The sample size wasn't huge. It's quite small, really. A one-series evening for two of the Miami Dolphins' wide receivers who are hoping to win more than a roster spot.
Let's be honest, no one thought that highly of rookie WR Caleb Douglas. Well, Jon-Eric Sullivan did. While the Dolphins' general manager has to be patting himself on the back, it's the fans who are getting the eye-opening surprise.
On Friday night, the Dolphins lost to the Washington Commanders. At times, it wasn't pretty, but for Malik Washington and Douglas, it was enough to prove they deserved a chance to start.
Miami Dolphins have no choice but to start Caleb Douglas and Malik Washington
The wide receiver room is an overall disappointment. Douglas and Washington made it look better. Douglas made an incredible athletic one-handed catch, while Washington brought in three passes from Malik Willis.
There is a connection between the QB and both receivers that can't be overlooked. When the season begins, the trio should be on the field together.
Douglas' one-catch night was overshadowed by his foot being out of bounds on another catch. He said after the game that he thought he had plenty of room. That will change as he gets acclimated to the NFL. Awareness is important.
Pretty perfect night for Malik Willis. Saw the play making with the legs, saw the absurd drive throws - 31 yards in the air from the far hash on a frozen rope to Caleb Douglas - we saw him read and attack leverage on a re-route to depth from the curl/flat defender. Clean.
— Travis Wingfield (@WingfieldNFL) August 15, 2026
Douglas did, however, show off his route-running talents. He was smooth on Friday night. In and out of cuts quickly, he proved in a short 7 minutes that he can handle the job at this level.
Washington has been around for a while now, but in this system and without the other two "star" receivers who found themselves out in Miami this offseason, the WR has a chance to shine brighter. He looked good on Friday, and there is little question that he should anchor the other outside position.
The rest of the WR group was not all that impressive. Jalen Reagor put up two receptions on the first drive, making a case for his own roster spot and contributor status in the WR room. The problems were outside of those three.
Jalen Tolbert caught one pass, Terrace Marshall caught one, and TuTu Atwell was only targeted once. The Dolphins' backup quarterbacks were not good, so it isn't a shock to see the WR room suffer as a result.
There are two more games before the final cuts are made. Plenty of time for the receivers to get better. Right now, it's anyone's spot to win, but the top two spots are already taken.
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