The NFL has such razor-thin margins for error on any team, but the 2026 Miami Dolphins are an extraordinary Exhibit A for that phenomenon. They are a biologically cohesive house of cards that could be blown over at any moment.
Hence why I don't understand the criticism volleyed at head coach Jeff Hafley for playing his starters and other critical players very much in the preseason. I will continue to defend Hafley on that, and it should even apply to fringe starter types like rookie fifth-round wide receiver Kevin Coleman Jr.
Although Malik Washington has the inside track on the slot receiver job, having built a solid rapport with quarterback Malik Willis, fans shouldn't sleep on Coleman. And that's why he should ride the pine as much as possible in the preseason finale on Friday.
Miami Dolphins rookie WR Kevin Coleman Jr. must be protected at all costs vs. Falcons
In addition to serving as a viable slot weapon, Kevin Coleman Jr. has real upside as a return man. If Washington does indeed start as the primary wideout on the inside, Coleman should, well, have the inside track to the punt returner job.
It'd be rather reckless for Hafley to deploy Washington with a heavy snap count on offense and make him really pull triple duty as the No. 1 kick and punt return man.
Anyway, if the Dolphins think enough of Coleman to put him right behind Washington at two of those spots, why thrust him into harm's way in the preseason finale versus Atlanta? Coleman already dealt with an injury that kept him out of the first preseason contest and a couple of weeks of training camp practice, yet he still made such a strong impression on the coaching staff.
The Coleman playing time dilemma against the Falcons runs a lot deeper than that, though. It's not so black and white.
This is a microcosm of the adversity Hafley will face as a first-year head coach. The Dolphins will be playing a lot of youngsters, including their promising trio of drafted rookie receivers.
Hafley and offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik have the ultimate finessed needle to thread. Playing the rookies will fast-track their development, but also put them in harm's way and potentially sabotage Willis' trajectory as a potentially high-end starting QB.
If Coleman, Chris Bell, or Caleb Douglas get injured this season, it's sort of a for-who-for-what situation. Like, what was the point?
Yes, football is a violent game. Somebody has to go out there for Miami in 2026 and essentially serve as a human sacrifice to the football gods before Hafley and Jon-Eric Sullivan can begin to turn the ship around next year. That's a little melodramatic and Greek tragedy-coded, but you get what I mean.
The Dolphins just don't have the horses to shield their rookies from the relative horrors of the gridiron. Not to suggest that Coleman or anyone else from this draft class will play in fear, but the brutality of the NFL game and all the losses that likely pile up will be taxing on all of them.
Saying all that to say, on Friday night, we had better see a lot of Terrace Marshall Jr., AJ Henning, Jalen Reagor, and Ryan Miller at wide receiver.
Go ahead and drop Reagor deep on kickoffs, too. Remember? The guy drafted right before Justin Jefferson? Yeah. He can't make a dent on the depth chart of easily the NFL's worst receiving corps. Probably not a good sign!
Whatever you do, Jeff Hafley, put Kevin Coleman Jr. in bubble wrap. No need to play him.
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