From a skill position standpoint entering the 2026 season the Dolphins have talent but a ton of question marks. The emergence of young players playing wide receiver, tight end, and running back along with talented but inconsistent/unproven players coming into their own at the skill positions will loom large for Miami in 2026.
The brightest spot and perhaps the only non-question mark for the Dolphins in their skill position grouping is starting running back De’Von Achane. There is a very strong argument to be made that De’Von Achane is the best overall running back in the sport. In two of three seasons in the NFL, Achane has been graded as the best overall running back and the best runner of the football at the running back position by Pro Football Focus. While also consistently grading as above average to well above average as a receiver out of the backfield. In the remaining season Achane still graded in the above average to well above average range among players at his position as well.
The Dolphins do however lack depth behind Achane at the running back spot and although Achane is not necessarily an injury risk, I do not view him as an ultra-durable player at the position. The first player on the depth chart behind Achane at running back is 2024 fourth rounder Jaylen Wright. Wright has looked solid in his first two seasons in the NFL and was drafted relatively high. Wright in terms of a run-grade according to Pro Football Focus has graded in the above average range in each of his first two seasons, although only slightly so with the following two rankings in that regard, (22/57), (29/59). Wright as a young player still ran the ball well despite the Dolphins’ offensive line being among the worst run blocking units in the sport in each of those two years. Wright did not accrue more than a relatively low 70 rushing attempts in either season thus far in the NFL as well. So perhaps as he gains more experience as he enters his prime with the Dolphins having likely much better offensive line play, he can go from a solid runner of the football to a very good to elite runner of the football. Wright has however not shown the capability to be an effective pass catcher out of the backfield as he has accrued only 8 receptions in his first two seasons combined with Pro Football Focus grading him as among the worst pass catching backs in the sport. Wright as of now is a pretty average #2 back in the modern NFL but if he can improve as he gains more experience behind a stronger offensive line, perhaps he can emerge as among the better reserve backs in the league.
Ollie Gordon III currently sits third on the Dolphins’ running back depth chart after his rookie season. Gordon III was drafted in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL draft and was at least not awful as a rookie. Gordon III graded (56/63), (48/60), and (46/63) in terms of an offense grade, a receiving grade, and a running grade among qualified players at his position as a rookie in 2025. Gordon III could certainly emerge as a solid C+ level player or better heading into year 2 in the NFL. Gordon III could easily be among the better number three backs in the sport heading into 2026 onwards. 2025 undrafted free agent Donovan Edwards is fourth on the Dolphins’ running back depth chart with 0 career snaps thus far in the NFL. A full analysis of the Dolphins’ current backfield is below with me assigning a grade to the players with some footnotes.
HB1 – De’Von Achane – A to A+ – Could be argued as the best overall running back in the sport. Durable but not ultra durable.
HB2 – Jaylen Wright – C+ – Consistently an above average runner of the football thus far in the NFL despite limited snaps as a young player running behind consistently poor run blocking lines. Could emerge as a very strong runner of the football now entering his prime behind a likely much improved Dolphins’ offensive front. Totally incapable of being a receiving threat out of the backfield thus far however being graded as among the worst receiving backs in the sport in each of his first two seasons in the NFL. Could emerge as a solid if not more than that #2 back if he improves entering his prime running behind likely a better offensive line and likely getting better QB play.
HB3 – Ollie Gordon III – C- – Gordon III had a respectable rookie season and is in line to emerge as a solid #3 option in the backfield for the Dolphins.
HB4 – Donovan Edwards – 2025 undrafted free agent, 0 career NFL regular season snaps.
The receiving core, in particular the wide receiver unit for the Dolphins, was perhaps the biggest point of concern for Miami this offseason. The wide receiver unit prior to the NFL Draft and even still now after Miami drafted three wide outs in that said draft could be argued as the weakest in the sport. This was after the Dolphins had among the premier wide receiver units in the sport under previous general manager Chris Grier, showing how staunchly different new general manager Jon Eric Sullivan’s vision is for Miami.
