Miami, FL
Dolphins Position Outlook: Wide Receivers
After making the playoffs for a second straight season under coach Mike McDaniel, the Miami Dolphins are still looking for their first playoff win since 2000. The quest for that victory starts with training camp.
The Dolphins had a surprisingly eventful offseason for a team that started with so little cap space. The team lost homegrown talents like Christian Wilkins and Robert Hunt but added exciting veterans like Odell Beckham Jr., Kendall Fuller, Calais Campbell and Jordyn Brooks.
This series will break down each position on the Dolphins’ roster, providing fans with an in-depth look at each player’s outlook for the coming 2024 season.
This article covers the wide receivers.
Tyreek Hill
2023 Stats: 119 receptions, 1,799 receiving yards, 13 receiving touchdowns, 15.1 yards per reception
2024 Outlook: To nobody’s surprise, Tyreek Hill is expected to be the centerpiece of Miami’s offense again this season. The veteran speedster broke his own team record for receiving yards last season and scored six more touchdowns.
It’s hard to imagine anyone besides a quarterback winning MVP, but Hill has a real case for how valuable he is to Miami’s offense. He should be a contender for Offensive Player of the Year every season.
Jaylen Waddle
2023 Stats: 72 receptions, 1,014 receiving yards, 4 receiving touchdowns, 14.1 yards per reception
2024 Outlook: The Dolphins gave Jaylen Waddle an $84.75 million extension this offseason, solidifying his place on the offense for the foreseeable future.
Waddle’s counting numbers went down last season, but he was still one of the NFL’s best “WR2s” by a comfortable margin. We should expect more of the same in 2024.
Odell Beckham Jr.
2023 Stats (with Ravens): 35 receptions, 565 receiving yards, 3 touchdowns, 16.1 yards per reception
2024 Outlook: Beckham Jr. is arguably the team’s most notable offseason addition to the offense. The veteran receiver spent last season in Baltimore and contributed well in a limited role.
In Miami, Beckham will be expected to take some of the burden off Hill and Waddle’s shoulders. Those two have carried the offense for two straight seasons with little help from other playmakers.
Beckham isn’t the same player he was with the Giants — or the Browns, even — but he’s still a good route runner with solid downfield receiving chops. If he can haul in between 40 to 45 catches for 500 to 600 yards, that should be considered a successful season.
Braxton Berrios
2023 Stats: 27 receptions, 238 receiving yards, 8.8 yards per reception
2024 Outlook: Berrios didn’t make much of an impact on offense last season, but he was the team’s primary returner.
For this season, Berrios will have more competition for his slot role. The team drafted two slot receivers, and with Beckham’s addition, Waddle and/or Hill could get more reps from the slot. Even tight end Jonnu Smith factors into the slot conversation a bit.
If Berrios is going to make the team, he’ll have to take advantage of the new kickoff rules and fend off any contenders for the punt return position.
Erik Ezukanma
2023 Stats: Zero catches, five rushing attempts for 22 yards
2024 Outlook: This season feels like Ezukanma’s last chance to carve out a long-term role within Miami’s offense. The former fourth-round pick didn’t get much playing time last season before landing on IR with a neck injury, and this year’s receiver room is arguably more competitive than last year’s.
Ezukanma’s advantage over other receivers is his size. At 6-2, he’s the team’s tallest receiver and one of just two listed taller than 6 feet. That said, Ezukanma might need to make waves on special teams to make the final roster.
River Cracraft
2023 Stats: 9 receptions, 121 receiving yards, 1 receiving touchdown, 13.4 yards per reception
2024 Outlook: Cracraft is a Mike McDaniel favorite, but he’s got a lot of competition for the backup slot role this offseason. He’s coming off a season where he missed some time with a shoulder injury.
However, he did make the most of the few opportunities he got in 2023. Cracraft will need to earn his keep on special teams and hold off some younger options on offense.
Braylon Sanders
2023 Stats: Did not play
2024 Outlook: Sanders didn’t play last season after suffering a knee injury during the team’s joint practice with the Atlanta Falcons and ended up on the practice squad.
Sanders is a long shot to make the team again this offseason, but his speed does make him a prototype outside receiver in the offense and a solid option as a gunner on special teams.
Anthony Schwartz
2023 Stats: Did not play
2024 Outlook: Schwartz didn’t play last season after landing on the Cleveland Browns injured reserve before the start of the season. He’s another player who fits the Dolphins’ speed archetype. Schwartz ran a 4.26 40-yard dash at Auburn’s Pro Day.
