Is Malik Willis on the verge of losing his starting job? When asked by a reporter if he’d consider benching Willis head coach Jeff Hafley responded “No. We’ve played 5 games and Malik is our quarterback”. He further stated “Malik needs to be better. Ok? That’s not the headline. We all need to be better”.
The Miami Dolphins are currently 31st in the NFL in scoring offense. Willis averages 153 passing yards per game and ranks 33rd with 4.4 adjusted yards per attempt. If the Dolphins decide to bench Willis, backup Kyle McCord is set to start.
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Chris Bell made his NFL debut ...
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Chris Bell said he's "about ...
Miami Dolphins rookie third-round wide receiver Chris Bell ...
Dolphins HC Jeff Hafley said “we’ll see” when asked about starting WR Caleb Douglas‘ availability for the rest of the week including Sunday’s home opener against the Kansas City Chiefs. Douglas missed practice on Wednesday and Thursday, and is trending toward missing Friday too.
Douglas is dealing with the ankle injury he sustained in the 4th quarter of the Week 2 loss against the 49ers (where he posted 2 catches for 19 yards). Douglas was also seen with a walking boot on his right leg after the game. With Douglas leaning towards being OUT and Chris Bell dealing with a knee injury, Malik Washington is poised for an uptick in volume, making him a strong streaming option for fantasy football in Week 3. ~Jason Diaz
The 6-foot-2, 222-pound Chris Bell admits that fluid buildup and soreness in his surgically repaired knee have lingered since Week 1. The rookie is managing practice reps and spending extra time with trainers to combat stiffness following his November 2025 ACL tear.
The athletic wideout will continue to play on a strict snap count while he works back to full speed. With Caleb Douglas trending in the wrong direction, Malik Washington should command a significant target share vs. Kansas City in Week 3.
The Miami franchise locked in rookies Chris Bell and Caleb Douglas as Week 1 starters. Most importantly, Bell will be full-go following his miraculous ACL recovery from a surgical repair conducted in mid-December, 2025. Mediocrity connoisseurs will also note that Jalen Tolbert is listed as Malik Washington‘s immediate back-up.
This roster turnover creates immediate opportunities in a rebuilding depth chart, thrusting Bell and Douglas into serious best ball and deep league relevance, while Kevin Coleman commands a deep dynasty stash. Fantasy managers should monitor snap shares as these young wideouts absorb target volume over veteran placeholders.
Schad is the 2nd beat reporter to make this prediction in as many days (Chris Perkins of the SunSentinal being the other). Chris Bell was originally thought to be a PUP candidate to start the year after tearing his ACL in November. The injury pushed his first round talent into Round 3 of the 2026 NFL draft, despite an elite 31.1% College Target Share (92nd percentile).
While he missed most of camp and preseason recovering from his ACL, Bell is certainly the most talented WR on the roster. He has drawn comparisons to AJ Brown and Josh Gordon. Bell is moving up on PlayerProfiler’s best ball and redraft rankings and is a great dart throw at the end of drafts.
The Dolphins activated Bell from the active/non football injury list as he continues his comeback from the torn ACL he suffered last season at Louisville. Miami spent the 94th overall pick on Bell for a reason. The big bodied outside receiver posted 72 catches for 917 yards and six touchdowns in his final college season, giving the Dolphins a much needed dose of size and playmaking ability.
The big question is how quickly he can shake off the rust. Miami’s receiver room is far from intimidating, and that could create a massive opportunity for Bell as the season progresses. If his knee holds up and he gets back to form, don’t be surprised if this rookie forces his way into a much bigger role and potentially onto the fantasy radar by the end of the season.