At tight end the Dolphins are led by 2022 third rounder Greg Dulcich who has shown star potential thus far in the NFL in limited action. Dulcich was below average as a rookie and appeared in a combined 10 games in each of the next two seasons, struggling with consistency. In his first season with the Dolphins in 2025 Dulcich began to emerge as potentially a strong #1 tight end option living up to his high draft standing. In 10 games, Dulcich accrued 26 receptions and was graded in the top 10 among qualified players at his position in terms of both an overall offense grade and receiving grade. It is a small sample size of only 26 receptions in just 10 games, but one cannot deny the star potential. If Dulcich can build off his strong season in 2025 and his strong play at times during his first three seasons, he can be among the better starting tight ends in the sport for Miami going forward. Dulcich is in line to improve more as he consistently was placed in very subpar offensive circumstances with very subpar QB play thus far in the NFL. The Dolphins’ offensive circumstances next season could now be very good with new QB Malik Willis and a likely much improved offensive line.
Second on the depth chart behind Dulcich is third round pick rookie Will Kacmarek. Kacmarek, a national champion with Ohio State, was drafted highly and will have his work cut out for him in establishing himself as a strong tight end in the NFL. The remaining two tight ends on the Dolphins’ depth chart are unproven commodities in former undrafted free agent Ben Sims and 2025 5th round pick Seydou Traore. Kacmarek will need to show he was worthy of being drafted so highly so the Dolphins can have strong depth behind Dulcich at tight end. A full assessment of Miami’s tight ends as of now can be found below just as I did with the running back unit of the team.
TE1 – Greg Dulcich – B to B+ – Very good at times in limited action being drafted pretty highly in the third round in 2022. Has shown a ton of potential in his first four seasons in the NFL despite limited action and being placed in poor offensive circumstances with regularity. Could prove to be a star now that he is entering his prime set to play more snaps in likely much improved offensive circumstances.
TE2 – Will Kacmarek – 2026 third rounder – Former national champion at Ohio State, will have his work cut out for him in complementing Dulcich in the unit.
TE3 – Seydou Traore – 2026 fifth rounder
TE4 – Ben Sims – 11 career receptions in three seasons as a former undrafted free agent, consistently graded as below average to well below average.
The running back room led by De’Von Achane and the tight end room led by Greg Dulcich has the potential to be amongst the elite units in the sport. The wide receiver room is the biggest concern perhaps for Miami in totality entering the 2026 season and I have conducted a similar analysis of it below.
Listed first on the Dolphins’ wide receiver depth chart is 2024 sixth rounder Malik Washington. Washington is surprisingly listed as first on the Dolphins’ depth chart despite a very subpar year 1 and 2 in the NFL and being taken so late in the draft. Washington graded below average to well below average in terms of an offense grade according to Pro Football Focus and a receiving grade according to Pro Football Focus in each of his first two seasons in the NFL. Although Washington showed improvement from year 1 to year 2 and perhaps the Miami coaching staff sees something in him to have him as the WR1. I would venture to say that Malik Washington is likely the weakest WR1 in the NFL as of now. Washington looked poor as a rookie but showed noticeable improvement in year 2 in 2025. The Dolphins’ offensive circumstances in 2025 were awful and Washington still showed improvement and was at least respectable in year 2. Perhaps as he goes into year 3 in the NFL with Miami having likely much improved offensive circumstances, he can prove to be worthy of being listed as a WR1.
Listed second on the Miami depth chart at wide receiver is former third round pick Jalen Tolbert. Tolbert has failed to live up to his high draft selection thus far in the NFL as he has consistently graded below average to well below average among players at his position. However, Tolbert was buried on the wide receiver depth chart in Dallas and has never had a true chance to be a wide receiver 1 or 2. Now that he joins the Dolphins, he will get a chance to do so and could live up to his high draft billing as a result.
2026 third rounders Caleb Douglas and Chris Bell are currently listed as the third and fourth wide receivers on the Dolphins’ depth chart. Both De’Von Achane and Greg Dulcich were former third round picks and have proven to be stars or very good players in the NFL. If either Douglas or Bell or both can continue in that mold, the Dolphins could have a very strong wide receiver option or two alleviating their woes at the position.
