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What will the 2020 Miami Dolphins become over the next 17 weeks? No one knows. Last year at this time, the Dolphins were being described as the worst team to ever play the game, and yet they finished with a better record than four other teams in the league and looked like a team starting to rise. It was not a great 2019 season, but for a team in the middle of a roster-reset, it was a surprising end to the season, winning three of their last five games, including the final two contests.
Where does the team stand as they head into the 2020 season? It seems as though some analysts are starting to recognize a team set to ascend over the next couple of seasons. A young club, with a lot of talent that still needs time to develop, there is a feeling that Miami could be headed in the right direction. How does that reflect in a judgement of where the Dolphins stand today? A quick look around the first editions of the 2020 NFL Power Rankings gives as an answer, and maybe not a great one. While analysts see the Dolphins headed in the right direction, they definitely think the team has to develop and grow still.
Bleeding Green Nation
Brandon Lee Gowton, 9/8
1. Kansas City Chiefs
2. Baltimore Ravens
3. New Orleans Saints
4. Seattle Seahawks
5. San Francisco 49ers
25. Miami Dolphins
“The Dolphins outplayed their talent level in 2019. Credit to head coach Brian Flores in that regard. Miami is still flawed but they’re no total pushover. Especially since Ryan Fitzpatrick can still get hot and go off. Could see them improve to being a 7-9 team.”
Mile High Report
Tim Lynch, 9/8
1. Kansas City Chiefs
2. Baltimore Ravens
3. New Orleans Saints
4. San Francisco 49ers
5. Minnesota Vikings
31. Miami Dolphins
NFL.com
Dan Hanzus, 9/8
1. Kansas City Chiefs
2. San Francisco 49ers
3. Baltimore Ravens
4. New Orleans Saints
5. Tennessee Titans
26. Miami Dolphins
“That Josh Rosen trade worked out pretty terribly for the Dolphins, huh? Last spring, Miami surrendered second- and fifth-round picks to the Cardinals to acquire Rosen, and he made all of three starts and 109 pass attempts before the Dolphins gave up on the former top-10 pick. The silver lining here is that Rosen’s expendability must mean Miami isn’t merely paying lip service when they say they’re happy with the progress of Tua Tagovailoa and his surgically repaired hip. He’ll open the season as the backup behind Ryan Fitzpatrick, who isn’t exactly known for stringing together multiple years of success. Tua is coming. “
CBS Sports
Pete Prisco, 9/9
1. Kansas City Chiefs
2. Green Bay Packers
3. New Orleans Saints
4. San Francisco 49ers
5. Pittsburgh Steelers
28. Miami Dolphins
“How long before Tua Tagovailoa takes over for Ryan Fitzpatrick? It can’t be long since he is the future. They will be young in a lot of spots.”
Sporting News
Vinnie Iyer, 9/9
1. Kansas City Chiefs
2. Baltimore Ravens
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
4. San Francisco 49ers
5. New Orleans Saints
29. Miami Dolphins
“The Dolphins won’t mind taking a few more lumps in their rebuild as Ryan Fitzpatrick bridges the offense to Tua Tagovailoa and Brian Flores works to get his new-look defense to jell in front of top corners Xavien Howard and Byron Jones.”
ESPN
NFL Nation. 9/8
1. Kansas City Chiefs
2. Baltimore Ravens
3. San Francisco 49ers
4. New Orleans Saints
5. Dallas Cowboys
27. Miami Dolphins
“Cameron Wolfe: The Dolphins had the NFL’s worst offensive line last season, and if Week 1 starter Ryan Fitzpatrick and eventually Tua Tagovailoa are going to look good, this group has to play well.
“The Dolphins had the NFL’s worst O-line last season, and if starter Ryan Fitzpatrick and eventual starter in rookie Tua Tagovailoa are going to look good, then this group has to play well. The unit is set to have four new starters, including rookie left tackle Austin Jackson and rookie right guard Solomon Kindley, and without any game action together, how they bond is a question mark.”
NBC Sports
Adam Hoge, 9/8
1. Kansas City Chiefs
2. New Orleans Saints
3. Baltimore Ravens
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
5. San Francisco 49ers
27. Miami Dolphins
“Let me know when Tua Tagovailoa takes over at quarterback and I’ll move the Dolphins up. They’re headed in a better direction.”
Fox News
Daniel Canova, 9/8
1. Kansas City Chiefs
2. New Orleans Saints
3. Baltimore Ravens
4. Seattle Seahawks
5. San Francisco 49ers
28. Miami Dolphins
“The Miami Dolphins decided to select former Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, but the team will enter the season with journeyman Ryan Fitzpatrick under center. Running backs Jordan Howard and Matt Breida will anchor the backfield and wide receivers DeVante Parker and Preston Williams will be viable weapons for Miami.”
USA Today
Nate Davis, 9/8
1. Kansas City Chiefs
2. Baltimore Ravens
3. New Orleans Saints
4. San Francisco 49ers
5. Tennessee Titans
25. Miami Dolphins
“Byron Jones and Xavien Howard are league’s most expensive corner tandem. But Miami won’t get its money worth if it once again accrues NFL’s fewest sacks (23 in 2019).”
Sports Illustrated/Monday Morning Quarterback
MMQB Staff, 9/8
1. Kansas City Chiefs
2. Baltimore Ravens
3. New Orleans Saints
4. San Francisco 49ers
5. Philadelphia Eagles
26. Miami Dolphins
“Most of us are pretty bullish on Brian Flores’s work down in Miami. But even after a surprising five wins last year, it’s hard to find room to move the Dolphins up.”
Yahoo Sports
Frank Schwab, 9/8
1. Baltimore Ravens
2. Kansas City Chiefs
3. New Orleans Saints
4. San Francisco 49ers
5. Buffalo Bills
25. Miami Dolphins
“It’s still uncertain if or when Tua Tagovailoa will play, and coach Brian Flores didn’t offer much information on that subject.
“‘Obviously from a health standpoint, we feel good about where Tua is,’ Flores said, according to the team’s transcript. ‘At the same time, we’re not saying that Tua is No. 2; we’re not saying that he’s No. 1. We’re going through it. We’re still making evaluations. We’re still looking at every possible scenario.’”
The Washington Post
Mark Maske, 9/8
1. Kansas City Chiefs
2. San Francisco 49ers
3. Baltimore Ravens
4. Seattle Seahawks
5. New Orleans Saints
24. Miami Dolphins
“Brian Flores did a tremendous coaching job last season to get the Dolphins five wins during a season in which they were accused of tanking. They still ended up with QB Tua Tagovailoa on draft night. But it gets no easier for Flores. The expectations are raised now, and he must figure out when to make the switch from placeholder Ryan Fitzpatrick to Tagovailoa.”
Pro Football Network
Matt Williamson, 9/9
1. Kansas City Chiefs
2. Baltimore Ravens
3. New Orleans Saints
4. San Francisco 49ers
5. Dallas Cowboys
30. Miami Dolphins
“In terms of yards per play differential, only the Bengals were worse than Miami. The Dolphins allowed 1.1 yards per play more than they gained in 2019. Cincinnati and Miami were the only two teams worse than -.7 in this category.”