Dolphins To Start Rookie WRs Chris Bell, Caleb Douglas

Per ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques, Miami has listed rookies Chris Bell and Caleb Douglas as starting wideouts. When asked about his decision, head coach Jeff Hafley (a rookie himself) said, “we believe those guys deserve to start, and we’re gonna start them.” 

Of course, Atwell is no longer an option for Hafley, as the Dolphins traded him back to the Rams late last month. His departure, along with the subsequent release of Jalen Reagor (who is now back on Miami’s taxi squad), made it even more likely that Bell and Douglas would see ample playing time as rookies.

The duo joined the Dolphins in the third round of this year’s draft. Douglas came off the board with the No. 75 overall pick, and Bell was added with the 94th selection. While Douglas was a standout in training camp, Bell was not activated off the NFI list until the middle of August. The Louisville product suffered an ACL tear last November, and despite his activation, it appeared there was a chance he could miss the start of his first professional campaign.

Luckily, that will not be the case, as Louis-Jacques says Bell will not even be on a snap count. He had been viewed as a possible Day 1 prospect prior to his ACL injury, and the Dolphins hope they have a Day 2 steal on their hands. He will seemingly have plenty of opportunity to justify their faith in him.

Of the eight WRs who caught passes for the Dolphins last year, only Malik Washington remains on the roster. Washington split his snaps almost evenly between the slot and the boundary in 2025, but the 5-foot-8 receiver could see more time in the slot with the big-bodied Bell and Douglas on the outside.

The Dolphins are also rostering fifth-round rookie Kevin Coleman Jr. and recent waiver claim Ryan Miller.