Dolphins 2026 schedule nearly set, with unfortunate twist. And personnel tidbits
The Dolphins on Sunday moved closer to solidifying rematches against two teams that administered two of Miami’s most lopsided losses this season.
Miami now knows 14 of its 17 opponents next season, with rematches against the Colts and either the Bengals or Ravens moving closer to reality.
The Dolphins have clinched third place in the AFC East, meaning they will play host to the No. 3 team in the AFC North and play road games against the third-place finisher in the AFC South and NFC West.
If the current standings hold, Miami would need to play again at Indianapolis, which drubbed the Dolphins 33-8 in the opener, and would play another home game against either Cincinnati, which destroyed the Dolphins 45-21 on Sunday, or Baltimore, which demolished Miami 28-6 in October.
The Colts (8-6) are positioned to likely finish third in the AFC South; they trail 10-5 Houston by a game and a half, and the Texans currently hold the tiebreaker, though they play in Week 18.
Per ESPN, the Bengals (5-10) can still catch Baltimore (7-7) for second place in the AFC North if they beat Arizona and Cleveland and the Ravens lose to the Packers and Steelers. In that scenario, Baltimore would return to Hard Rock Stadium next season.
Otherwise, the Bengals would visit the Dolphins again next season, after Joe Burrow torched them on Sunday.
The Dolphins also will play at the third place team in the NFC West, which is likely to be the Rams or 49ers. San Francisco (10-4) held that spot entering Monday night’s home game against the Colts.
The Dolphins’ 14 other games are set:
Miami will play home games in 2026 against Buffalo, New England, the New York Jets, Kansas City, the Los Angeles Chargers, Chicago and Detroit.
Miami will play road games in 2026 against Buffalo, New England, the Jets, Denver, Green Bay, Las Vegas and Minnesota.
That schedule, on paper, looks far more difficult than the Dolphins’ schedule this season. Miami’s opponents this season have the league’s ninth-worst winning percentage.
Offensive notes
Some offensive tidbits from Sunday’s loss to the Bengals:
▪ Quinn Ewers’ 260 passing yards were the second most by a Dolphins rookie quarterback in their first career start, behind only Dan Marino’s 322 passing yards in his first start vs. Buffalo on Oct. 9, 1983. His 260 passing yards were the most by any rookie quarterback in their first NFL start this season.
▪ Pro Football Focus rated center Aaron Brewer, tight end Darren Waller, receiver Jaylen Waddle, receiver Cedrick Wilson Jr. and offensive lineman Daniel Brunskill as Miami’s top five players.
Brunskill played only 10 of Miami’s 59 snaps; his playing time has declined the past two games and - coincidentally or not - the production of the Dolphins’ running game also has declined.
▪ As usual, PFF rated rookie guard Jonah Savaiinaea as Miami’s worst player on offense on Sunday, edging out tight end Julian Hill and right tackle Austin Jackson. Savaiinaea allowed three quarterback pressures; nobody else permitted more than one. But Miami didn’t allow a sack for the fourth time this season.
▪ Rookie receiver Theo Wease Jr. played 21 offensive snaps in his NFL debut, catching two passes for 32 yards but also committing a questionable pass interference penalty and seeing another target get deflected and intercepted.
The Dolphins made receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine inactive, a decision that can only help Miami’s chances of landing a fourth-round compensatory pick in April’s NFL Draft, though it’s not guaranteed because of the complexity of the formula and many other factors involved. There’s no firm snap cut-off point to assure that.
Among other receivers, Miami gave 42 snaps to Waddle and 31 to Malik Washington and Wilson and 5 to Dee Eskridge. Waddle joined Mark Duper, Mark Clayton, Nat Moore, Chris Chambers and OJ McDuffie as the only players to produce 5,000 receiving yards in a Dolphins uniform.
▪ At tight end, the Dolphins gave 29 snaps to Darren Waller, 28 to Hill and 17 to Greg Dulcich.
▪ De’Von Achane played 42 of Miami’s 59 offensive snaps, while Wright played 18 and Ollie Gordon II only 3. Gordon, who converted 10 of his first 12 third or fourth down runs when Miami needed one or two yards, has come up short on six recent such attempts.
Achane -- who had 48 yards on a TD run but just 33 yards on 14 other carries -- now has 13 games with 90 plus scrimmage yards this season; only Seattle receiver Jaxson Smith Njigba has more.
Defensive notes
Some defensive tidbits from Sunday’s loss to the Bengals:
▪ PFF’s top four graded Dolphins defenders on Sunday were cornerback Rasul Douglas, edge player Cameron Goode, safety Dante Trader Jr. and defensive lineman Zach Sieler.
▪ PFF rated linebacker Chop Robinson, defensive tackle Jordan Phillips, linebacker Tyrel Dodson and defensive tackle Benito Jones as Miami’s worst defensive players on Sunday.
▪ Three Dolphins defenders played every snap - safety Ifeatu Melifonwu and cornerbacks Douglas and Jack Jones.
▪ Days after releasing Matthew Judon, the Dolphins gave 43 snaps to Bradley Chubb, 42 to Chop Robinson, 20 to Quinton Bell and 17 to Goode.
▪ With Minkah Fitzpatrick sidelined, Ashtyn Davis played 47 snaps opposite Melifonwu and Trader played 33. Rookie cornerback Jason Marshall Jr. played 31 snaps, assuming Fitzpatrick’s nickel cornerback duties.
▪ PFF blamed Robinson, Jones, Brooks and Dodson for the Bengals’ four touchdown passes. Jones allowed all four targets to be caught for 81 yards. Brooks permitted 8 for 10 for 81, and Dodson yielded five completions in five targets for 73 yards.
▪ Per PFF, Marshall yielded one completion in three targets for 21 yards, while Trader gave up three completions on three targets for 20 yards.
Here’s a look at the Dolphins’ draft scenarios and what spot they could pick.
This story was originally published December 22, 2025 at 12:59 PM.
