The Dolphins rolled into 2026 with the NFL’s youngest roster, and Week 1 looked exactly like what that kind of setup usually gives you: flashes, mistakes, and a few rookies who made themselves hard to ignore in a 27-13 loss at Las Vegas.
Miami had 13 rookies on the roster, the most in the league, and several of them were right in the middle of the action against the Raiders. Some were steady.
Some were overwhelmed. A few gave the Dolphins something to build on even as the team fell to 0-1.
Caleb Douglas was one of the bright spots. He got his first career catch on the opening play of the second quarter, though it came up short of the yards Miami needed on third-and-15.
Not long after, Douglas showed why the Dolphins liked him, gliding along the right sideline to haul in a 25-yard pass from Malik Willis. By halftime, he had four catches for 81 yards and looked comfortable.
He later became the target on a third-quarter misfire that turned into an interception.
Chris Bell’s first NFL catch took a little longer to arrive. He couldn’t hang on near the end of the first half, with the Raiders credited for a pass breakup, but he got on the board in the third quarter with a 25-yard grab.
Kadyn Proctor had a tougher day along an offensive line that spent too much time getting pushed backward. Miami’s run game, led by De’Von Achane, never really got rolling, and the unit also stacked up penalties. Proctor was flagged for a false start early in the second half, and Willis was taken down five times.
Chris Johnson was active in coverage, but the Raiders found ways to test him. He made a clean tackle on Ashton Jeanty in the first quarter, then allowed a pass over the middle to Michael Mayer.
Kirk Cousins kept looking his way, which left Johnson with more tackles than you want from a starting corner. He was nearby on the 17-yard touchdown Cousins threw to Jack Bech in the first quarter, and later he couldn’t stop Jeanty from catching and scoring on a touchdown pass in the second quarter.
Jacob Rodriguez was around plenty, too. He was part of the stop on a fourth-and-1 tush-push attempt in the first quarter, but the play was wiped out on replay and Las Vegas got the first down anyway.
Rodriguez also made a tackle after a short completion in the second quarter. He finished with 14 tackles, which would put him on pace for 238 in 2026.
Will Kacmarek showed what he can do in the run game, sealing with a strong block on an inside gain by Achane in the first half. He was described as a very skilled blocker, and that showed up here.
Kyle Louis had a key special teams job as a gunner on punt coverage, but his night ended early. The Raiders had a second-quarter punt return that forced Miami’s punter to make the tackle, and Louis later left with a knee injury in the second half and did not return.
Michael Taaffe, starting ahead of second-year safety Dante Trader, made his presence felt. He forced a fumble that was ruled dead because Michael Mayer was down before losing it, and Miami’s emphasis on forcing more takeaways under Jeff Hafley and Sean Duggan showed through there. Taaffe came up with a bigger play at the start of the third quarter, intercepting Cousins.
DJ Herman also saw his first action, getting on the field as an undrafted player who has been converted to fullback. He received a grade of C.
The Dolphins knew growing pains were coming with this many young players in the mix. Week 1 gave them a little of everything.
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Dolphins Suddenly Have A Week 1 Pass Rush Twist Fans Need To See
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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 🡒]
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Dolphins Face Tanking Talk Again As Their Rebuild Gets Tested
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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 🡒]