The Dolphins enter Week 1 looking like a team in the middle of a major reset, and the Raiders show up with just enough stability to make the trip to Miami matter. Las Vegas is already deep into its rebuild, while Miami is only now starting over after the Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill and Mike McDaniel era ended without a playoff win and with back-to-back losing seasons.
For the Raiders, the big name at quarterback in April was Fernando Mendoza, the No. 1 overall pick and a Miami native. But he won’t be under center today.
First-year head coach Klint Kubiak named newly acquired Kirk Cousins the starter for Week 1, keeping the rookie on the sideline for now. Las Vegas also added Ashton Jeanty with the sixth pick in 2025, and the former Heisman runner-up gives the offense another layer.
Miami’s first-year head coach Jeff Hafley gets his opening test with Malik Willis, who came over with him from Green Bay and earned the starting job after a strong preseason showing. In his lone preseason appearance, Willis led a 91-yard touchdown drive and flashed the throwing, running and decision-making that helped make him one of the more intriguing free-agent additions of the offseason. Still, he has only six career starts, so the questions are obvious once the games count.
The Dolphins do have one proven piece in De'Von Achane, who was fifth in the NFL with 1,350 rush yards in 2025 and also led the team with 67 catches. Beyond that, the roster is loaded with youth.
Miami has 13 rookies on the 53-man roster, including receivers Chris Bell, Caleb Douglas and Kevin Coleman Jr., all of whom could see meaningful snaps. First-round picks Kadyn Proctor and Chris Johnson are being counted on as future building blocks, while linebacker Jacob Rodriguez has already started drawing buzz as possibly the next Zach Thomas.
On the other side, the Dolphins won’t have to deal with Brock Bowers, who is out after meniscus surgery. That absence changes the look of the Raiders’ passing game, but not everyone thinks it changes the outcome.
The betting market has Las Vegas as the favorite, and the picks lean that way too. Tom Viera of USA TODAY took Raiders -3.5, saying, “Maxx Crosby will dominate with multiple sacks in his first game since the failed trade, and Brock Bowers will be unstoppable to stop. Miami will struggle all season, and even the Raiders, led by Kirk Cousins, will beat them by multiple scores.”
Jeremy Cluff of the Arizona Republic predicted Raiders 23, Dolphins 17, pointing to the quarterbacks and Bowers as the difference. Bill Bender of Sporting News went with Raiders 20, Dolphins 19, noting that Cousins, not Fernando Mendoza, gets the start and that Jeanty should find room against a Miami run defense that allowed 132.4 yards per game last season. John Breech of CBS Sports picked Raiders 20, Dolphins 13 and said, “This might be the Dolphins' best chance at a win all season, but they're still going to lose by at least a touchdown.”
In Other News...
Dolphins Suddenly Have A Week 1 Pass Rush Twist Fans Need To See
The Dolphins are already juggling long-term cap concerns, but for now the focus is on what they can get out of their pass rush in Week 1 against the Raiders on Sept. 13. Miami activated defensive end Clelin Ferrell to the active roster for the game, giving the defense another veteran body up front as the team prepares to open the season with several rookies also expected to see the field.
It is a reminder of how much turnover and uncertainty still sits around this roster, even before the first snap matters. Miamis 2026 cap picture is already lopsided, with more money tied up in players not currently on the roster than those who are, so every live rep from a player like Ferrell carries a little extra weight as the Dolphins try to sort out which pieces can actually help them now. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins Week 1 Decision Raises Eyebrows At One Position
Jalen Tolbert being among Miamis six inactives for its first regular-season game is the sort of opening-week roster call that immediately stands out. The Dolphins also sat cornerback Reese Taylor, guard DJ Campbell, tackle Chukwuebuka Godrick, tight end Justin Joly and emergency third quarterback Brady Cook, trimming the game-day group before the season even got fully underway.
The list is notable because Tolbert arrived with the kind of veteran profile that usually suggests at least an early role, and instead he was left on the sideline for Week 1. Miamis choices also came against a Raiders inactive list that included tight end Brock Bowers after a knee procedure, along with Aidan O'Connell as the emergency third quarterback, underscoring how quickly early-season availability can shape a game-day plan. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins Face Tanking Talk Again As Their Rebuild Gets Tested
Talk of tanking has started to hover around the Dolphins again, this time with the franchise trying to work through a difficult roster and cap picture while also putting real pieces in place for the future. Miami still carries significant dead money from Tua Tagovailoas contract, and the front office has been busy making moves that point more toward stabilization than teardown, including signing quarterback Malik Willis and keeping DeVon Achane in the fold.
For a team that has already lived through accusations of intentional losing back in 2019, the optics matter almost as much as the record. The Dolphins are trying to sell a different story now, one built on rebuilding and a new culture rather than short-term sacrifice, but any season that starts with cap stress and quarterback uncertainty is going to invite the same old questions until the on-field results quiet them. [Read more 🡒]