Updated Miami Dolphins starting lineup forecast for Week 1

What will the Miami Dolphins’ starting lineup look like when the team takes the field in Week 1 to face off against the New England Patriots? We’re still a few weeks away from finding out — but at the very least we have a week’s worth of practice reports to base our impressions on and attempt to thread the needle.

Based on all the action coming out of Davie, here is our best forecast for what the starting lineup will look like in Week 1 against the Patriots.

Offense

QB – Ryan Fitzpatrick
RB – Jordan Howard
WR – DeVante Parker
WR – Preston Williams
WR – Jakeem Grant
TE – Mike Gesicki
LT – Austin Jackson (R)
LG – Ereck Flowers
C – Ted Karras
RG – Solomon Kindley (R)
RT – Jesse Davis

Notes: QBs Tua Tagovailoa and Josh Rosen have had their moments — but neither appears overly poised to unseat Fitzpatrick, who is currently taking a leave from the team to tend to a personal matter. 2020 rookie OT Robert Hunt hasn’t been bad according to reports, but Solomon Kindley has made a big impression early on and the Dolphins may end up being apprehensive about starting two rookies side by side to open the season. Fellow rookie Austin Jackson has been reported to have his moments and the offense doesn’t appear to be “too big” for him — he’s held his own well and has much more upside than you’ll find with his challenger, Julien Davenport.

Defense

EDGE – Shaq Lawson
DL – Davon Godchaux
DL – Christian Wilkins
OLB/EDGE – Andrew Van Ginkel
LB – Kyle Van Noy
LB – Raekwon McMillan
LB – Jerome Baker
CB – Byron Jones
FS – Bobby McCain
SS – Eric Rowe
CB – Noah Igbinoghene (R)

Notes: The loss of Vince Biegel will result in a platooned effort if the Dolphins want to take on all of the same early-down looks they had anticipated with Biegel in the mix. When the Dolphins go with a true 4-man front, expect to see more Emmanuel Ogbah than Van Ginkel, who is a hybrid LB/EDGE. The absence of Xavien Howard in the lineup comes down to two variables — he’s still on the COVID/reserve list and he’s also on the PUP list. Howard’s extended absence is going to make it challenging to get him fit to take the field for Week 1 at this point, but the silver lining is rookie Noah Igbinoghene has crushed his first week of practices. Safety Brandon Jones is a likely nickel defender as the third safety when Miami needs to go into “big nickel” looks.

Special Teams

K – Jason Sanders
P – Matt Haack
LS – Blake Ferguson (R)

Notes: Consider everything here “chalk” — no surprises. The punt and kick return duties will be a more fascinating storyline to see unfold, but we don’t have a lot to work with on this front just yet — and so those roles are still “to be determined”. Contenders for the role include Jakeem Grant, Noah Igbinoghene, 2020 rookie Malcolm Perry and others. Perry might be considered the favorite when you take into account Grant and Igbinoghene are poised for big roles on their respective sides of the football.