Dolphins Game-By-Game Predictions: How Many Wins on 2026 Schedule?

The Miami Dolphins' 2026 schedule is out, which means every media member now has to go through the exercise of going game by game and predicting a win or a loss.

Or so it seems.

Since it must be done, we'll give it our best shot with the understanding that things will change — because they always do — between now and when the games actually will be played.

The Dolphins are not expected to win many games after overhauling their roster — or more precisely shedding a bunch of cap space along with the big-name players who carries those cap figures.

That said, here's our (very) early game-by-game forecast.

Week 1 — at Las Vegas

Like the Dolphins, the Raiders are starting over with a new head coach (Klint Kubiak) and a new quarterback (Kirk Cousins or Fernando Mendoza) and let's not forget this is the team that had the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft, and that was because it had the worst record in the NFL last year. This clearly is one of the more winnable games for the Dolphins.

Prediction: Win
Record: 1-0

Week 2 — at San Francisco

The 49ers have been among the best teams in the NFL in recent years, and there's little reason to not expect them to be contenders again. The Dolphins got a battered version of the 49ers when the teams faced each other late in the 2024 season, but in Week 2 injuries shouldn't be a factor here.

Prediction: Loss
Record: 1-1

Week 3 — vs. Kansas City

The key factor here will be where Patrick Mahomes is physically for this game since he's coming back from a torn ACL and likely won't be 100 percent at the start of the season. Because the NFL scheduled the Chiefs for the first Monday night game of the year, we're thinking the expectation is that Mahomes will be ready for Week 1, meaning he'll be good for Week 3.

Prediction: Loss
Record: 1-2

Week 4 — at Minnesota

The Vikings' big question mark heading into the season will be whether Kyler Murray or J.J. McCarthy will be at quarterback, though their Brian Flores-coached defense always is a handful. But this is where Jeff Hafley's experience in Green Bay should help. Upset alert.

Prediction: Win
Record: 2-2

Week 5 — vs. Cincinnati

The biggest question for the Dolphins at this time is whether their defense will be able to hold up against better offenses, and that's just what the Bengals will bring to Hard Rock Stadium.

Prediction: Loss
Record: 2-3

Week 7 — at N.Y. Jets

The Jets will enter the 2026 season with expectations similar to those of the Dolphins with Geno Smith as their new starting quarterback. We'll go with Malik Willis in this battle.

Prediction: Win
Record: 3-3

Week 8 — vs. New England

The Patriots are coming off a season that ended with a trip to the Super Bowl, but their road should be a lot rougher in 2026 with a much tougher schedule. The Dolphins almost won this matchup last year at Hard Rock Stadium, but the Pats still look like the better team.

Prediction: Loss
Record: 3-4

10. Week 9 — vs. Detroit

The Lions are a bit of a mystery team heading into 2026 after missing the playoffs last year after losing both of their coordinators. But there's still an awful lot of talent on that offense, and the Dolphins defensive question marks make it difficult to be overly hopeful at this point.

Prediction: Loss
Record: 3-5

Week 10 — at Indianapolis

The Dolphins return to the scene of the crime, specifically their atrocious season-opening performance of 2025. But the Colts lost their mojo late last season after looking like a Super Bowl contender at some point and who knows what Daniel Jones will look like coming back from Achilles surgery. Upset alert

Prediction: Win
Record: 4-5

Week 11 — at Buffalo

Dolphins fans should know this stat by heart at this point: The team hasn't won in Buffalo since 2016. It's tough to envision the streak ending next season.

Prediction: Loss
Record: 4-6

Week 12 — vs. N.Y. Jets

The Jets get some revenge for their early home loss — hey, the Jets have to win some games too, right?

Prediction: Loss
Record: 4-7

Week 13 — at Denver

The Broncos have Super Bowl aspirations after reaching the AFC Championship Game but having to face New England without Bo Nix, and that defense is just scary.

Prediction: Loss
Record: 4-8

Week 14 — vs. Chicago

While the Bears won the NFC North title last year, they lived on the edge as opposed to dominating opponents. This is another team (and offense) with which Hafley is very familiar. Upset alert.

Prediction: Win
Record: 5-8

Week 15 — at Green Bay

It would be a great story for the Dolphins to give Hafley a victory in his return to Lambeau Field, but the Packers are simply a better team.

Prediction: Loss
Record: 5-9

Week 16 — vs. L.A. Chargers

Right after the Hafley-Packers reunion comes the Mike McDaniel return to Hard Rock Stadium, and the question is whether his former defensive players can slow down what should be a good Chargers offense.

Prediction: Loss
Record: 5-10

Week 17 — vs. Buffalo

The Dolphins handled the Bills in this matchup at Hard Rock Stadium last year, but we're just not seeing a repeat.

Prediction: Loss
Record: 5-11

Week 18 — at New England

The season finale always is the toughest one to predict at this time of year because we just don't know whether there will be playoff ramifications, which could affect which front-line players could end up being kept out. We'll go ahead and assume everyone plays, and it's a season-ending loss at Gillette Stadium.

Prediction: Loss
Final record: 5-12

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