Having a talented quarterback, running back, and wide receiver isn't a prerequisite for NFL success, but it certainly helps.
The Miami Dolphins will enter the 2026 season with significant questions at quarterback and wide receiver.
That uncertainty is reflected in CBS Sports' Jared Dubin's annual "Triplets Rankings," in which he ranks every team's quarterback, running back, and top pass catcher from first to 32nd.
Miami wasn't ranked last, but Dubin placed the Dolphins 31st.
"The group couldn't even come up with a pass-catcher to use for the Dolphins," Dubin wrote. "Should it be Jalen Tolbert? Tutu Atwell? Malik Washington? Greg Dulcich? Rookie Chris Bell, who will likely miss a chunk of the season recovering from a knee injury? And yet, the Dolphins didn't even come in last here.
"That's mostly because of the respect that everyone has for Achane, who is one of the best and most explosive backs in the NFL, though [Malik] Willis has his fans as well. Miami fell off 16 spots from last season, the largest drop in the league, thanks to the departures of Tua Tagovailoa and Tyreek Hill."
The receiver spot was the real problem
Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
The Dolphins, under former coach Mike McDaniel, had one of the NFL's most explosive offenses from 2022 to 2024. But they finished 26th in total yards and 25th in points scored last season, leading to a 7-10 record and McDaniel's firing.
Under first-year general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and coach Jeff Hafley, the Dolphins are in the early stages of a rebuild after parting ways with several high-priced veterans, including Tagovailoa and Hill. They'll hope Willis can become the latest quarterback to revive his career with a new team. However, Willis has just six career starts in four seasons, and the lack of talent around him could make him nothing more than a one-year stopgap before Miami selects its quarterback of the future in the 2027 NFL Draft.
Outside of Achane, who led the Dolphins in receptions last season, Miami lacks proven offensive playmakers at wide receiver. Washington, who caught 46 passes for 317 yards and three touchdowns in 2025, is expected to emerge as the No. 1 receiver. The Dolphins also have Tolbert and Atwell, but the pair has combined for just 180 career regular-season receptions.
Sullivan and Hafley are using the 2026 season to lay the foundation for the franchise's future. However, the Dolphins could struggle to consistently move the ball because of their lack of offensive talent.
