Dolphins Week 1 Power Rankings Roundup: How Low Can They Go?

With a record amount of dead cap space and a league-high number of waiver wire acquisitions after the cuts to 53, did we really expect the Miami Dolphins to be anything other than the consensus No. 32 team in the NFL heading into the 2026 regular season?

And so it was that seven of the 10 national media outlets we use in our traditional power rankings survey — Yahoo Sports, Sports Illustrated, ESPN, The Athletic, NFL.com, USA Today and CBS Sports — had the Dolphins at the very bottom.

The highest ranking the Dolphins received was number 28 by Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio, with Miami coming in at 29 and 30 in two other rankings.

The Dolphins' average ranking heading into Week 1 was 31.1, though maybe there's some solace in the fact that their season-opening opponents, the Las Vegas Raiders, weren't viewed much more favorably, with an average ranking of 27.7.

Even with a win Sunday, the Dolphins might need more to convince the national media they won't be the worst team in the NFL, and that's because of who they're facing Sunday.

Here's the rundown of the Dolphins placement in the rankings along with the accompanying commentary:

THE DOLPHINS IN WEEK 1 NATIONAL POWER RANKINGS

The Sporting News (Vinnie Iyer)

Rank: 30

Analysis: Malik Willis and De'Von Achane will look to keep the Dolphins afloat offensively as much as possible with support from young receivers. Jeff Hafley will need to be patient to see the defense come together in his vision.

CBS Sports (Pete Prisco):

Rank: 32

Analysis: They aren't tanking, but they won't be winning a lot of games this season. The schedule is tough and they are a young team. It's all about the process now.

USA Today (Nate Davis)

Rank: 32

Analysis: How bad is a team with nearly $182 million in dead money on its salary cap? The Fins claimed seven playersafterthe roster cutdown, which is highly indicative of how they feel about their talent quotient.

The Ringer (Diante Lee)

Rank: 29

Analysis: Miami seems to be accepting its fate as a team that has to rebuild. Wide receiver Tyreek Hill was cut at the start of the offseason, and other notable veterans, like quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, might follow Hill out the door. New head coach Jeff Hafley will likely be working with one of football’s worst rosters next season. The best-case scenario for Miami is that 2026’s pain helps revive the franchise for the future.

NFL.com (Nick Shook)

Rank: 32

Analysis: Rookie WR Chris Bell's emergence has been a fun storyline to track in Miami, where the rebuilding Dolphins enter the season with the league's thinnest roster. There's something invigorating about being doubted, though, and I'd love to see the Malik Willis-led Fins exceed their low expectations. I don't expect it as of now, though.

The Athletic (Chad Graff and Josh Kendall)

Rank: 32

Analysis: How do you end up below the Cardinals? It’s partly due to their roster. And it’s partly by getting destroyed by the Giants in a joint practice that was apparently so one-sided that Brian Burns called it “dominant,” noting that a report of six New York sacks was underselling it. Looks like a long year ahead for Miami.

ESPN

Rank: 32

Analysis (on milestone to watch): De'Von Achane cracking the top 10 in receptions by a running back over first four NFL seasons. Achane leads all running backs in receptions over the past two seasons (145), and he's 58 catches from passing Herschel Walker for the 10th most by a running back in their first four seasons. It's a good bet that he passes it this season, considering he averages 66 catches over 17 games in his career and the Dolphins will need him to shoulder a heavy workload. Achane's only barrier could be his availability, but he has missed only one game over the past two seasons despite 586 total touches.

Pro Football Talk (Mike Florio)

Rank: 28

Analysis: The right culture is in place. Do they have the right players?

Sports Illustrated (Conor Orr)

Rank: 32

Analysis: Never a place one wants to start, this Miami roster is a clear burn down. Otherwise, there’s no way a team would fire its general manager in the middle of the season and mull keeping its head coach. That was to acknowledge what we all saw: a poorly stocked offensive line and a defensive line without teeth. Jeff Hafley has to do the hard work now.

Yahoo Sports (Frank Schwab)

Rank: 32

Analysis: The Dolphins claimed seven players off waivers. The fact that 13% of their roster is made up of players who weren't wanted by other teams and didn't go through training camp with the Dolphins tells you all you need to know about Miami's upcoming season. It's going to be ugly.

THE MIAMI DOLPHINS ON SI WEEK 1 POWER RANKINGS

1. L.A. Rams
2. Seattle
3. Buffalo
4. Denver
5. Houston
6. New England
7. Chicago
8. San Francisco
9. Baltimore
10. Philadelphia
11. L.A. Chargers
12. Jacksonville
13. Cincinnati
14. Green Bay
15. Kansas City
16. Detroit
17. Minnesota
18. Tampa Bay
19. Dallas
20. Pittsburgh
21. Indianapolis
22. Carolina
23. New Orleans
24. Atlanta
25. N.Y. Giants
26. Washington
27. Miami
28. Tennessee
29. Cleveland
30. N.Y. Jets
31. Las Vegas
32. Arizona

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