ESPN’s latest rankings reveal could not have set the bar any lower for the Miami Dolphins in 2026
The 2026 Miami Dolphins continue to have expectations set on the floor by the national media.
The 2026 Miami Dolphins don’t have much support on the national landscape.
The pundits and rankings continue to project the Dolphins to have a tough season this year — although the latest such ranking sets the expectations on the floor. ESPN has released a ranking of the starting lineups for all 32 franchises this offseason. And the Miami Dolphins? They were ranked dead last.
ESPN ranks the Miami Dolphins as the 32nd-ranked roster in the NFL for 2026
The assessment of Miami’s roster includes a scalding review of the secondary, stating the unit is among several on Miami’s roster that is the worst the NFL has to offer this season. That may or may not be true — we’ll find out soon enough. But between the positive reviews for second-year safety Dante Trader Jr. and a first-round pick in Chris Johnson, the Dolphins should have something to build with here.
Miami’s strengths seem, on paper, to lie on along the line of scrimmage. That is an interesting foil to some of the teams that were ranked ahead of Miami. The Cardinals and Raiders in particular stand out — although they each do have a tone-setting player. Is Maxx Crosby enough of a glue piece to raise the floor for the rest of a line anchored by Adam Butler, Jonah Laulu, and Thomas Booker?
Ultimately, these exercises are all about name recognition on paper. Many of the most important of the Dolphins’ players are young and unproven. So the respect they want will have to be earned. That is the beauty of the game, of course — you have to strap it up and go play. The outside world continues to doubt the 2026 Miami Dolphins. But the team will have a chance to get their say.
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