Grades From Miami Dolphins Preseason Opener: RBs, DBs, Lead the Way

The Miami Dolphins took the field for a game for the first time in 2026. The Jeff Hafley and Malik Willis eras began in earnest, even if it was just for one series in a game that ultimately won’t count toward the standings.

Willis was sharp early, going 4-5 for 43 yards on his only series of the game.

Willis’ first drive ended with a 1-yard run from De’Von Achane to give the Dolphins a touchdown on their opening drive that covered 93 yards in 14 plays.

Most of the starters exited after the opening drive, and hope to build on that as the preseason progresses.

The starters gave way to those looking to make a run at a roster spot, or a chance to crack the starting lineup.

The final score was not in Miami’s favor, as the Commanders scored 20 unanswered points after the Dolphins’ opening touchdown to walk away with a 20-7 victory. What matters more, however, is progress, and the Dolphins made that tonight.

Here is our report card from the first game of the preseason.

Quarterback: C+

All eyes were on Malik Willis as he took the field for the first time as a Miami Dolphin. No, these were not regular season reps, and Washington’s defense did not have a game plan to go against Willis.

Even so, every rep for Willis matters as he breaks into a new offense and tries to take command of a franchise that he hopes to take control of as the starting quarterback. Willis was sharp early. Any test that you can come up with, he passed.

Once he gave way to his backups? That’s a different story. Quinn Ewers has drawn praise this offseason from Hafley and the offensive staff, but he had a tough night at the office. Miscommunication has been the theme of the summer with Ewers and the offense, and that continued tonight. The stat line was ugly. Ewers finished 1-8 for 27 yards, threw an ugly interception and was sacked once.

The numbers may not do full justice for just how tough it was for Ewers and the offense.

Once Ewers departed, he gave way to Cam Miller. Miller, like Ewers turned the ball over and clearly has some work to do if he wants to be a potential backup in Miami or elsewhere. Willis may not have established himself yet, but the Dolphins could be in big trouble if he needs to miss anytime. Willis holds this grade up significantly.

Running Back: B+

De’Von Achane is Miami’s best player on offense, and the Dolphins featured him early in this game. Achane had seven carries for 39 yards, and scored a touchdown on the first possession of the game to cap off that masterful 14-play 93-yard drive. Achane did not need to showcase anything on this night. He’s the franchise running back, but will need help to share the load in a ground game that should be relied on heavily this season.

Ollie Gordon II answered the bell with an identical stat line to that of Achane. 39 yards on seven carries. He just didn’t find the end zone. Perhaps that can be a goal for next week.

Jaylen Wright added 22 yards on six carries, and Malik Willis scrambled for 9 yards as well. Ultimately, the Dolphins ran for 112 yards on 28 carries for a 4.2 average on the night. That’s going to get it done against most teams, and two of their backs averaged more than 5 yards per rush.

Wide Receiver: C-

This is the position that is likely the biggest pressure point on the roster. Malik Willis cannot throw passes to himself. There is some question as to whether the Dolphins have sufficiently surrounded him with talent on the outside.

Willis completed four passes on the night, with three of them going to Malik Washington, who appears to be in line to be the team’s top receiver early in the year.

Malik Willis can sling it. pic.twitter.com/vk1CETLORw
— Wendell Ferreira (@wendellfp) August 15, 2026

Willis’ other completion went to Caleb Douglas, who made an impressive grab on a slot fade while he was being interfered with. That completion went for 28 yards.

That was Miami’s longest pass play of the night, and there were not many other completions on the night. Washington led the way with three catches, and no other receiver had more than one reception.

The Dolphins completed just eight passes on the night. Some of that was on the quarterbacks. Some of that was on poor offensive line play, but this is a group that is going to be a work in progress throughout the season.

Tight End: D+

Earlier on Friday, there was a report that Jonnu Smith has a desire for a reunion with the Dolphins, and after the game Friday night, he may have a case to make. The only tight end to catch a pass on the night was Cole Turner, who caught one ball for a meager 6 yards. Starting tight end Greg Dulcich had a good block on Achane's touchdown run, but none of the other players on the roster at the position did anything of note.

