What's At Stake in Dolphins Week 18 Matchup

The Miami Dolphins’ season is coming to an end on Sunday. While their game against the New England Patriots might not mean anything for the team’s playoff hopes, there are a ton of individual storylines that could be impacted.

So what’s at stake for the Dolphins’ players and coaches in Week 18?

Mike McDaniel’s Job Security

Is McDaniel’s job really down to the Dolphins’ performance in this one game?

Probably not. However, a win against a 13-win New England Patriots team with McDaniel’s handpicked quarterback — Quinn Ewers — would be a nice feather in the coach's hat.

The national media seems mostly convinced that McDaniel will be back in 2026, but some have suggested that things are still up in the air. If that’s the case, then it won’t hurt to finish the season with a road win against a divisional rival.

It’s also fair to suggest that a poor performance could be the final straw for owner Stephen Ross. The Patriots have effectively lapped the Dolphins in the team-building process, so losing big to them might hurt a little extra.

They’ve gone from out of the playoffs to the top of the AFC East in two years, while Miami has yet to win a division title since 2008.

Either way, McDaniel still has something to prove Sunday.

Quinn Ewers' 2026 Standing

Speaking of something to prove, Miami’s rookie seventh-round pick will make his third start and first on the road against New England.

The expectation is that Miami will move on from Tua Tagovailoa this offseason, and Zach Wilson is a free agent, so Ewers figures to have the inside track to at least the QB2 spot.

The Texas product has played reasonably well in his first two starts, but he’s faced a bad Cincinnati Bengals defense and a Tampa Buccaneers defense that is playing much worse than its talent should dictate.

Ewers putting together a strong performance and winning against a much better opponent could go a long way to making his case that he should compete for the starting job next season.

The Dolphins should not go into next season with Ewers as the assumed starter, no matter how well he plays in Week 18, but treating him as a legitimate option makes sense.

Young Players Looking to Make a Statement

Ewers isn’t the only young player who can make a final statement this season.

We’ll set the rookies (who were drafted) aside since they should all be back next season and focus on players fighting for a chance to compete for a spot.

Greg Dulcich: He’s fighting to be the team’s primary pass-catching TE.
Jaylen Wright: De’Von Achane is doubtful, giving Wright a chance to get a leg up on Ollie Gordon for the RB2 spot.
Theo Wease Jr.: Wease will likely be back, but he can work his way into Cedrick Wilson and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine’s spot.
Austin Jackson: Jackson’s contract is very cuttable this offseason. Staying healthy and playing well does matter to him.
Jack Jones: Jones isn’t technically “young,” but he’s close enough. He’s a UFA this offseason, but could give Miami one last reason to consider him as a starter for next year.

Bradley Chubb’s Incentives

There’s always money on the line in Week 18 because it’s players’ last chance to hit the incentives in their contracts.

Dolphins Edge rusher Bradley Chubb has earned $5.125 million in incentives, and could push that to $6 million with solid playing time vs. New England. That said, the Dolphins’ defense must finish in the top 20 in points allowed.

Right now, the Dolphins are 21st in total points allowed with 386. There’s at least a reasonable chance they could sneak into the top 20, as the Atlanta Falcons are 20th with 384 points allowed.

The Falcons play the New Orleans Saints, which is far from an offensive juggernaut, but they’ve been playing better recently. The Indianapolis Colts are 19th with 374 points allowed, so it’s likely down to passing Atlanta.

Miami’s Draft Positioning

The Dolphins will know what pick they have in the first round of the 2026 NFL draft after Sunday. Miami (7-9) is sitting 11th with the Cincinnati Bengals, New Orleans Saints, and Kansas City Chiefs ahead of them at 6-10.

Of course, Miami would need to lose and some number of those teams to win to move up in the order. The Dolphins have a lower strength of schedule than the Saints, Bengals, and Chiefs, so they could pass all three.

However, a win would put the Dolphins in a mess of teams with at least eight wins. Still, the Dolphins’ strength of schedule should give them the tiebreaker against most eight-win teams.

Our best advice is not to put too much stock into where Miami picks this year. We’ve started watching this class in depth, and the talent gap between the eighth pick and the 14th pick is essentially non-existent.

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