His best chance with the Dolphins is to use that speed on special teams. Schwartz could be a kick return option with the new rules. Regardless, Schwartz has an uphill battle to make the roster.
Malik Washington
2023 Stats (college): 110 catches, 1,426 receiving yards, 9 receiving touchdowns, 13 yards per reception
2024 Outlook: It’s dangerous to be overly optimistic about a fifth-round rookie, but as we wrote following the draft, Washington has a path to being a legitimate contributor.
Washington is a perfect fit for the Dolphins’ offense. He did all the things Miami asks its receivers to do in college at Virginia last season while showing impressive toughness and ball skills. If the Dolphins are looking for a pure slot this year, Washington might be their best option.
Tahj Washington
2023 Stats (college): 59 receptions, 1,062 receiving yards, 8 receiving yards, 18 yards per reception
2024 Outlook: Tahj Washington is the other late-round receiver the Dolphins selected in the 2024 NFL draft. Like Malik, Tahj is an undersized slot option.
His college film wasn’t as impressive as Malik’s, but Tahj is a solid route runner with good ball skills. He does have some return experience, which might be his best bet to make the 53-man roster. If he doesn’t, the practice squad feels like a safe bet.
Je’Quan Burton
2023 Stats (college): 24 receptions, 277 receiving yards, 2 receiving yards, 11.5 yards per reception
2024 Outlook: We sound like a broken record, but Burton is yet another undersized slot receiver. The UDFA from Florida Atlantic profiles more as a kick return option, which he did 48 times across five college seasons.
DOLPHINS WIDE RECEIVER SUPERLATIVES
Fastest: Tyreek Hill
Best Route Runner: Tyreek Hill
Most Versatile: Jaylen Waddle
Best Hands: Odell Beckham Jr.
Return Ability: Braxton Berrios
MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION FOR DOLPHINS WRs
Can the Dolphins Find a Viable Third Option?
This is the same question we asked about the Dolphins’ receiver room last season. Although the team added Beckham and both Washingtons, this remains a legitimate concern.
Signing Beckham makes plenty of sense, and if he’s going to be successful, somewhere like Miami is an ideal spot. However, he’s 31 and has battled injuries practically every season for quite some time now. Since 2019, Beckham has played in more than 10 games twice.
His 14 games with the Ravens last year were his most since 2019, when he played in 16 games with the Browns. Schematically, Beckham is a good option to take some attention away from Hill and Waddle.
He can line up outside, allowing Hill and Waddle to spend some time in the slot, and he’s fast enough to threaten defenses vertically. The fit makes sense, but if Hill and/or Waddle get hurt, asking Beckham to be a high-volume contributor is quite risky.
Besides Beckham, the Dolphins have a slew of undersized, primary slot receivers. Berrios, Cracraft, Tahj Washington and Malik Washington essentially serve the same purpose on offense.
Berrios and Cracraft are probably better on special teams, and both Washingtons were late-round picks for a reason. Malik Washington’s skill set projects the best to immediate success, but relying on a rookie to be a high-volume contributor isn’t ideal.
Obviously, someone stepping up as a consistent WR3 matters for injury reasons.
However, the Dolphins offense is the most specialized in the league, so missing Hill and Waddle actually goes beyond missing great players. Without those speed threats, Miami’s offense can become disjointed.
Route timing is key to everything the Dolphins do on offense, so players like Malik Washington and Beckham need to be more than just “fast.” They must be entirely on point with route depths and coverage adjustments.
Whether it’s fair to expect that of a Day 3 rookie and an aging veteran who has never played in an offense like this before is a legitimate question.
Ultimately, the Dolphins’ offense needs to find “change-ups” this season, players or concepts that keep defenses off their bread-and-butter plays. One of the biggest developments could be a legitimate third option who can execute the Dolphins’ best plays and bring something different.
Beckham and Malik Washington have the potential to do those things. Still, each has potential pitfalls to overcome before they can be counted on with confidence.
This is the eighth edition of Miami Hurricanes on SI’s breakdown of each team on the 2026-27 Miami Hurricanes football schedule.
Miami, to this point, is coming off its biggest test of the year against Pitt. Now they will turn their attention to Bill Belichick and what he has accomplished to this point in his second season as a college football head coach.
North Carolina should be better than last season after a disappointing 4-8 2025 outcome. However, the Hurricanes also understand that this is the ideal trap game before they head on the road to face Notre Dame in one of the biggest games of the season, which could hold massive playoff implications.
Miami can’t look forward. All eyes will be on what the new season and another fun home game against a rising contender.
