RADIO
Chris Bell Has a Clear Path to Major Role in Miami
Miami Dolphins rookie wide receiver Chris Bell is a high-upside option to target late in drafts and on the waiver wire this season. In his senior season at Louisville, Bell had 72 receptions for 917 yards and six touchdowns in 11 games. Bell was drafted in the third round and would've gone much higher if not for a torn ACL in the 2025 season. The rookie receiver has recovered at a tremendous pace and played in the team's final preseason game, a positive sign for his Week 1 outlook. He was listed as a starter on the team's Week 1 depth chart alongside Malik Washington and fellow third-round rookie Caleb Douglas. While he shouldn't be a starting player in fantasy this week, he offers immense upside, as the climb to the top of the depth chart is not too crowded.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Chris Bell Listed as Starting Receiver for Dolphins
On the Miami Dolphins' updated unofficial depth chart after final 53-man roster cuts, rookie wide receiver Chris Bell is listed as a starter alongside Malik Washington and Jalen Tolbert, according to David Furones of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Fantasy managers should always take depth-chart information with a grain of salt, but Bell will enter the Week 1 regular-season opener against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday with a key role in Miami's new-look offense led by quarterback Malik Willis. Bell had an eventful training camp this summer after initially opening on the Physically Unable to Perform list due to the ACL tear that he suffered in his final college season at Louisville in 2025. He looked good in his lone preseason performance and will have an opportunity to produce right away in his first year in the NFL in the shallowest WR corps in the NFL. Bell is still a better bench stash in dynasty/keeper leagues for his long-term upside, but if he has a bigger role than expected on offense early in the season, he could quickly become a priority waiver-wire target in deeper single-year leagues. He is currently rostered in only 5% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel - David Furones
Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel - David Furones
Caleb Douglas Brings a High Ceiling from the Waiver Wire
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Caleb Douglas had a strong showing in training camp and the preseason, and the rookie has the potential to be the team's top receiver this season. After trading Jaylen Waddle to the Broncos, the Dolphins will count on Douglas, Malik Washington, and Jalen Tolbert as their expected starters. Douglas was a third-round pick out of Texas Tech and brings big-play potential, as he showed with highlight-reel catches throughout the preseason. He may be held back by the run-heavy Dolphins' offense with QB Malik Willis under center, but since he could develop into the team's No. 1 receiver by midseason, he definitely has the upside to be a fantasy factor. If you can stash him off the waiver wire in deep leagues, he's one of the few options with such a large potential role so easily available. He's only the WR84 in RotoBaller's Week 1 rankings, so he isn't a flex option yet, but his later-season potential gives him intriguing upside.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Chris Bell a "Run-After-Catch Monster" Who Should See His Role Grow
Miami Dolphins rookie wide receiver Chris Bell saw five targets in roughly 10 minutes of game time in his lone preseason appearance, and team beat reporter Kyle Crabbs believes the team's concerted effort to get him involved could be a precursor of things to come in the regular season. Appearing on NFL Spotlight with Ari Meirov on Monday, Crabbs noted that he saw Bell as a top 50 talent in the 2026 NFL draft, describing him as a "run-after-catch monster". Bell is still playing catch-up after spending most of the spring and summer rehabbing from the torn ACL that ended his collegiate career, but Crabbs believes his versatility could lead to designed targets early in the year with the potential for significant growth. With an injury-depressed ADP causing him to go undrafted in a number of leagues throughout the summer, Bell has a path to becoming the Dolphins' top wide receiver and should be viewed as a top waiver priority wherever he's still available.
Source: Kyle Crabbs
Source: Kyle Crabbs
Is Jalen Tolbert Losing Fantasy Relevance in Miami?
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jalen Tolbert may struggle to find fantasy relevance in 2026. While he is currently listed as one of three starting wide receivers on Miami's depth chart, it has been rookie Caleb Douglas who has created all of the buzz throughout training camp. Meanwhile, wide receivers Malik Washington and Chris Bell, as well as tight end Greg Dulcich, will also be involved in the passing game, with quarterback Malik Willis now running the offense in Miami. Perhaps most importantly, head coach Jeff Hafley has made it clear that he plans to have a run-heavy offense with a large dose of running back De'Von Achane. Tolbert will see his fair share of targets, but his path to making a fantasy impact in 2026 appears to be narrow. Tolbert is currently rostered in 0% of Yahoo leagues and ranks as RotoBaller's No. 113 wideout in half-PPR leagues, making him more of a stash in dynasty leagues.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Chris Bell a Dark-Horse Candidate to Lead Dolphins in Receiving Yards
Miami Dolphins beat writer Joe Schad of the Palm Beach Post lists rookie wide receiver Chris Bell leading the team in receiving yards as one of his "bold predictions" for the 2026 season. A third-round pick out of Louisville, Bell had his final collegiate season cut short after he suffered a torn ACL in late November. While the injury was originally expected to sideline Bell early in his rookie season, the 22-year-old was able to suit up for Miami's final preseason game and now appears to be on track to be ready for Week 1. Bell was a highly productive player at Louisville, recording 72 catches for 917 yards and six touchdowns across 11 games before getting injured. The Dolphins wide receiver room should also offer plenty of opportunities for Bell, as the team enters 2026 without an established number one pass-catcher. As a late-round target in drafts, Bell profiles as a worthy dart throw for fantasy managers.
