The Miami Dolphins open preseason play tonight in Washington, and the biggest question isn’t the opponent - it’s how much of the first team will actually see the field.
Head coach Jeff Hafley has already made his lean clear: quarterback Malik Willis is set to play in the opener, with Miami choosing to give its starters developmental snaps instead of shelving them for the week. That decision comes with the usual preseason tradeoff.
If the plan goes smoothly, it looks like smart ramp-up work. If someone gets hurt, everybody suddenly has an opinion.
Fans, for their part, were pretty clear about what they want. In an SB Nation Reacts survey earlier this week, the overwhelming response was for the starters to play the first quarter. Add in the 25 percent who voted for the first half, and nearly nine-in-ten respondents want Miami’s top group on the field early.
There was some support for pulling the plug entirely on first-team action, though that option finished third in the voting. A small slice of respondents went even further, with three percent saying the starters should play into the third period and another three percent wanting them out there for the whole game.
Oddsmakers also see Miami as the team more likely to control things tonight. The Dolphins are a 3.5-point favorite at FanDuel Sportsbook, a number that suggests they may keep their starters out there longer than Washington and have the edge in the final score.
So the setup is simple: Miami is choosing to play its starters, fans want at least a quarter, and the betting line says the Dolphins may have enough on the field to matter. The only real question is how long that first group stays out there.
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