Here’s everything you need to know about UNC and its 2026 unit.
The Offense
Petrino03 | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Thursday 17, 2014
After coming off one of the worst offensive outputs in the country last season, Belichick knew that he needed to make a move quickly. It started with hiring veteran coach Bobby Petrino as the teams offensive coordinator.
It won’t be the 126th ranked offense, but how much better could it get with Petrino making the calls? The Tar Heels will also have a new quarterback under center, but so far, no one knows who exactly it will be.
The most talented player in the quarterback room is Travis Burges. A 6-foot-4 freshman dual-threat quarterback with unlimited potential, but they also went into the transfer portal and landed some experience in former Wisconsin QB, Billy Edwards Jr., is expected to start, but the change could be made halfway through the season if things don’t work.
Two new starting receivers also entered from the transfer portal, but the consistency in the room was provided by Jordan Shipp. Last season, he led the team in receiving yards (671) and touchdowns (6), even with how bad the team was at scoring.
UNC’s rushing attack was also highlighted by returning sophomore Demon June. He rushed for nearly 500 yards in his limited snaps, averaging 5.5 yards a carry with two touchdowns.
Defense
Defense should be the calling card of the Tar Heels next season, led by their star pass rusher, Melkart Abou-Jaoude. The 6-foot-5, 260-pound rusher totaled 10.5 sacks and 47 tackles last season. Another year learning under Belichick would likely push him to be a first or second round pick in the 2027 Class, one that the Canes are paying close attention to.
Moreover, some familarity will be on the sideline and a likely starter during his freshman year in Keton Dopson, the former Miami Hurricanes commit. He reclassifed to the 2026 class, and flipped his commitment knowing that there is a better chance to get on the field quicker at UNC than the depth that he would have had to wait behind at least for this season.
UNC’s secondary is one of the more sound groups in the country compared to the rest of its roster. However, their linebacking core who rack up tackles, are transfers who have to learn the Belichick system.
Schedule
Schedule-wise, this game is the biggest trap game of the season for the Canes. If Miami finds its way past Pitt, it will be 7-0, and this game stands between the Canes and a rematch with the Fighting Irish.
This is the perfect time for Belichick to get his first signature win against a returning program like Miami, which puts a ton of pressure on the Canes to get the job done. However, the Canes can’t afford it, knowing what is coming next.
Moreover, this is the perfect chance for Darian Mensah to have a better game than last season’s outing against the Tar Heels. His one touchdown performance was one of his weaker games of the season, but it could be a step for him to get control of the Heisman conversation.
Outlook
MIami will be favored in this game, similar to how it will be for the rest of the season. UNC will give the Canes one of the better defensive matchups this season that will also test the offense.
Miami’s history against UNC in the Mario Cristobal era has shown it can have a high-flying offense but has to avoid self-inflicted wounds.
The Game
Date: October 31
Time: TBA
TV: TBA
Location: Hard Rock Stadium
Series History: UNC leads 16-11
Last Meeting: 2023
The Team
The Coach: Bill Belichick
Offensive Coordinator: Bobby Petrino
Defensive Coordinator: Steve Belichick
2025 Record: 4-8
2025 Rankings: 126th Total Offense, 70th Total Defense
Players to Watch: Melkart Abou-Jaoude, R-Sr, EDGE
Top Newcomer: C.J. Sadler, WR, Freshman
Biggest Question: How will Belichick adjust in his second year as a college football head coach?
The School
Location: Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Founded: 1789
Enrollment: 32,099
Nickname: Tar Heels
Colors: Power Blue and White
Mascot (Symbols): Rameses the Live Ram
The Program
Last Win in the Series: 2023
Last ACC Title: 1980
National Championships: NA
Playoff Appearances: NA
Last missed bowl season: 2025
Heisman Trophies: NA
The Schedule
October 31, Time TBA, Pitt Panthers @ Miami Hurricanes
This is the eighth story in Miami Hurricanes on SI’s early preview series of all 12 regular-season opponents for Miami football in 2026.
Follow all social media platforms to stay up to date with everything Miami Hurricanes- Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, and BlueSky.
Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow
The NBA offseason is typically an interesting time for the Miami Heat organization. The fans are always pushing the organization to make big acquisitions and are always looking for the next star to play in the Kaseya Center. Because of the organization and the fans desire for star players, the media finds a way to talk about Miami as a destination.
The Heat consistently being mentioned for stars but not landing them has been a point of frustration for fans over the years. This year that frustration can be put to rest for a few more years.
What did the Heat add?
