MIAMI GARDENS ― The Miami Dolphins are 0-3 after a 24-10 home-opening loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Rookies Chris Bell, Jacob Rodriguez and Kadyn Proctor were among the players who played well.
It's not surprising that Miami is 0-3. The good news is Miami continues to play hard.
The horrendous news is a knee injury to star running back De'Von Achane
. He did not return and reportedly will miss the 2026 season with a torn ACL.As for the current state of the Dolphins, is it time to overreact?
Here is an Overreaction Monday:
De'Von Achane injury is devastating
Overreaction? No. De'Von Achane is the best Dolphins player, by far. It's possible he could have single-handedly provided a couple of extra victories this season. Jaylen Wright and/or Ollie Gordon II have the speed and power to be solid
backup NFL running backs. They do not have the dynamic, explosive ability or pass-catching ability of Achane, which will likely hurt Malik Willis. Losing Achane to a season-ending torn ACL is the worst possible scenario for coach Jeff Hafley only three weeks into the season. Wright said before the season that has has matured. It will be interesting to see what he does with a big opportunity. Hafley has said Wright is a good scheme fit. I also wonder if Dolphins practice squad RB Jarquez Hunter (Auburn), who played five games with Rams in 2025, gets a shot now as Miami's receiving back. He had 68 catches in college. He runs a 4.44 in the 40-yard dash.
Malik Willis is not the franchise answer
Overreaction? Yes. Willis is in his fifth NFL season but he entered the season with only six NFL starts and now has only nine NFL starts. Let's make a firmer conclusion about what Willis is or may be after about nine more starts. Willis already has 8 completions of 25+ yards. The arm will never be questioned. And he is athletic. Let's not finalize our conclusions yet. The debate about if it's fair to judge Willis without players like Jaylen Waddle and De'Von Achane will surely rage on throughout the season. Willis can be measured on a slight curve. But only slight. Despite the trade, and the injury, we should all know a lot more about Willis' ceiling later this season.
Chris Bell is a future WR1
Overreaction? Yes. Chris Bell does not yet have all his explosiveness and burst as he recovers from a torn ACL that ended his 2025 season. But my goodness has Bell been encouraging. He is strong and appears to be a very good pick by Miami general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan. Jaylen Waddle has been traded. De'Von Achane is out for the season. Malik Willis and the Dolphins need Bell and fellow rookie Caleb Douglas to make giant strides as the season progresses. If Miami is positioned to select Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith of Miami Gardens in the first round of the 2027 NFL Draft it would be fascinating to see how Sullivan feels about the presence of Bell and Douglas when making that decision. It's possible Bell's ceiling is a top WR2. But who knows. It will be fun to find out.
Jacob Rodriguez can win NFL DROY
Overreaction? No. Rodriguez is already proving to be everything Miami could have hoped and more. Against the Chiefs, Rodriguez had three tackles for loss and an interception. All he does is make plays. It's no wonder the Dolphins felt comfortable moving on from veteran Tyrel Dodson before the season even began. Rodriguez is extremely poised and mature and responsible. He plays with his hair on fire. He is everything the Dolphins want as they rebuild their culture. And, yes, he surely has a shot at NFL defensive rookie of the year for 206.
Chop Robinson call one of worst in recent NFL history
Overreaction? No. Chop Robinson allegedly put all of his body weight on Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes as he tried to sack him in the Kansas City end zone on Sunday. Hogwash. Chop braced himself with the ground with hands he extended outward. The NFL absolutely needs to protect quarterbacks, who continue to go down at a rapid rate. But this was a football play. And there was understandable and legitimate outrage across the country about this alleged foul, including from many former NFL players. What an absolute joke. And no, it's not just an official calling it by the book. In our opinion, the decision was made to protect one of the NFL's top stars with a call that might not have come against most other quarterbacks.
Joe Schad is a journalist covering the Miami Dolphins and the NFL at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at jschad@pbpost.com and follow him on Threads and Instagram and and X at @schadjoe. Sign up for Joe's free weekly Dolphins Pulse Newsletter. Help support our work by subscribing today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Miami Dolphins overreaction Monday: De'Von Achane (ACL) loss crippling
