The Dolphins have hit the rebuild button, moving on from Ryan Tannehill and acquiring Josh Rosen for the type of trade capital that suggests they hope he's their quarterback of the future but aren't all in on the idea. Given they also added Ryan Fitzpatrick, Rosen is going to have to stand out to be the starter. Too bad there's just not much around him to help.
2018 Review
Record: 7 - 9 (17th in NFL)
PPG: 19.9 (26)
YPG: 289.9 (31)
Pass YPG: 181.3 (30)
Rush YPG: 108.6 (18)
PAPG: 28.4 (30)
RAPG: 23.2 (25)
2018 Fantasy finishes
QB: Ryan Tannehill* - QB30; Brock Osweiler* - QB38
RB: Kenyan Drake - RB14; Frank Gore* - RB46; Kalen Ballage - RB87
WR: Kenny Stills - WR56; Danny Amendola* - WR59; Albert Wilson - WR79; DeVante Parker - WR106
TE: Mike Gesicki - TE49
*No longer with team
Number to know: 289.9
Miami was No. 31 in yards per game in 2018, ahead of only Arizona. It's hard to imagine things getting much better for the Dolphins since their likely starter at quarterback is Josh Rosen, who was the starter for the Cardinals last year.
2019 Offseason
"I think he's a talented player. He catches the ball well. He's a good runner. He runs hard. He does a lot of really good things. But I think, and I'll say this to all of the players ... the opportunities they get on the field will be up to them. Period. If they practice well, if they're smart, they work hard, they're tough, they block, they catch the ball consistently, they hit the hole correctly, then they're going to play." - Brian Flores, on Kenyan Drake
Head Coach: Brian Flores (1st year - previously LB Coach, NEP)
Offensive Coordinator: Chad O'Shea (1st year - previously WR Coach, NEP)
Draft Picks
1. (13) Christian Wilkins, DT
3. (78) Michael Deiter, G
5. (151) Andrew Van Ginkel, LB
6. (202) Isaiah Prince, T
7. (233) Chandler Cox, RB
7. (234) Myles Gaskin, RB
Additions
QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB Josh Rosen, TE Dwayne Allen, TE Clive Walford, OL Chris Reed, DB Eric Rowe
Key Departures
QB Ryan Tannehill, RB Frank Gore, RB Brandon Bolden, WR Danny Amendola, OL Ja'Wuan James, OL Ted Larsen, DL Cameron Wake
Rankings and Projections
| | Heath Cummings' projected offensive stats | |
| QB | Ryan Fitzpatrick | 3,413 YD, 21 TD, 14 INT |
| RB | Kenyan Drake | 224 ATT, 964 YD, 6 TD, 83 TAR, 58 REC, 470 YD, 2 TD |
| RB | Kalen Ballage | 179 ATT, 807 YD, 5 TD |
| WR | Kenny Stills | 107 TAR, 58 REC, 892 TD, 5 TD |
| WR | Albert Wilson | 98 TAR, 64 REC, 869 YD, 5 TD |
| WR | DeVante Parker | 98 TAR, 54 REC, 692 YD, 4 TD |
| TE | Mike Gesicki | 44 TAR, 30 REC, 279 YD, 3 TD |
Biggest Question
Is Kenyan Drake a sneaky good No. 2 Fantasy running back?
"If we assume Drake splits the rushing downs with Kalen Ballage and handles almost all of the passing-downs role, he could see 200 touches. For a guy who's routinely averaged 4.5 yards per carry and has 85 receptions in his past two seasons, that's not such a bad thing. And because we expect the Dolphins to play from behind a bunch, Drake's playing time should be strong. He's better in PPR than non-PPR." - Dave Richard
One sleeper, one breakout, and one bust
Sleeper: Kenny Stills
I'm actually excited about all three of Miami's top receivers in Stills, DeVante Parker and Albert Wilson, and it's worth drafting all of them with late-round picks in all leagues. The Dolphins will likely be trailing in most games, and this trio should have the chance for plenty of targets. I also like the expected quarterback upgrade with either Rosen or Fitzpatrick over Tannehill. From a Fantasy perspective, you'd like to see Fitzpatrick start to help maximize the potential of this receiving corps given his experience and willingness to take chances. But even with Rosen, I expect Stills, Parker and Wilson, if healthy, to outperform their draft value this season.
Breakout: Kenyan Drake
Drake was actually the No. 14 PPR running back last season, and I'm not sure he'll be much better than that. But he achieved that accomplishment with only 120 carries and 173 total touches. He no longer has to worry about Adam Gase forcing him to share touches with a veteran like Frank Gore -- Kalen Ballage still has to earn his role as the No. 2 running back -- and the new coaching regime in Miami should lean on Drake. In 2017, Drake averaged 21.6 touches a game in his final five outings. If that type of usage happens again, Drake could be a top-10 running back in all leagues. He's worth drafting no later than Round 5.
Bust: No one
I'm not saying that no one on the Dolphins will be a bust, but I'm not sure anyone qualifies. Drake is the closest candidate, but clearly I like him. After Drake, who has an Average Draft Position of Round 5, the next Dolphins player off the board is Stills in Round 14. That's not a bust. Ballage is next in Round 14. Also, not a bust. Parker comes off the board in Round 15, and Wilson doesn't have an ADP. The same goes for Rosen and Fitzpatrick. The Dolphins should be a mediocre team in 2019, and their Fantasy outlook reflects that on Draft Day. The nice thing is players like Stills, Parker and Wilson, among others, could end up as pleasant surprises.