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 last fantasy performance from Miami Dolphins quarterback...
Miami Dolphins quarterback Malik Willis will get a chance ...
Miami Dolphins quarterback Malik Willis is finally getting ...
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.
Why not Greg Dulcich? The veteran Miami Dolphins tight end flashed efficiency in the second half of last season after returning from injured reserve in Week 8. The former third-round pick captured a 13.0-percent Dominator Rating and averaged 6.0 Yards After Catch per target on a limited 33-target sample size.
With minimal competition in the Miami receiving room and a healthy offseason under his belt, Dulcich is a clever late-round tight end target. He has volume-based upside as a TE2/TE3 in fantasy football best ball leagues and in particularly attractive in tight end premium formats.
“I think he’s looked as good as he’s looked since I met him,” Hafley explained to reporters Tuesday morning. This report comes exactly one week after Dolphins offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik said Miami’s offense has been an “ongoing process” for Willis to process.
In Green Bay, Willis led the NFL in EPA per drop back in a relatively small sample in 2025 and passed at a higher than expected rate. While not overly optimistic, it is good to hear that Willis’ comfort level is rising. Miami’s offensive talent is the least impressive in the NFL, so Willis will be often uncomfortable. The silver lining for fantasy gamers is that Willis generates fantasy points when he pulls the ball down and runs.
Malik Washington is the most well-positioned veteran receiver in Miami after commanding a 14.4-percent Target Share and running 334 routes in his second season. The dynamic slot weapon possesses elite 97th-percentile college burst, but a 39.2-percent Slot Rate caps his ceiling.
Unless Washington commands targets outside of the slot and forces his way into two-receiver sets, he remains a matchup-dependent WR5 floor play for fantasy managers. Washington is a desperation WR streamer based solely on his role as the defacto WR1 in Miami.