It would be foolish to have an offseason discussion without first mentioning the Heat pulled of the biggest move in the NBA in the past several years. That is of course the trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The Heat made their best move since signing Lebron James and Chris Bosh to form the big three in 2010. They landed a top 5 player still at the height of his powers and they did not have to give up their best player. This allowed them to form what will be one of the scariest defensive duos the league has ever seen.
The other notable move was signing Heat legacy Tim Hardaway Jr., son of former Heat player Tim Hardaway. This was a fantastic signing as it lands them a quality shooter on a favorable contract. Shooting has been pointed out to be Miami’s biggest potential weakness after the trade and they addressed it immediately.
Another move that is seemingly turning out well is the drafting of Ryan Conwell in the second round of this year’s draft. Conwell has been a scoring machine in Summer League, scoring 21 points, 16 points, and 26 points in his three games so far.
Who did they keep?
Miami will return a good core of players from the previous season, notably Bam Adebayo. This alone was a massive win for the Heat. They landed an elite player and were able to keep their franchise pillar to pair with him. Miami did retain 2 players though that many thought might be playing elsewhere.
The Heat were able to sign Andrew Wiggins to an extension and though the first year’s salary was not decreased, the second of the contract will be an absolute steal. Then the Heat kept Simone Fontecchio on a veteran minimum contract. This will not make any headlines, but he was a 37.5% shooter from three and like previously mentioned the Heat need shooting.
What was lost?
The Heat did lose several players from their Play-in squad last season. Most notably former All-Stars in Tyler Herro and Norman Powell. Herro was traded in the Antetokounmpo trade and Powell signed with the Bulls in free agency.
These are notable losses, but the addition of Antetokounmpo plus the retention of other key players more than make up for it. Miami did lose several if the young pieces in the trade as well, sending Jaime Jaquez jr., Kel’el Ware, and Kasparas Jakucionis to Milwaukee. This of course is the price you have to pay when going, as Miami calls it, whale hunting.
How it grades
It would be embarrassing to grade the offseason anything less than an A. This is largely due to Antetokounmpo, but the other moves listed out are the cherry on top. The Heat have been able to sign a quality player to help an area of their biggest need, retain one of their key starters at a great contract price, and retain a three-point specialist that plays his role well.
When you add those things, the addition of the next Heat great in Antetokounmpo, and subtract what was needed to complete the trade, then you are left with an excellent body of work that any team in the league would be proud of. The offseason is not done either and the Heat might have one or two more tricks up their sleeve by the time it is all said and done.
Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow
Initially a program dedicated to football camps, Miami Dolphins Academy has widened its platform to include cheerleading, flag football and international initiatives. Camps and clinics are available in Spain, Brazil and Mexico as the Dolphins, and the NFL brand, continue to grow on a global scale. To date, the program has engaged more than 2,000 youth athletes and coaches abroad with many more to come.
Development remains at the core of the Miami Dolphins Academy. International efforts and domestic programming are focused on aiding the next generation of football players, cheerleaders and coaches. The Miami Dolphins Academyrecognizes and celebrates local high school coaches through seasonal Coach of the Week and Coach of the Year programming.
Clinics are centered around the game of football and educational opportunities and are operated year-round. For coaches, a focus on fundamental football skills, practice planning, leadership development and core football competencies are cultivated throughout the program.
For the players, youth football and cheer camps and clinics are led by Academy Youth Football coaches and members of the Miami Dolphins cheerleaders. Participants are invited to learn, play and build valuable leadership skills.
A month-long Girls Flag Football League is hosted at the Baptist Health Training Complex to provide student athletes a platform for competitive play, culminating in a championship event with appearances by Miami Dolphins players. Nearly 600 girls flag players participated in the league in 2026 as the Miami Dolphins Academy continues its efforts expand the game of girls flag football.
-
South Dakota7 minutes agoSouth Dakota man faces abuse charges after authorities called to NW Iowa casino
-
Tennessee9 minutes agoData centers driving up Tennessee power bills, report finds
-
Texas15 minutes agoFamily demands investigation after US man killed by ICE agent in Texas
-
Utah22 minutes agoTurn your miles into meals
-
Vermont24 minutes agoPoll: Most young Vermonters say they’re likely to leave state amid affordability concerns – VTDigger
-
Virginia29 minutes agoMEOC Organization hosts annual summer picnic for Southwest Virginia seniors
-
Washington37 minutes agoFuture uncertain for site of former Mount Washington church destroyed in massive fire
-
Wisconsin39 minutes agoSouth Milwaukee, Wisconsin, officials in standoff with homeowner over year-round skeleton display
