Willis (Yes) Headlines 10 Players to Watch in 2026 Dolphins Preseason Opener

The Miami Dolphins will open their preseason schedule against the Washington Commanders at Northwest Stadium on Friday night in new head coach Jeff Hafley's first game, and as always the final score won't be nearly as significant as the individual performances we'll witness.

While Hafley hasn't said definitively his starters will play in the game, the feeling remains that anybody not dealing with some sort of an injury likely will some see action against the Commanders, even if it's only a matter of single-digit snaps.

Those who will get extensive action either will be trying to offer more evidence they should be on the 2026 team or at the very least get a bigger role on offense or defense.

With that in mind, here is our list of 10 players to watch in that preseason opener against the Commanders:

DOLPHINS OFFENSIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH

QB MALIK WILLIS

Yes, we have to start with Malik Willis, who we strongly suspect will get a series or two depending on how many plays that first drive lasts. Willis has looked the part during training camp, even if the results haven't always been there for the first-team offense. This will be simply another step toward getting Willis ready for his all-important first season as a full-time starter.

QB QUINN EWERS

While Willis has been solid in camp, Ewers quite frankly has had a disappointing summer. And Hafley and the Dolphins would feel a whole lot better about their backup quarterback situation with a strong outing here. If Ewers struggled, we might be looking sooner rather than later at the Dolphins starting to consider other backup options.

WR CALEB DOUGLAS

There are a lot of reasons to be excited about Douglas' performances in training camp and the next step is carrying that kind of work into preseason games. Douglas already looks like the lead wide receiver in a questionable group, and another good outing here would make his stock soar even more.

WR TUTU ATWELL

If Douglas has stood out at wide receiver, it's partly because the rest of the group has been pretty nondescript or even disappointing. In his homecoming, the former Miami high school star has yet to make much of an impact, to the point where his spot on the 53-man roster shouldn't be taken for granted at this time. Atwell can change pretty quickly with a strong preseason outing.

G JONAH SAVAIINAEA

It would be tempting to go with the easy choice here of first-round pick Kadyn Proctor, but the biggest question mark on the starting offensive line isn't Proctor, it's Savaiinaea. His teammates have sung his praises consistently since the start of training camp, but now it's time to show the desired improvement in game settings.

DOLPHINS DEFENSIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH

DT KENNETH GRANT

Yes, this is where we've got to start on defense because the Dolphins need their 2025 first-round pick to step up in his second season, and Zach Sieler's injury absence makes that even more important. Grant hasn't really stood out so far in training camp; this would be a good time to start making that happen.

EDGE CHOP ROBINSON

Robinson has been borderline dominant throughout training camp and by all accounts had another strong showing in the joint practice in Virginia, and a good preseason opener could be the final step in setting the stage for a breakout season.

LB JACOB RODRIGUEZ

Our second rookie draft pick on this list, Rodriguez really has come on since the early days of training camp, showing the same knack for being around the ball he showed during his days at Texas Tech. Preseason games is the next step.

S MICHAEL TAAFFE

While he came up with a great play toward the end of the joint practice, Taaffe has had a pretty low-key training camp, but he has a chance to play himself into a bigger role with the injuries to fellow safeties Dante Trader Jr. and Lonnie Johnson Jr.

S ZAYNE ANDERSON

While he was listed first on the depth chart and appears to have the inside track on a starting job at safety, Anderson's career resume is as a special-teamer and reports indicate the safety play was less than ideal in the joint practice Wednesday. Anderson needs to be trending up over the couple of weeks if he wants to cement that starting job instead of the Dolphins scouring the waiver wire for another safety option.

Add us as a preferred source on Google