Source: Palm Beach Post - Joe Schad
Source: Palm Beach Post - Joe Schad
Malik Washington Has a Clearer Path to a Starting Role
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Malik Washington has come out of the summer with a much cleaner path to regular playing time. Tyreek Hill was released and Jaylen Waddle was traded during the offseason, and Washington now sits with Caleb Douglas and Jalen Tolbert among the three first-team receivers on Miami's current depth chart. He did enough during camp to hold onto that spot, too. Washington was regularly involved with Malik Willis, including a pair of deep catches during an Aug. 3 practice and another touchdown connection late in camp. There was already some useful versatility in his game last season, when he caught 46 passes for 317 yards and three touchdowns while adding 110 yards and another score on 17 carries. Douglas had an excellent summer and could eventually command a large share of the passing game, so Washington isn't suddenly locked in as Miami's top target. The opportunity is still much better than it was a year ago. With a starting job within reach, Washington has become a more interesting late-round option in deeper redraft leagues.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Caleb Douglas Worth a Late-Round Pick After Strong Camp Showing
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Caleb Douglas has generated plenty of buzz after a strong showing throughout training camp and the preseason. Douglas, a third-round rookie out of Texas Tech, sat out the Dolphins' final preseason game, which is a good sign that he'll earn the start in Week 1 against Las Vegas. Miami arguably has the worst wide receiver room in the league, so there's a real opportunity here for Douglas to cement himself as Malik Willis' favorite target. There's a relatively simple path to him leading the team in catches and receiving yards, especially given his main competition right now is Malik Washington and fellow third-rounder Chris Bell. The biggest obstacle for Douglas might be the state of the Dolphins' offense. We expect Miami to run a lot, we're worried about Willis' accuracy as a passer over a full season, and touchdowns may be few and far between. Simply being the Dolphins' potential No. 1 receiver gets him onto the fantasy radar, though, and he's a worthwhile late-round pick for managers in deeper leagues. After all, he has WR3/flex upside once he gets a few games under his belt.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Chris Bell Still Needs to Get into Football Shape
Miami Dolphins rookie third-round wide receiver Chris Bell played 14 offensive snaps in the team's preseason finale last Friday and caught two of his five targets for 22 yards as he closes out his rehab from a torn ACL. However, head coach Jeff Hafley said Bell is still working his way back, saying, "I think he would tell you he needs to continue to get in football shape," according to Joe Schad of The Palm Beach Post. "If he continues to improve, get in shape, then my expectation is we see him on the field," Hafley added. It sounds as though the 22-year-old has a chance to be active as a part of the offense in Week 1 of the regular season in an offense that has one of the thinnest WR depth charts in the league. Bell is competing primarily with fellow rookie Caleb Douglas for the WR3 role behind Malik Washington and Jalen Tolbert, so he has a prime chance for rookie-year targets from new Dolphins QB Malik Willis. Bell can likely be avoided in 12-team fantasy leagues, but with opportunity and likely positive game script most weeks, he could quickly emerge as a trendy waiver-wire pickup if he continues to ascend and build trust with Willis.
Source: The Palm Beach Post - Joe Schad
Source: The Palm Beach Post - Joe Schad
Chris Bell Leads Dolphins in Targets on Friday, Set for Key Role in Miami?
