Chris Perkins: Here's what to expect from Dolphins WRs without Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle

Chris Perkins, South Florida Sun Sentinel on May 25, 2026

Published in Football

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MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — I’m a realist. I’m not expecting much from the 2026 Miami Dolphins wide receivers. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Allow me to explain.

The 2026 Miami Dolphins won’t have a top wide receiver, a so-called WR1, in the same class as Tyreek Hill, their best player for the previous four seasons and a likely Hall of Famer, or, say, Minnesota’s Justin Jefferson, who some consider the best in the NFL. The 2026 Dolphins might have to make it work with three WR2s and a WR3.

Well, that’s what I maintain.

I was firmly corrected when I ran that presumption past coach Jeff Hafley on Tuesday.

“I think it’s too early to make that statement,” he said.

“We haven’t practiced very much. We haven’t practiced against anybody. We haven’t played a game. So let’s let our coaches develop these guys and give these guys a chance to see if we do have a number one.”

That’s fair.

But at this point, I doubt any of the 2026 Dolphins wide receivers turn out to be in the same class as Hill or Jefferson.

In fact, some, myself included, think Miami could have one of the NFL’s worst wide receiver crews in 2026.

That’s understandable. This is almost by design.

We all know that in this offseason the Dolphins parted ways with Tyreek, who they released in February, and Jaylen Waddle, the highly-talented WR2 who they traded to Denver despite posting three 1,000-yard seasons and a 910-yard season in 2025. They were one of the best wide receiver duos in the league. It’ll likely take a couple of years, at least, to recover from such major personnel losses.

As the Dolphins’ 2026 roster took shape — addressing priorities like quarterback and the trenches — it became apparent there would be a wide receiver shortfall.

So, I accept the fact that the 2026 Dolphins wide receivers won’t be of the caliber of the high-profile groups of recent years. But they can still be efficient and effective.

Lower your expectations, but don’t lower the standard.

The key with this inexperienced crew is patience.

This is an exploratory season at wide receiver for the Dolphins.

Look at the roster.

The wide receivers don’t have a 1,000-yard receiving season or a Pro Bowl appearance among them.

Heck, they don’t have a 50-reception season or a 700-yard season. They have one season with four or more receiving touchdowns.

Again, that’s OK.

This is now a draft-and-develop franchise. Allow the process to run its course. And consider who is on the roster.

The Dolphins’ wide receivers are led by Malik Washington, the diminutive, hard-working 2024 sixth-round pick who had 46 receptions, 317 yards and three touchdowns last season; Jalen Tolbert, the four-year veteran free-agent signee from Dallas whose career is highlighted by his 2024 season (79 receptions, 610 yards, seven touchdowns); and Tutu Atwell, the speedy four-year veteran free-agent signee from the Los Angeles Rams who posted 39 receptions for 483 yards and three touchdowns in 2023.

The wide receivers also include rookie Caleb Douglas, the long-striding, long-armed third-round pick from Texas Tech; Chris Bell, the big, sure-handed rookie third-round pick who is rehabilitating a November knee injury; Kevin Coleman Jr., the rookie fifth-round pick from Missouri who figures to battle Atwell for the starting slot receiver job; and Theo Wease Jr., the 2025 undrafted rookie who totaled six receptions for 139 yards and one touchdown last year, among others.

For the record, I don’t consider the 2026 Dolphins wide receivers a disappointment or anything of that sort.

This is a rebuild in which most of the players are either low-priced veterans on one-year contracts or young players looking to establish themselves.

Miami’s wide receivers fit both descriptions.

I’m most intrigued by Bell, who has multiyear Pro Bowl potential.

Perhaps it’s name association along with physicality and skill set, but Chris Bell (6-foot-2, 220 pounds) reminds me of ex-Dolphins wide receiver Chris Chambers (5-11, 210), the rugged 2001 second-round pick who had a 10-year NFL career that included a Pro Bowl appearance in 2005, when he totaled 82 receptions for 1,118 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Bell could be the steal of the draft — not just for the Dolphins but the entire league. Potentially, he’s that good. But, he is expected to be sidelined until midseason as he recovers from a knee injury.

I’ll add this: Hafley’s defiant response let me know he’s not ready to give in, not ready to accept that he’ll have a rebuilding wide receiver crew. That’s a good trait. That’s what you want in a coach.

But in this case, it probably isn’t realistic.

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