Breaking Down the Dolphins' Pro Bowl Representation

We shouldn't have expected major Miami Dolphins representation for the 2026 Pro Bowl Games given their overall performance this season, but this still landed as a disappointment.

The Dolphins wound up with only one player selected, that being running back De'Von Achane.

The Dolphins did have four players who ended up as alternates: fullback Alec Ingold and inside linebacker Jordyn Brooks as first alternates; and wide receiver Jaylen Waddle and safety Minkah Fitzpatrick as third alternates.

It's worth noting that center Aaron Brewer, who by all accounts has had a very good season and drawn the attention of national analysts on a consistent basis with his downfield blocking, did not even make alternate status.

The only former Dolphins player selected to the Pro Bowl was safety Jalen Ramsey, who of course was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers over the summer.

ACHANE'S ACHIEVEMENT

Achane is a first-time Pro Bowl selection in his third NFL season. He is the ninth running back in Dolphins history after Jay Ajayi for the 2016 season and Raheem Mostert in 2023.

The other Dolphins running backs selected to the Pro Bowl were Larry Csonka (1970-74), Mercury Morris (1971-73), Delvin Williams (1978), Andra Franklin (1982), Ricky Williams (2002) and Ronnie Brown (2008).

Achane leads the league in rushing average (5.8) and ranks third in rushing yards (1,267) through Week 16. He became the Dolphins’ 12th 1,000-yard rusher and the fourth to do so in the first 12 games of a season. He also ranks fourth among NFL top running backs in receiving yards (459) and receptions (64), while tying for fourth in receiving touchdowns (4). His 1,726 yards from scrimmage are ranked fifth in the league this year.

Achane has recorded 2,974 rushing yards on 526 attempts and 22 touchdowns in his career, along with 169 receptions for 1,248 yards and 13 receiving scores. He became the first Dolphins player ever to total 2,000-plus rushing yards and 1,000-plus receiving yards in his first three NFL seasons. His 2,974 career rushing yards are the eighth most in Dolphins history and the most by a Dolphins player in the first three years of his career.

THE ALTERNATE POSSIBILITIES

Brooks not being selected clearly is the biggest surprise and disappointment considering he leads the NFL in tackles and considering he was the leading vote-getters among AFC inside linebackers.

The two ILBs selected were Roquan Smith of the Baltimore Ravens and Azeez Al-Shaair of the Houston Texans. Smith's selection might have been more name-related than anything else, while Al-Shaair benefited from playing with what has been perhaps the most dominant defense in the NFL over the past couple of months.

Ingold also lost out to a player from the Baltimore Ravens, in this case Patrick Ricard.

The most likely chances for Brooks and Ingold ending up in the Pro Bowl Games, which are scheduled for the San Francisco area during Super Bowl week, would be Smith or Ricard bowing out for injury or personal reasons or perhaps Houston making a run all the way to the Super Bowl.

Brewer was beaten out at center by Creed Humphrey of the Kansas City Chiefs and Tyler Linderbaum of the, again, Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens wound up with six Pro Bowl selections despite the fact they have a 7-8 record, just one game better than the Dolphins.

Brewer certainly would have gotten the nod had Pro Football Focus been used as a determining factor he's ranked second among 40 NFL centers.

Brooks, meanwhile, ranks seventh among AFC inside linebackers and 14th out of 86 overall.