The Miami Dolphins season is about to kick off with a two-week West Coast road trip that pits them against the Las Vegas Raiders and the San Francisco 49ers. The Jeff Hafley/Jon-Eric Sullivan era has nearly arrived.
The Dolphins have the youngest team in the NFL entering the 2026 season, and to make matters worse, they play the second-toughest schedule in the league. Things are not going to be easy for Miami, but there is a lot of room to grow for a roster full of inexperienced players.
The question many fans want an answer to is: how many games can the Dolphins win this year? Realistically? Not many, but it may not be as bad as some predict. On one hand, a bad season locks up a top-three draft pick, but more wins would be a good sign that the team is developing.
Miami Dolphins face brutal 2026 schedule that could be franchise defining
Week 1: & Raiders - Win
It's the Dolphins' defense against the Kirk Cousins-led Raiders. Miami matches up well defensively, as Cousins can be erratic. The pressure from the front seven will be the key to the game. Offensively, Miami should be able to stay in the game, but they have to play well up front.
Week 2: & 49ers - Loss
A West Coast trip is never easy; a back-to-back one makes it harder. The 49ers are a tough team on both sides of the ball and will test Miami's young defenders and their revamped offensive line.
Week 3: Chiefs - Loss
Beating the Chiefs isn't impossible. They are not the franchise they were two years ago. Patrick Mahomes is still one of the best quarterbacks in the league, however, and Kenneth Walker's addition makes their offense better. Miami has to keep their offense off the field to have a chance.
Week 4: & Vikings - Win
The Dolphins head back on the road, but there are questions in Minnesota. Specifically, with QB Kyler Murray. They have a good offense, but the QB play could sink them. On defense, the Vikings are going to be tough, but Miami has the talent to keep them in the game. A game-winning drive to break former Dolphins HC Brian Flores' heart, perhaps?
Week 5: Bengals - Loss
The question for both teams is whether or not Joe Burrow can stay healthy. The Bengals are a streaky team, and the Dolphins could find themselves in a good position to steal this game. They will, however, have to keep their talented WR group from making chunk plays, and that will be the biggest task for Miami's suspect secondary.
Week 6: Bye
At the bye, the Dolphins could have two wins or, just as easily, one. It's a good time for Hafley to get his team rested and tweak problems they are having on both sides of the ball.
Week 7: & Jets - Loss
The Jets are always tough for Miami to beat, especially in New York, but they have QB issues, a running back who can be inconsistent, and their WR room doesn't scare anyone. Their defense will make it hard for Miami to move the ball at will. This is going to be a close game, but home-field advantage wins this one.
Week 8: Patriots - Loss
It's going to be a tough road against the AFC East's top teams. The Patriots may not make it back to the Super Bowl this year, but Miami doesn't match up well against the AFC's Super Bowl representatives from a year ago.
Week 9: Lions - Loss
There is too much talent on the Lions roster. Both sides are stout, and the Dolphins are going to play their most physical opponent of the year. This one is an easy game to predict.
Week 10: & Colts - Win
The Colts are supposed to be good, but they tend to overlook bad teams, and that is exactly what could happen this year. Miami will be starting to turn the corner with their younger guys, and that could set them up to steal this game.
Week 11: & Bills - Loss
The only good thing about this game is that it (probably) won't be played in snow. Miami's first look at the Bills in 2026 likely won't go well, but there is always hope, as the two teams tend to play each other better than anyone gives them credit for.
Week 12: Jets - Win
The Jets in Miami are always a fun game. We gave them the home-field win the first go-around, but this time, the Dolphins should be able to steal it.
Week 13: & Broncos - Loss
It's hard enough to play in Denver, but this could be one of those revenge games for Sean Payton. It was his inexperienced roster that was on the losing end of Miami's 70-point thunderclap in 2023; if given the chance, he will put up 71.
Week 14: Bears - Loss
Another physical game. Miami has to play hard and exploit any injuries or holes the Bears may have at this point in the year. The Dolphins will be playing for pride, and the Bears may be playing for a playoff spot. Advantage Chicago.
Week 15: & Packers - Loss
Nothing would make the Dolphins' new HC and GM happier than to steal a game from the Packers. They know the tactics, they know the game preparation, and they know the stadium. They also have a QB who knows them as well. It might be closer than most think, but it's hard to see a road win here.
Week 16: Chargers - Loss
In what will inevitably be dubbed the Mike McDaniel revenge game, it's hard to imagine Miami being able to stop a Chargers offense led by their former head coach. Unless Miami's offense can take advantage of a defense that is no longer run by new Ravens HC Jesse Minter, this one could get ugly.
Week 17: Bills - Loss
The Bills will likely be gearing up for the playoffs and, by now, will be on a roll. Miami, at this point, is trying to wrap up the season and get players more reps to evaluate ahead of next year.
Week 18: & Patriots - Loss
The season finally comes to an end, but the Dolphins are not going to phone this one in either. There is a good chance that Miami could be in position to play spoiler, or they may find themselves playing a team that is resting its starters, but it's still difficult to put a win in the column.
Overall record prediction - 4-13
It's hard to imagine Miami going winless in 2026, but it could happen. Their best chance for a win is in Week 1, and that won't be easy. The rest of the season will depend on how quickly the young players get up to NFL speed. Throughout the preseason, most of them took limited reps, and the first-team offense saw only one series in the three games.
Miami will have a chance to steal a game or two, but the margin for error during games will be very thin. Hafley is going to be tested. If the Dolphins win more than four games, it will be a great indication that this team is heading in the right direction, but four wins seem to be the ceiling.
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