Rasul Douglas joined Miami’s revamped secondary as Week 1 looms, with Minkah Fitzpatrick back in the fold and a mix of new safeties contending for roles. Two practices in, Douglas relies on a long-standing Jersey connection with Fitzpatrick to accelerate the fit in Mike McDaniel’s defense, but the group remains a work in progress after Kohou’s season setback and training-camp time lost by Melifonwu and Davis.

Week 1 against Indianapolis tests the regression-to-mean of a unit still learning each other. Douglas’ acclimation and the overall health of the safety room will shape early snaps and fantasy upside for the Dolphins’ back-end playmakers, while the division’s quarterback talent—like Josh Allen—keeps the pressure high on the unit.

Miami’s 14-6 preseason win over Jacksonville yielded a mixed bag for fantasy managers: the offense looked uneven with starters, penalties stalled drives, and Tua Tagovailoa faced heat, but Malik Washington sparked a late scoring drive with a 25-yard TD catch. The Dolphins’ pass rush dominated, showing a blueprint for pressure all season. On the backfield, Ollie Gordon II flashed as a capable depth option behind De’Von Achane, whose calf injury opened door for rookies. The roster is thinner on Week 1 impact than some hoped, but several depth players surfaced with practical fantasy upside.

Wilson delivered a solid backup audition, while Ewers’ night underscored the ongoing depth-chart tug-of-war at quarterback. Washington’s surge, plus Gordon II’s two-way potential, hint at late-round fantasy value in deeper leagues if Achane isn’t cleared for Week 1. Miami escaped injury, trimming rosters with a clearer path to Week 1 decisions while keeping a sharp eye on ball-security and execution in the dress rehearsal.

Miami added Cameron Dantzler in a bid to fortify its cornerback room ahead of final cuts, joining four veteran signings aimed at stabilizing a thin group after injuries to Kader Kohou and Artie Burns. The Dolphins’ corner corps now features Dantzler alongside Mike Hilton, Jack Jones and Cornell Armstrong, with Storm Duck, Cam Smith, Kendall Sheffield and Jason Marshall Jr. among the contenders for Week 1 roles. Dantzler’s track record in Minnesota—37 games and 26 starts with 3 interceptions—gives Miami a proven option as it navigates the 90-man to 53-man transition.

In the same week, Miami also announced Matthew Judon in a surprising move, waived Tarik Black and Ryan Stonehouse to free roster space, and pressed ahead with a preseason evaluation that has Ethan Robinson, undrafted cornerback from Minnesota, and several other youngsters in the mix. The competition centers on who can form the first and second teams at cornerback as the Aug. 26 deadline looms, while the Lions and Hooker provide a parallel preseason storyline that underscores the urgency of depth at the position for fantasy managers monitoring Miami’s defensive rotations.