It is amazing what money can do. The Dolphins bought a brand new team and sprinkle in a multitude of picks and you’re looking at a team that could flirt with going 8-8. I know it is crazy to think like that but this defense is going to be good and I think it could propel them to a very respectable season. Offensively, there are some questions but this offense is littered with talent compared to last season especially with the additions at the RB position and offensive line.
Schedule
- Week 1: @ Patriots
- Week 2: Bills
- Week 3:@ Jaguars
- Week 4: Seahawks
- Week 5: @ 49ers
- Week 6: @ Broncos
- Week 7: Chargers
- Week 8: Rams
- Week 9: @ Cardinals
- Week 10: Jets
- Week 11: Bye
- Week 12: @ Jets
- Week 13: Bengals
- Week 14: Chiefs
- Week 15: Patriots
- Week 16: @ Raiders
- Week 17: @ Bills
Players To Know
- Ryan Fitzpatrick-QB: Fitzmagic put on a full display as to why he is America’s Favorite non-Superstar QB. His passion, his no fear, gunslinging attitude and his ability to keep the Dolphins in games was remarkable. Fitzmagic is ancient in NFL years as he approaches his 16th NFL season. The journeyman from Harvard will get a chance to excite the football masses one last time before passing the reigns to high first-round pick Tua Tagovailoa. Fitzmagic is reunited with Chan Gailey where the two have been together as members of the Bills and Jets. Gailey is a pioneer of the spread offense in the NFL as he often utilizes 3 and 4 WR sets but has a reputation for being efficient and using a heavy dose of play-action. Give us one last go on the merry-go-round, Fitz! Fitz has been known to go on heaters but I’m not sure that happens. His familiarity with Gailey is the reason he starts and the lack of reps for Tua delays his appearance on the field is a bonus. He has limited fantasy impact. He’s my guy though so I had to give him love.
- Tua Tagovailoa-QB: Once Tua gets on the field I think he will produce some statistically but I do not think it will be in the realm of Top 10 QBs. To me, the lack of offseason reps and the reunion of Fitzpatrick and Chan Gailey makes this even more appealing to ‘redshirt’ Tua. I expect Tua and Fitz to both start 8 games this season. I believe Tua gets starts Week 9-17 and that creates some very interesting made for TV matchups featuring young QBs. He has the Cardinals, Bengals, Jets, Chiefs and Buffalo. Made for TV football right there with a rookie that has buzz around him. Let him get 8 weeks to get it down and clean and then give him the second half to let it rip. It won’t always be pretty but it will be fun.
- Matt Breida-RB: Breida should work as a complement to Jordan Howard in this backfield. Breida has an injury history but has shown he is dangerous when given touches. The Dolphins will put Breida on a pitch count to try and keep him healthy for all 16 games, but he will have his moments. Consider him a bench RB to start the season with the room to be a playable piece when needed. 875 rushing and receiving yards (575 rushing and 300 receiving) and 5 totals TDs.
- Jordan Howard-RB: Jordan Howard is a starter again in the NFL. 2020 is something, huh? But ignore all of that because he enters a fairly decent situation. The offensive line is drastically improved and he has nobody breathing down his neck for goal-line work. Dare I say that Howard could be a volume-based RB2 in 2020? Yes, I’ll say it. The passing game options are functional enough to have to defend against meaning there should be some running room for Howard. Don’t expect him to go bananas but in Chan Gailey’s last run as OC in Miami, he produced RBs that 1139 in one season and then 968 the next. We can also look to the Jets most recently with CHan Gailey and they were a strong rushing unit. So with Howard let’s expect 900 rushing yards and 8 TDs.
- Preston Williams-WR: Williams is coming off an ACL injury but is expected to be ready for the season and jump into the starting WR role opposite DeVante Parker with Albert Wilson in the slot. If Williams can stay healthy all season he has the promise to outperform his draft position as the Dolphins are expected to be a much better team compared to last season. The risky part is not having a true understanding of the QB situation. Either way, he will be either #1 or #2 in team targets and that should translate. Williams is my pick for Dolphins player to breakout this season. 65 catches for 1025 yards and 7 TDs.
- DeVante Parker-WR: DeVante Parker finally played like the first-round pick everyone expected him to be. However, the question is how will he play when the focus of the defense is on him because he is not an unknown anymore? I have never been on the Parker train and not for anything other than I felt people expected way more than what his skillset offers and now is the season where we find out which is the case. Many expect him to be a borderline WR1 due to his chemistry with Fitzmagic but the QB situation is unknown and for that reason, I am cooling on my expectations for Parker this season. 60 catches for 800 yards and 5 TDs.
- Mike Gisecki-TE: I expect Gesicki to operate out of the slot a lot this season and move away from the traditional hand-in-the-dirt TE role. I say this because Gailey loves to use 3 WR sets and Gesicki is the 3rd best receiving option on the team and when you look at his athletic profile he has all the tools to be a field-stretching menace. Gesicki is in a nice spot to take a step forward. 55 receptions for 675 and 5 TDs.
Defense
Projected Starting Defense:
- Shaq Lawson-DE
- Davon Godchaux-NT
- Christian Wilkins-DE
- Emmanuel Ogbah-OLB
- Jerome Baker-ILB
- Raekwon McMillan-ILB
- Kyle Van Noy-OLB
- Xavien Howard-CB
- Byron Jones-CB
- Bobby McCain-FS
- Eric Rowe-SS
I think this defense has a place in fantasy football. I mentioned all the young QBs they play and that means they could get sacks with two lockdown CBs and enough pass rushers to make you concerned the Dolphins defense could be knocking on the door of fantasy relevance. The defense is not playable against the Chiefs or 49ers but outside of that tell me why that defense can’t be played? it’s crazy to think the Dolphins were so bad last year and still won 5 games. What can they do this year with a defense that is lightyears ahead of last season’s unit? Pay close attention to Miami.
Potential Breakout Player
- Preston Williams-WR
Rookie To Know
- Tua Tagovailoa-QB
