How good the Miami Dolphins will be in 2026 is a question that will be answered soon enough. The Dolphins' offense is a big question after the departures of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. Jon-Eric Sullivan is relying on his own ability to identify talent to replace them.
Through two weeks of camp, rookie Caleb Douglas has been a surprising star. His connection with Malik Willis has been well-documented, and he is making a strong case to be the starter on one of the two boundaries.
While Douglas has been a pleasant addition, the bigger surprise may be another rookie WR. Missouri's Kevin Coleman Jr. was taken on Day 3 and has quietly turned heads while having an exceptional camp so far.
Miami Dolphins rookie receiver Kevin Coleman Jr. is quietly having a fantastic training camp
Coleman sat out the Dolphins' first preseason game with an injury. It isn't considered serious, but for fans wondering where he was, he was watching from the sideline.
Coleman's fall in the draft wasn't surprising given his uneven pre-draft workouts, but in round five, the Dolphins couldn't pass on his potential. It seems to be paying off. According to Tony Pauline of Essentially Sports, Coleman was the star of early camp practices before getting banged up.
"Sources in Miami tell me that Coleman has been the biggest surprise in camp thus far," Pauline said.
Coleman Jr.'s camp is going well, but he isn't going to nab a starting job just yet. He will miss a week of practice due to a minor injury that isn't expected to linger. That will pause his development for the time being.
In 2026, it will be interesting to see what his workload is on Sundays. The Dolphins are likely to carry five or six receivers into the season. There are only four guarantees after two-ish weeks of camp.
- Caleb Douglas
- Malik Washington
- TuTu Atwell
- Chris Bell
Chris Bell was a question mark in terms of being active to start the season, but his recent activation off the PUP list makes him a lock. The competition for what would then be the final two spots could go anywhere. Assuming Coleman Jr. gets back healthy, one spot would be open for the remaining seven players.
At some point, Miami could turn to the free agent market. Keenan Allen has already been mentioned as a "best fit" for the Dolphins, but if we are being honest, adding a new WR to the group at this point doesn't make a lot of sense, barring injury.
The Dolphins need Jalen Tolbert to step up, and Theo Wease Jr.'s promising opportunities seem to be heading in the right direction. The bottom of the unit is going to get interesting.
It's often said that preseason games don't mean much in terms of who makes and doesn't make an NFL roster, but this year, that may not be the case at all. Preseason begins this week, and the WR room could be decided over the course of the next three games. But Coleman Jr. could push for snaps right away to start the season.
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