Training camp has already started to sort out the Miami Dolphins’ wide receiver picture, and two rookies are drawing the most attention for very different reasons.
Caleb Douglas is making noise with his play on the field. Chris Bell, meanwhile, is working his way back from a torn ACL and still has a longer road ahead before he can get back in pads. The timelines are not the same, but Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan believes both players have a chance to matter in a big way for Miami’s receiver room.
If the Dolphins get what they’re hoping for, Douglas and Bell could eventually grow into the top two options at the position.
Douglas, a third-round pick at No. 75 overall, has flashed after 10 practices and looks like someone who could contribute right away. Sullivan pointed to the traits that made Miami believe in him during the draft process, especially the blend of size and athleticism.
"Caleb has a lot of natural gifts," Sullivan said. "That was what attracted us to him in the draft process.
It's the body type. He's tall, he's long, he can run.
The thing that he can do for a tall, long athlete is he can bend. He can get in and out of breaks.
He's got extremely quick feet."
At 6-4, Douglas is tied with rookie free agent Donaven McCulley as the tallest wideout on the roster. He also brought rare numbers to the NFL Combine, where he posted a 79-inch wingspan and still ran a 4.39 40-yard dash. That combination of length and speed was a major part of Miami’s appeal.
His athletic profile was the selling point, but there were concerns too. Douglas dealt with dropped passes in 2025 at Texas Tech, and there have been some drops in camp as well. Sullivan said that part of the process is normal as a rookie learns what it takes to play in the league.
"He's honing his craft," Sullivan said. "He's getting better every day.
He's learning that this is the National Football League, not the Big 12. Because of some of the hard lessons he's learned early on, he's starting to reap the benefits.
And that's what you're seeing.”
Bell’s path looks different, but the Dolphins are encouraged by the progress he’s making. Sullivan said the rookie is ahead of schedule in his recovery, though the team is not putting a date on when he’ll be back on the field.
"He's ahead of schedule," Sullivan said. "I'm not here to put a timetable on it because I don't think it's fair to the kid.
He's working extremely hard. I can't say enough good things about (head athletic trainer) Kyle Johnson, his staff, and what they've done to get him to where he is today.
We're excited about him. I think that goes without saying."
Bell has already been seen running routes in practice, even if offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik has said there is still work to do before he is ready. Miami drafted Bell with the 94th overall pick, knowing full well there was risk attached because of the torn ACL he suffered in November.
Before the injury, Bell put together his best season at Louisville in 2025, finishing with 917 yards and six touchdowns. At 220 pounds, he brings a different kind of profile to the Dolphins’ receiver group.
He is the heaviest wide receiver on the roster and has the kind of frame that makes him difficult to bring down. He also has the ability to build speed and separate once he gets into open space.
The Dolphins may not see that version of Bell during the preseason, and possibly not early in the regular season either. Sullivan made clear he’s willing to wait, stressing the long-term value of the pick.
"I don't want to put pressure on the kid," Sullivan said. "We want him out there as soon as possible, but this is long-term big picture thinking in terms of getting him back out there.
We expect him to be a really good player for this offense for years to come. So, I'd rather be a week too late than a week too early.”
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