Dolphins rookie smacked with a backhanded compliment that is more of an indictment on Miami’s roster
CBS Sports sees a Dolphins second-day pick emerging in an important role, but largely due to a lack of talent.
The time is now for the Miami Dolphins’ 2026 rookie class, as they arrived at the Baptist Health Training Complex on Tuesday for the start of training camp.
The Dolphins will be relying on a number of rookies in 2026 in various roles. First round picks Kadyn Proctor and Chris Johnson are sure-fire starters. Second-round and fourth round picks Jacob Rodriguez and Kyle Louis, respectively, will start off providing quality depth at linebacker, with the ceiling for more (particularly the ultra-versatile Louis early on in some sub-packages).
But it could be at wide receiver where the Dolphins’ three draft picks could be called on to fill what’s frankly a gaping talent void. And that void is why CBS Sports NFL writer Josh Edwards has third-round pick Caleb Douglas on his list of top ten rookie wide receivers for 2026.
He has the Texas Tech product at No. 10 on the list — ahead of players like Carolina’s Chris Brazzell II, New York’s Malachi Fields, and Tampa Bay’s Ted Hurst, among others —due to the lack of options at the position for Miami.
Dolphins WR Caleb Douglas ranks No. 10 on CBS Sports writer Josh Edwards’ list of top 10 rookie wide receivers
“Douglas claims the final spot because someone has to catch passes in the Miami offense,” Edwards wrote.
“Douglas is a bigger body, so his profile is a bit different than Malik Washington, Bell and some of Miami’s other outlets. Among players with at least 25 pass attempts in 2025, Willis ranked first in air yards per attempt (10.1), according to TruMedia. A small sample size, but he is willing to push the ball downfield.”
CBS Sports’ fantasy experts have Douglas projected for 35 catches for 432 yards and three touchdowns. Not a massive impact, but not an insignificant one.
Douglas is an interesting prospect. He has the size and length at 6-4, 205 pounds and the straight line speed to be a deep, field stretching option on the outside. My colleague Kyle Crabbs compared him to a younger version of Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and that feels pretty accurate. So, those projected numbers feel kind of on the nose.
And Douglas certain adds some size to a room that’s operated largely without it for the previous four years under Mike McDaniel. He has the ability to go up and get it on the perimeter and over the middle.
Can Miami’s coaches get the most out of him early in his career? They’ll need to, because Edwards is not off base. Miami’s veteran receiver offseason acquisitions of Tutu Atwell, Jalen Tolbert, Jalen Reagor, and Terrace Marshall, Jr. are pretty well proven to this point. And that proof has shown they’re likely not capable of making the necessary impact on offense this year in starting roles.