How High Could Dolphins Go in 2026 NFL Draft?

If there was any consolation to the Miami Dolphins' disappointing performance in Week 16, it's that the 24-point loss against the Cincinnati Bengals moved them into the top 10 of the 2026 NFL draft order.

And if things play out right over the final two weeks of the regular season, there's a realistic chance Miami could wind up with a first-round pick as high as the eighth overall.

Let's first set the stage as things stand right now.

The 45-21 loss against the Cincinnati Bengals left the Dolphins with a 6-9 record, tied for 10th-worst in the NFL with those of Kansas City Chiefs and Atlanta Falcons after the Chiefs lost against the lowly Tennessee Titans in their first game without Patrick Mahomes and the Falcons defeated the Arizona Cardinals in a late-afternoon game.

But the Dolphins get the highest of the three teams right now based on having an easier schedule (.492 opponent winning percentage versus .502 for Atlanta and .514 for Kansas City).

HOW THE DOLPHINS CAN MOVE UP

There are three teams the Dolphins conceivably could pass in the draft order should they lose their final two games of season, at home against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium.

The Dolphins already have been established as 5-point underdogs against Tampa Bay, which is one game behind the Carolina Panthers in the race for the NFC South title and will need to win the game to stay alive in playoff contention if Carolina defeats the Seattle Seahawks at home Sunday.

The finale at Gillette Stadium could be for the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs assuming — and it's a pretty safe assumption — the Patriots handle the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on Sunday.

So it's really not difficult to envision the Dolphins losing both games to finish the season at 6-11.

If that happens, then we're looking at the possibility of the Dolphins jumping over the Cincinnati Bengals, New Orleans Saints and Washington Commanders.

That means Dolphins fans should become fans of those teams down the stretch.

The Bengals currently are ninth in the draft order and would appear the easiest team to jump because they clearly are playing to win and their final two games at home against the Arizona Cardinals and Cleveland Browns, two teams with an identical 3-12 record.

The Bengals also have a considering tougher strength of schedule, so the Dolphins would jump them if they just finish with the same record.

New Orleans, meanwhile, also is 5-10 and has games left against the Tennessee Titans and Atlanta Falcons. While both games are on the road, the Saints certainly could win either or both as they're coming on with rookie QB Tyler Shough with three consecutive victories.

The Dolphins currently have a slight tiebreaker edge with the strength of schedule (.492 to .496), but it's not significant and could change if the teams both finish 6-11.

Lastly, there's Washington, which is 4-11, and closes its season with a home game against the Dallas Cowboys and on the road against the Philadelphia Eagles.

It's difficult to envision Washington winning both games, though the Eagles might not have anything at stake in the finale if they're already locked into, say, the third seed in the NFC playoffs.

The Dolphins have a tiebreaker advantage (.492 vs. .500) in the strength of schedule, but we'll still call the Dolphins being able to jump over them highly unlikely.

If the Dolphins end up winning one or both of their final two games, then they'll be out of the top 10.

But it says here it might be more likely they stay in the top 10 and maybe get as high as eighth — go Saints and Bengals! — which would gave them the chance at their first top 10 pick since 2021 when they took Jaylen Waddle sixth overall thanks to a pick from the Houston Texans and after trades with the San Francisco 49ers and Philadelphia Eagles.