If the Miami Dolphins are going to exceed their extremely low expectations heading into the 2026 season, it will be because new starting quarterback Malik Willis exceeds his own. The former Titans and Packers backup flashed enough high-end ability in just six career starts to secure a three-year, $67.5 million deal this offseason, but the jury is very much still out on his future as a full-time starter.
FanSided recently ranked every rostered QB in the NFL using a panel of 50 of their NFL experts (myself among them, for transparency), using a 12-point scale to place QBs into 10 distinct tiers ranging from "Truly Elite" to "Camp Arm". Willis earned an overall grade of 6.52, ranking him 27th out of 93 QBs.
He landed near the bottom of the "Game Managers" tier, just ahead of veteran QB Joe Flacco and behind players such as Daniel Jones (22nd), Bryce Young (25th), and the first three QBs taken in the 2025 NFL Draft (Cam Ward (23rd), Jaxson Dart (24th), and Tyler Shough (26th)). While it's a fair ranking for now, given the information available on Willis, Dolphins fans know that won't be good enough to keep them out of the NFL's basement this season.
Malik Willis must outperform latest QB ranking if the Miami Dolphins want to compete in 2026
I personally ranked Willis as a seven in the rating system, which is defined as "a competent starter who needs a strong supporting cast." In Miami, the big question for Willis is, of course, his supporting cast. With a receiving corps made up of mostly rookies and low-end veteran pieces, it's fair to wonder if the young QB has what it takes to overcome the lack of established pass catchers at his disposal.
2026 is meant to be a rebuilding year, one where the focus is more on developing a roster that is now the youngest in the league. Head coach Jeff Hafley even admitted as such recently. Still, general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan gave Willis a contract for a reason, and it wasn't just because of his familiarity with him from their two years together in Green Bay.
If Willis can play well above the 27th ranking he earned in FanSided's project, it will open Miami up to a world of possibilities moving forward. Not only would it likely mean a better 2026 season than fans are expecting, but it would also mean they could pour resources into the rest of the roster instead of needing to address QB early in next year's draft.
I am sure that some fans are hoping for a season that lands the Dolphins another shot at drafting a franchise QB, but as we all know from the Tua Tagovailoa era, not every highly-drafted signal caller works out in the long run. Finding a relatively cheap solution like Willis may not be as exciting, but it could end up being just as effective with the right pieces around him.
Besides, wouldn't it be fun to see this young roster surprise everyone? I sure think so, and Willis is the key to making that happen.
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