The 2026 NFL schedule has been released, including the Miami Dolphins’ 17 games spread over the 18 weeks of the regular season. Miami’s schedule this year does not include any nationally televised/stand alone games, a signal that the NFL does not seem them having a strong year or being a major television audience draw for this season.
Our partners at FanDuel Sportsbook agree. They have the Dolphins listed with 4.5 total wins this year. The line currently lists the Dolphins as +110 to surpass the total and
-130 to come in under. Will Miami be able to exceed that low number?
Miami Dolphins 2026 Schedule
The Dolphins’ regular season schedule is:
Week 1 – Miami Dolphins at Las Vegas Raiders
Week 2 – Miami Dolphins at San Francisco 49ers
Week 3 – Kansas City Chiefs at Miami Dolphins
Week 4 – Miami Dolphins at Minnesota Vikings
Week 5 – Cincinnati Bengals at Miami Dolphins
Week 6 – BYE
Week 7 – Miami Dolphins at New York Jets
Week 8 – New England Patriots at Miami Dolphins
Week 9 – Detroit Lions at Miami Dolphins
Week 10 – Miami Dolphins at Indianapolis Colts
Week 11 – Miami Dolphins at Buffalo Bills
Week 12 – New York Jets at Miami Dolphisn
Week 13 – Miami Dolphins at Denver Broncos
Week 14 – Chicago Bears at Miami Dolphins
Week 15 – Miami Dolphins at Green Bay Packers
Week 16 – Los Angeles Chargers at Miami Dolphins
Week 17 – Buffalo Bills at Miami Dolphins
Week 18 – Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots
Schedule Reactions
The Dolphins have one of the toughest strengths of schedule in the league this year, and now that the schedule is out, it shows exactly how hard it just might be. Given the Dolphins’ tough strength of schedule calculation includes the Chiefs as a 6-11 team from last year, they really are going to be facing some of the top teams in the league this season.
Miami, starting with two games on the road, is a little rough, but the league did hook the team up by giving it both of its Pacific time zone games over those two weeks. The Dolphins will likely stay out west after the Raiders game to get ready for the 49ers contest without adding in additional flights from South Florida and back. That is good for a team that will travel the most air miles in the league this season without an international game on the schedule.
Bruno Mars is scheduled to have concerts on the Friday and Saturday nights before Week 2, making it unlikely the Dolphins could have had a home game that weekend.
In Week 3, the Dolphins host the Chiefs in Miami’s home opener. An early-season game against the Chiefs will give the Dolphins the chance to use the heat and humidity home-field advantage against a team that should be looking to bounce back after a disappointing 2025 campaign. If anything, it at least guarantees the game will not be as cold as when Miami visited Kansas City in the 2023-2024 playoffs.
Miami is back on the road in Week 4, facing the Vikings. That is a rough start to the season, with three of the first four games on the road.
We will add in the Week 5 game to our “first quarter” of the season, since the 17-game schedule does not break down cleanly. Miami hosts the Bengals in Week 5. Cincinnati is another 6-11 team that, like the Chiefs, should perform better in 2026.
Miami head into the bye week in Week 6. It is an early bye this season, which is not ideal, but it might be a great time for the team to reset after a tough start. The Dolphins are going to be young this season, so a chance to step back and assess performances after five games may actually prove to be a good spot for the bye.
The second quarter of the season begins with Miami facing two AFC East opponents, their first division rivalry games of the year. They will visit the Jets in Week 7, then host the Patriots in Week 8. Will the Patriots be the defending AFC Champions or will they regress to a mid-pack team in 2026? Will the Jets take a step forward after finishing 2025 with a 3-14 record and in last place in the division?
Miami stays home in Week 9, welcoming the Lions into South Florida. Detroit underperformed in 2025, ending the season 9-8 and will be looking to return to their 2024 form, when they were the best team in the NFC with a 15-2 record.
The second quarter ends with Miami at the Colts in Week 10. The Dolphins opened the 2025 season in Indianapolis and everything fell apart almost as soon as the opening kickoff was fielded. Will they be able to put on a better performance this year?
The second half of Miami’s schedule starts with a late November visit to Buffalo – a game that may be cold and snowy. If the Dolphins are going to prove they are a tough team, compared to the more finesse version of the club over the past few seasons, this may be the game to do it.
The Dolphins finish the home-and-home series with the Jets in Week 12, hosting New York, then visit the Denver Broncos in Week 13. The quarter ends with the Chicago Bears coming to South Florida in Week 14 and takes the calendar into mid-December. The Broncos tied with the Patriots for the best record in the AFC last year, finishing 14-3 while Chicago won the NFC North division title at 11-6. This could be a rough quarter for Miami.
The Dolphins’ end to the season start with the team heading to Green Bay. Another cold-weather game is on tap for the Dolphins, who have struggled in cold games over the years. The game will also feature the return of many of the Dolphins front office, coaching staff, and players, including general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan, head coach Jeff Hafley, and presumed starting quarterback Malik Willis, to the Packers’ Lambeau Field, where they were employed last year.
Miami has two home games in back-to-back weeks, starting in Week 16 with the Chargers coming to South Florida and continuing with the Bills finishing the division rivalry in Week 17. The Chargers game welcomes former Miami head coach Mike McDaniel, who was fired after the 2025 season and is now Los Angeles’ offensive coordinator, back to Hard Rock Stadium.
The season ends with the Dolphins visiting the Patriots, which is the same way Miami’s 2025 season ended.
Miami faces seven playoff teams from last year in nine games this season (Bills and Patriots twice). Add in the Chiefs, Bengals, and Lions, who should rebound this year, and this schedule will be a monster for the Dolphins.
Schedule Predictions
First quarter: 1-4 (Win over Raiders, losses to 49ers, Chiefs, Vikings, and Bengals)
Second quarter: 1-3 (Win over Patriots, losses to Jets, Lions, and Colts)
Third quarter: 1-3 (Win over Jets, losses to Bills, Broncos, Bears)
Fourth quarter: 1-3 (Win over Chargers, losses to Packers, Bills, Patriots)
Final record prediction: 4-13
What do you think? Will they be better than my predicted record? Can Miami surpass the oddsmakers’ 4.5 wins? Head to the comments to let us know your thoughts on wins for the Dolphins this year.
