though he could also slide into more of a nickel role. He starts as the No. 2 safety behind Dante Trader Jr., while rookie Michael Taaffe sits behind Zayne Anderson.
The cornerback depth is thinner than it looks. Marshall and JuJu Brents are on the boundary, but Marcellas Dial Jr. is the only backup listed there.
Reese Taylor, a recent waiver claim, is listed as a backup nickel. The group may be interchangeable, but the lack of depth is obvious.
Elsewhere on the defense, Josh Uche is lined up opposite Chop Robinson on the edge, and Jordan Phillips is stepping in for the injured Kenneth Grant.
In Other News...
Dolphins Open This Season With A Brutal Outside Message
The Dolphins head into their season opener against the Raiders on Sunday, Sept. 13, carrying a harsh national view of where this team stands before a snap has been played. ESPNs Adam Schefter has even pointed to Miami as a favorite for the first pick in the 2027 NFL Draft, while preseason projections have the Dolphins landing somewhere in the 3-14 to 5-12 range.
Joe Schads preseason NFL power rankings slot Miami at 30th, a reminder of how little margin for error the team is getting from outside observers. Even with Malik Willis noted as a key offseason addition, the message from the broader league is clear: the Dolphins will have to prove they are better than the expectation attached to them from the start. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins May Be Turning A Lingering O-Line Weakness Into A Strength
Jonah Savaiinaea spent his rookie year learning the hard way, but the Dolphins have seen a different version of the second-year guard this offseason. The added comfort has shown up on both sides of the line, and center Aaron Brewer has noticed the growth in pass protection and in the run game as Miami tries to firm up a spot that was too often a concern a year ago.
Kadyn Proctor has also given the Dolphins reason to believe there is more help coming on the interior, though the real test will arrive once the regular season starts and the pressure changes. For a team that has been looking for stability up front, the encouraging part is not just that one young lineman is progressing, but that there may be multiple options pushing the unit toward becoming a strength instead of a question. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins Suddenly Have A Veteran Receiver Decision To Make
The Giants release of Darius Slayton created an immediate ripple across the veteran receiver market, and Miami is the kind of place where it naturally gets noticed. Slayton brings seven seasons of production with New York, along with 296 catches and 4,435 yards, and he also has a built-in connection to Dolphins wide receivers coach Tyke Tolbert from their time together with the Giants.
For a Miami offense that can always use more proven depth at receiver, the fit is at least easy to picture. No move has been reported, but Slaytons availability gives the Dolphins another experienced option to weigh as they sort through their roster and look for help around a passing game that values reliable veterans as much as upside. [Read more 🡒]