The start of the NFL season and home opener for the Miami Dolphins is less than a month away. Before we all take our seats and watch the show, something significant will happen, and that’s drafting our fantasy football teams.

I know this isn’t for everyone, but there will be tons of people drafting in the next few weeks, so one question that’s on my fellow fantasy football player’s minds is, where should I draft Dolphins players?

I don’t like drafting Dolphins players on my team because it makes me root for the game differently, but if one falls to me as a steal, I’m pulling the trigger on that. I doubt that Dolphins players will fall far due to the explosive nature of the offense, but you never know.

Either way, I’m going to outline their ranking at their position, what their scoring projections are compared to how they finished in 2023, and what round you can snag them at according to ESPN’s PPR rankings along with my personal league’s scoring (because we have bonuses like a civilized society).

– Tua Tagovailoa

• 18th ranked quarterback in 2024 (finished 8th in 2023)
• Projected 419 points / 27.9 AVG (466 points / 27.4 AVG in 2023)
• 6th to 8th round pick. Dual-threat QBs are king in fantasy football.

– Raheem Mostert

• 35th-ranked running back in 2024 (finished 5th in 2023)
• Projected 215 points / 15.3 AVG (325 points / 21.7 AVG in 2023)
• 8th to 10th-round draft pick. ESPN has his 2023 season as a fluke.

– De’Von Achane

• 13th ranked running back in 2024 (finished 22nd in 2023)
• Projected 258 points / 18.4 AVG (234 points / 21.3 AVG in 2023)
• Gone by the 3rd round. Sporadic, but explosive upside.

– Tyreek Hill

• 2nd ranked receiver in 2024 (finished 2nd in 2023)
• Projected 329 points / 21.9 AVG (440 points / 27.5 AVG in 2023)
• Early 1st-round guy. Most likely top 5 overall

– Jaylen Waddle

• 21st ranked receiver in 2024 (finished 31st in 2023)
• Projected 236 points / 15.7 AVG (214 points / 15.3 AVG in 2023)
• Late 4th to early 5th-round guy. Inconsistent due to targets but will flash.

– Jonnu Smith

• 28th-ranked tight end (finished 16th in 2023)
• Projected 86 points / 5.7 AVG (130 points / 7.6 AVG in 2023)
• Undrafted. Grab him on the waiver wire as a backup. Solid ceiling.

– Dolphins Defense

• 8th ranked defense (finished 6th in 2023)
• Projected 119 points / 7.0 AVG (143 points / 8.4 AVG in 2023)
• Solid defense, but not a starter every week. Shuffle according to the matchup.

Considering all the projections and last year’s finishes, it’s safe to target the Dolphins offensive weapons, but don’t reach for anyone outside of Tyreek Hill and Tua Tagovailoa because there are a lot of mouths to feed.

Hill is going to get his. He is the nuclear option for the Dolphins, and Tua will go to that well as much as he can. Everyone else seems to be more sporadic big-game options than they are consistent scorers, including Jaylen Waddle and De’Von Achane.

Mike McDaniel gets criticized for not sticking to the ground game, so that’s a factor worth considering when drafting Dolphins players. They’re deep at the skill positions, and McDaniel will try to feed everyone.

The players I see having higher upside than projected are Raheem Mostert and Jonnu Smith. Mostert because they’re considering his 2023 season a fluke, and he’s still the starter and will get the bulk of the red zone carries, and Smith because his position is thin, and he’s the only proven pass catcher. Both could be steals in later rounds or undrafted, in Smith’s case.

The Dolphins have a high-powered offense designed for early fantasy success. Don’t forget there’s only one ball, and the offense tails off late in the year in cold games, and that’s when playoffs roll around. Draft accordingly.

P.S. My league took out kickers and added another flex spot. The best thing we’ve ever done as a league.