Prospects for the Miami Dolphins' 2026 season may be as dark as they've been since Cam Cameron went 1-15 in 2007. But there is light here at the entrance of the tunnel, taking the form of the Las Vegas Raiders.
Both are expected to finish near the bottom of the NFL standings, though the Raiders are already a couple years into their latest rebuild. They've picked in the top 10 the past two years, taking Heisman runner-up Ashton Jeanty sixth overall in 2025 before drafting Heisman winner, national champion and Miami native Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick in April. The rookie quarterback will sit in Week 1, however, as newly acquired Kirk Cousins was named the starter by first-year head coach Klint Kubiak.
The Dolphins' reconstruction is of
a larger scale, beginning after the Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill and Mike McDaniel era crumbled with no playoff wins and back-to-back losing seasons. Jeff Hafley will get his first crack as head coach today with Malik Willis, brought in with him from Green Bay to get his chance to be QB1. The fifth-year vet looked the part in his lone preseason appearance, leading a 91-yard touchdown drive while showing off the throwing, running and decision-making abilities that made him a premier free agent this past offseason.
Watch Dolphins vs. Raiders live on Fubo (free trial)
We'll see whether that carries through the regular season. Willis has just six starts to his name, and the only proven weapon on his new team is De'Von Achane, who ranked fifth in the NFL with 1,350 rush yards in 2025 and also led the team in receptions with 67. There are 13 rookies on the 53-man roster, including a trio of wide receivers in Chris Bell, Caleb Douglas and Kevin Coleman Jr., all of whom could see significant time.
Both first-round picks, guard Kadyn Proctor and cornerback Chris Johnson, hope to develop into cornerstones for the future, and linebacker Jacob Rodriguez has already created buzz as potentially the next Zach Thomas. The defense won't have to worry about Las Vegas' top receiving threat, as tight end Brock Bowers is out after getting meniscus surgery.
Dolphins vs Raiders odds, money line, over/under
Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Saturday, Sept. 12.
- Moneyline: Dolphins (+140) | Raiders (-165)
- Spread: Raiders by 3
- Over/under: 40½
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Dolphins vs Raiders predictions, picks for NFL Week 1
Tom Viera, USA TODAY
Raiders -3.5: "Maxx Crosby will dominate with multiple sacks in his first game since the failed trade, and Brock Bowers will be unstoppable to stop. Miami will struggle all season, and even the Raiders, led by Kirk Cousins, will beat them by multiple scores."
Jeremy Cluff, Arizona Republic
Raiders 23, Dolphins 17: "Both teams have new quarterbacks and a lot of the same old questions surrounding them. Kirk Cousins gets to throw to Brock Bowers, and that could be the difference for the Raiders."
Bill Bender, Sporting News
Raiders 20, Dolphins 19: "Kirk Cousins – not Fernando Mendoza – will get the start for the Raiders, in a matchup that features first-year coaches Klint Kubiak and Jeff Hafley. Ashton Jeanty should have success against a Miami run defense that allowed 132.4 yards per game last season, but Malik Willis keeps this one close."
John Breech, CBS Sports
Raiders 20, Dolphins 13: "Since they have $181.6 million in dead cap space, that means the Dolphins only had $120 million to spend on the rest of their team, which is how you end up with a roster that has 12 rookies. This might be the Dolphins' best chance at a win all season, but they're still going to lose by at least a touchdown."
Dolphins vs Raiders time, TV channel today
- Kickoff time: 4:25 p.m. ET
- TV channel: Fox
- Livestream: Fubo (free trial)
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Dolphins vs Raiders predictions, picks, odds: Who wins Week 1 NFL game?
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