How Low Did They Go?: Dolphins 2025 Week 6 Power Rankings Roundup

How the national media stacks the Miami Dolphins after their loss against the Carolina Panthers

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan (4) reaches for a pass with Miami Dolphins cornerback Jack Jones (23) defending during the third quarter at Bank of America Stadium. | Cory Knowlton-Imagn Images

The Miami Dolphins weren't able to build on their Week 4 victory when they blew a 17-0 lead against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, and they remain near the back of the league rankings when it comes to the national media.

In our weekly survey of nine national outlets — Sports Illustrated, Pro Football Talk, CBS Sports, NFL.com, The Athletic, ESPN, The Ringer, USA Today and The Sporting News — the Dolphins moved down to an average ranking of 29.4 from 28.4 after the Monday night victory against the New York Jets.

The Dolphins' highest ranking remains 24th (The Ringer), with their lowest now coming in at 31.

Here's the breakdown of the Dolphins' nine power rankings spots heading into Week 6 of the 2025 regular season, along with the commentary associated with it:

THE DOLPHINS IN NATIONAL POWER RANKINGS

Sports Illustrated

Ranking: 31
Last week: 27

Analysis: The loss to Carolina, after how painful that Panthers offense looked at the beginning of the game, was as close to inexcusable as one gets in sports. I’m totally against the martyrdom culture that the NFL creates, and Mike McDaniel has worn his failures admirably here, but like the Arizona loss to Tennessee, this is one that is nearly impossible to digest. 

Pro Football Talk

Ranking: 31
Last week: 30

Analysis: The winds of change are blowing like a Category 5 hurricane.

CBS Sports

Ranking: 31
Last week: 28

Analysis: The defense is awful right now. The run defense is especially bad. Blowing a 17-point lead to the Panthers is a bad look for Mike McDaniel. 

NFL.com

Ranking: 30
Last week: 29

Analysis: The post-Tyreek Hill offense made a loud statement early on, driving for two TDs and a field goal to take a 17-0 lead against the Panthers. The Dolphins stressed balance and spread the ball around well. They weren’t afraid to feature Darren Waller. But the offense turned completely stale, with a non-existent run game a major factor, and Miami’s defense had trouble containing Carolina's ground attack. So, in spite of being plus-2 in turnovers and up three scores, the Dolphins watched as their lead withered away. Seven of their nine penalties occurred in the fourth quarter, and they punted five straight times from late in the second quarter to midway through the fourth. A win might have changed the calculus a bit, but at 1-4, Miami is in big trouble.

The Ringer

Ranking: 24
Last week: 24

Analysis: You know something has gone horribly wrong when an offense called by Mike McDaniel (who once coordinated the run game for 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan) can’t even muster 20 total rushing yards in a game. Yes, Miami has issues along the offensive line, but allowing a defense like Carolina’s to live in the backfield the way it did on Sunday is inexcusable. Blowing a three-possession lead to a bad Panthers team is one thing, but the Dolphins were basically helpless to stop Carolina’s momentum once the comeback began. If Miami can’t stop anyone on defense and can’t run the ball reliably to sustain a lead, then it's clearly one of the NFL’s worst teams.

USA Today

Ranking: 30
Last week: 29

Analysis: How does a player with RB De'Von Achane's speed average 1.6 yards per carry in a game during which he gets 10 attempts? (Answer: A truly dreadful O-line.)

The Sporting News

Ranking: 29
Last week: 29

Analysis: The Dolphins' defense is not set up to slow down much in the way of running or passing and there's unreasonable pressure put on Tua Tagovailoa without Tyreek Hill. Mike McDaniel can't feel safe, either.

The Athletic

Ranking: 31
Last week: 31

Analysis: Mike McDaniel’s slow, sulking walk off the field was just sad, which about sums up the Dolphins this season. If nothing else, a McDaniel-led team should be able to run the ball. On Sunday, Miami handed off to a running back 13 times and gained 14 yards.

ESPN

Ranking: 28
Last week: 29

Analysis on the biggest fantasy surprise (Darren Waller): It has been onlytwo games for Waller in the Dolphins' offense, but he has scored three touchdowns and caught all eight of his targets. Waller missed nearly all of training camp and the team's first three games of the season because of a hip injury. Finishing the season with three touchdowns would have been a reasonable expectation for someone who hasn't played since January 2024, and he was the 17th tight end taken in ESPN Fantasy leagues. But Tua Tagovailoa's trust in Waller is obvious. And at a thin fantasy position, you could do a lot worse than Waller.

THE DOLPHINS OPPONENT RANKINGS

For the record, the Dolphins' upcoming opponent, the Los Angeles Chargers, have an average ranking of 14.6, with a high of 10 and a low of 20.