Miami Dolphins rookie wide receiver Chris Bell saw his first preseason action on Friday, recording two catches for 22 yards on five targets in his team's 17-12 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. A third-round pick out of Louisville, Bell missed all of the spring and the beginning of training camp while working his way back from a torn ACL that he suffered last November. However, the Dolphins activated him in mid-August, and it now appears he should be ready for the start of the regular season. Bell was a highly productive player in college, hauling in 72 receptions for 917 yards and six touchdowns across 11 games before getting hurt last season. Miami also traded away veteran wideout Tutu Atwell to the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday, which could clear the way for Bell to play a starting role early in his rookie year. As a late-round sleeper, Bell could be a worthy target for fantasy managers.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
Tutu Atwell Heads Back to Rams in Trade
The Los Angeles Rams are acquiring wide receiver Tutu Atwell from the Miami Dolphins on Thursday in exchange for running back Jarquez Hunter, sources told Adam Schefter of ESPN. Atwell was being listed as a second-team wideout in Miami in training camp despite their utter lack of depth at the position, so they have traded the 26-year-old back to the Rams in exchange for extra RB depth in Hunter. Atwell was a second-round pick by the Rams in 2021 out of Louisville, and he caught 105 of his 179 targets for 1,535 yards and five touchdowns in his five years with the team. In 10 games last season, Atwell caught just six passes for 192 yards and one score after going for a career-high 562 yards and 42 receptions (zero touchdowns) in 17 games in 2024. Back in L.A., Atwell re-enters a familiar offense, but he will have a tougher path to targets unless one or both of Puka Nacua and Davante Adams miss time with injuries. He will be competing with Jordan Whittington and Konata Mumpfield for scraps behind Nacua and Adams and will not be on the redraft fantasy radar with the move back to the Rams.
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter
Malik Washington Strengthening His Hold on a Starting Role
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Malik Washington has strengthened his redraft outlook by holding onto a prominent role in one of the NFL's most unsettled receiving corps. Washington opened the preseason with Miami's first-team offense against the Commanders and caught all three of his targets for 15 yards, including receptions on the Dolphins' first two offensive plays. He did not play against the Giants on Saturday, but Miami's current depth chart still lists him as a starter alongside Caleb Douglas and Jalen Tolbert. Washington also brings useful returning production after catching 46 passes for 317 yards and three touchdowns last season, while adding 110 rushing yards and another score on 17 carries. The ceiling remains uncertain. Washington averaged only 6.9 yards per reception in 2025, Douglas has been one of Miami's better camp performers, and Chris Bell is now back in team drills. Still, Washington has done enough to remain near the front of the receiver rotation entering the final week of the preseason. RotoBaller's half-PPR rankings list him as WR81, and his combination of first-team usage and short-area volume makes him a reasonable late-round target in deeper redraft leagues.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jalen Tolbert Losing Appeal as a Late-Round Redraft Pick
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jalen Tolbert looked like a reasonable late-round flier when camp opened because Miami had no established pecking order at receiver. That case has weakened. Tolbert did not play on Miami's 14-play opening drive in the preseason opener against Washington, with Malik Washington and rookie Caleb Douglas handling most of the first-team work and Jalen Reagor joining them in three-receiver sets. Tolbert later caught one of three targets for 27 yards. Douglas has been one of Miami's camp standouts and is listed with the starters, while fellow third-round rookie Chris Bell (knee) has now shed his non-contact jersey and is expected to play in the preseason finale. Tolbert is not out of the picture. He caught a 15-yard touchdown from Malik Willis in Monday's practice and remains a strong bet to make the roster. Still, the competition is getting tougher for a veteran whose production fell from 49 catches for 610 yards and seven touchdowns in 2024 to 18 catches for 203 yards and one score last season. RotoBaller's updated half-PPR top 400 has Tolbert 248th overall. He is looking more like a deep-league dart throw than a standard redraft target.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Chris Bell Could Play in Preseason Finale
Miami Dolphins rookie wide receiver Chris Bell (knee) could play in the team's preseason finale against the Atlanta Falcons. Bell is recovering from a torn ACL sustained in November of last season. The third-round pick was activated from the Non-Football-Injury list on August 17th and has ramped up so quickly that he could play Friday night. In his senior season at Louisville, Bell had 67 receptions for 871 yards and six touchdowns in 10 games before tearing his ACL. If he suits up against the Falcons, it would be a strong sign he will be ready for Week 1 against the Las Vegas Raiders. With fellow rookie Caleb Douglas and Malik Washington as the two current starters, Bell has a legitimate opportunity to lead this offense in receiving this season.
Source: Marcel Louis-Jacques - ESPN
Source: Marcel Louis-Jacques - ESPN
Chris Bell Out of No-Contact Jersey on Monday
Miami Dolphins rookie third-round wide receiver Chris Bell (knee) was out of the red, no-contact jersey at training camp practice on Monday, according to David Furones of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. It did not take long for Bell to ramp back up to a full-go after the Dolphins activated him from the Non-Football Injury list last Monday. The 22-year-old is coming off knee surgery but should be ready to go for Week 1 of his rookie season, barring a setback in the next few weeks. It wouldn't be a surprise if the Dolphins play it safe and keep Bell out of their preseason finale this Friday against the Atlanta Falcons, but the talented rookie will have an opportunity to quickly become a key piece of the offense in Miami when considering that Jalen Tolbert and Malik Washington are their two top receivers. For now, the Louisville product is primarily a stash candidate in dynasty/keeper leagues as he competes for targets behind Tolbert and Washington.
Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel - David Furones
Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel - David Furones