Former 2nd round pick Tutu Atwell has joined the Dolphins this offseason and could prove to be a strong option for Miami. Atwell has been hit and miss thus far in his NFL career, ranking below average in terms of a receiving/offense grade in two of his four seasons, while ranking above average in those same departments in his other two seasons. Atwell has never shown an elite ceiling however but can be a consistently above average player in the right circumstances. Like Tolbert, Atwell has never had the chance to be a true #1 or #2 wideout being buried on the depth chart in his first four seasons behind the superstar wide receivers that the Rams have. Now that he has joined Miami’s questionable receiving core, he will have the chance to compete for the #1 or #2 wide receiver spots with the Dolphins. Atwell was drafted very highly for a reason and has looked strong from time to time in the league. Atwell could very well live up to his potential with the Dolphins and answer some of the lingering questions in Miami’s wide-out unit.
Another noteworthy name currently listed on Miami’s wide receiver depth chart is 2025 undrafted free agent Theo Wease Jr. In very limited rookie snaps, Wease Jr looked very impressive and could provide the Dolphins with a strong wide receiver option. In 3 games he accumulated 6 receptions and was graded in the top 20-25% among all qualified wide outs in terms of both an offense grade and a receiving grade according to Pro Football Focus. Although he barely played and is an undrafted free agent, his strong play in very limited action should provide Miami with some optimism.
The last noteworthy name in Miami’s wide receiver unit is former 2nd round pick Terrace Marshall Jr. Marshall Jr was supposed to follow the mold of Jamarr Chase, Justin Jefferson, and Odell Beckham Jr as the next great LSU wide receiver but has really underwhelmed thus far. In each of his four seasons in the NFL Marshall Jr has graded below average to well below average in terms of an offense grade according to Pro Football Focus. However, Marshall Jr has shown some potential as he was able to accumulate a remarkable 17.5 yards per reception during the 2022 season accruing almost 500 yards in doing so. Marshall Jr has had mostly abysmal QB play thus far in the NFL with the Raiders and Panthers. Now that he is paired with potentially an elite QB in Malik Willis, perhaps he can come into his own.
The likes of 2026 5th rounder Kevin Coleman Jr, 2026 undrafted free agent Donovan McCulley, 2024 7th rounder Tahj Washington, and 2025 undrafted free agent AJ Henning round out the Miami wide receiver unit. I have conducted a player-by-player analysis of the Miami wide receiver core just as I did with the running back and tight end units below.
WR1 – Malik Washington – C to C- – improvement from year 1 to year 2 despite awful circumstances in year 2.
WR2 – Jalen Tolbert – C to C- – Former third rounder who has never had a chance to be a starting WR1 or WR2 in the NFL yet.
WR3 – Caleb Douglas – 2026 third rounder
WR4 – Chris Bell – 2026 third rounder
WR5 – Tutu Atwell C+ to B- – Former second rounder who has shown promise but never has had a chance to be a starting WR1 or WR2 yet.
WR6 – Kevin Coleman Jr – 2026 fifth rounder
WR7 – Theo Wease Jr – 2025 undrafted free agent but looked very strong in very limited rookie snaps
WR8 – Tahj Washington – 2024 seventh rounder, looked meager as rookie
WR9 – Terrace Marshall Jr – C to C+ – Former 2nd rounder who was supposed to be star, still has shown potential from time to time. Perhaps his lack of production thus far is due to subpar QB play with poorly run franchises in the Panthers and Raiders.
WR10 – AJ Henning – 2025 undrafted free agent
From a skill position standpoint heading into 2026 the Dolphins seem to be in solid shape. Starting running back De’Von Achane could be argued as the best overall running back in the NFL. Starting tight end Greg Dulcich is an emerging star at the tight end spot and could prove to be among the better if not the best overall players at the position. Miami’s wide receiver unit is a big concern, and it is currently comprised of only players who have shown potential and/or were highly drafted but are unproven as consistently high-level players at the position. Some of those players will need to come into their own if the Dolphins plan to have a wide receiver unit capable of having them be a contender in 2026. Miami has solid but not spectacular depth behind Dulcich and Achane, so those two players will likely need to stay healthier and/or some of the reserve players in the unit will need to overachieve for Miami. Miami’s skill position unit will be at best very good but not great in 2026 given their wide receiver woes but if injuries occur and/or young players do not play to their potential, Miami could have among the weaker if not the weakest skill position groupings in the sport next season.