In practicality, a reunion with Smith seems unlikely due to the Dolphins’ desire to lean toward younger players. The younger players like Will Kacmarek and Seydou Traore, in addition to Turner, need to make more plays and make their presence known in the run game. Traore had a drop in the second half.

Offensive Line: C+

Offensive line depth is a unicorn in the NFL. It’s very hard to find. Unfortunately, it does not look like the Dolphins have found it as of yet as they try to rebuild their roster. Both of Cam Miller’s interceptions late in the game came on plays where there were unblocked defenders right in the face of the quarterback.

In the run game, there are some positive signs. Both Achane and Gordon averaged more than 5 yards per carry. The Dolphins as previously mentioned are going to lean on their run game with a potential three-headed monster of Achane, Gordon, and Jaylen Wright if they can all get up to speed.

That will require the offensive line to be at full strength for most of the season based on tonight’s performance. The starters will be good, but these last two games will be key for roster spots on the back end of the depth chart.

Defensive Line: D+

The fundamentals of football are pretty simple. Every fundamentally sound team runs the football, and stops the run.

The Dolphins did one of those things Friday night. They ran the ball well on offense. Defensively? That left a little to be desired.

The Commanders piled up 174 yards and both of their touchdowns on the ground. Kaytron Allen was the workhorse for the Commanders, running for 85 yards on 23 carries.

Robert Henry Jr. gashed the Dolphins reserves for 75 yards and averaged more than 6 yards per carry.

In Miami’s defense, Zach Sieler and Zeek Biggers did not play. Kenneth Grant and Jordan Phillips played sparingly. Other guys one the roster are going to be called upon as the season goes along. They’re going to need a better effort from their defensive line in the run game, if nothing else to give Grant and Sieler a breather through the course of a game.

In the passing game, the reserves on the defensive line did give some reason for hope with edges Mason Rieger and Cameron Goode getting one sack apiece. David Ojabo and seventh-round pick Max Llewellyn shared a sack as well.

Linebacker: C-

The linebackers were missing Jordyn Brooks on Friday night, so the Dolphins could get a look at some of the reserves. That included Willie Gay Jr., a popular player among the media with his playmaking ability while his coaches talk about wanting him to play more within the defense. Gay led the team in solo tackls with four. Jacob Rodriguez got his first taste of action as well, and was credited with one tackle.

Much like the defensive line, the linebackers are part of the struggles in the run game. Not a lot of teams are going to be successful if their defense is giving up 170-plus yards on the ground. There were plays made, but no splash plays. The Dolphins were credited with just just two TFLs on the night, and neither came from linebackers.

Defensive Back: B+

The Dolphins did not get the test they could have gotten by facing former Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels, but if you’re going to be facing a backup, a team could do worse than having to face Marcus Mariota.

Mariota has plenty of experience from his time in Tennessee, but threw just two passes before giving way to Sam Hartman after sustaining an apparent knee injury. Hartman was forced to dink and dunk his way down the field, and the Dolphins were able to pick off one of his passes when Marco Wilson took the ball away in the first quarter.

Wilson is fighting for a spot on the back of the depth chart, so making splash plays is a good way to get noticed by the coaching staff.

Safeties did not make any plays of note, and the Dolphins defense gave up just 160 yards through the air without allowing a touchdown pass. That includes just two explosive plays in the passing game. Jeff Hafley’s expertise lies with the defensive backs, so the Dolphins are in good hands here.

Special Teams: C

It’s probably not a good sign when one of the most prominently featured players in the game is the punter, but that was the case in the preseason opener. Bradley Pinion kicked six times for an average of 44.8 yards. Coverage units were solid, allowing only two returns, one of which went for 12 yards.

Riley Patterson made his only kick of the night, an extra point after the Dolphins’ opening drive touchdown. Jalen Reagor and Tutu Atwell were relatively quiet in the return game, and the Dolphins allowed a return of 30 yards by Robert Henry Jr.

They were solid, if unspectacular.

NEW: The instant takeaways from the Dolphins' 20-7 loss against Washington in their preseason opener.https://t.co/gDJPF2ADh8
— Alain Poupart (@PoupartNFL) August 15, 2026

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