5 Dolphins players to watch vs. the Patriots in Week 18
The Miami Dolphins are no longer playing for a playoff spot, but that doesn’t mean they’re playing for nothing. As last week showed, Miami has an opportunity to see what it has in its young players.
Sure, a win would be nice, but it might be more important for the Dolphins to figure out which pieces they can build with and which players need to be replaced. Last week was a good start, but facing the New England Patriots, who have been one of the best teams this season, will give Miami’s promising players a good test.
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Here are five players who will be crucial for the Dolphins in their Week 18 matchup against the New England Patriots:
QB Quinn Ewers
Two starts into Quinn Ewers’ NFL career, he’s shown just enough to think he has some potential to become a starter. In two games, Ewers has 34 completions on 53 attempts for 432 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.
After throwing both interceptions in his first start, his follow-up performance of two touchdowns in a win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was much more impressive. As a non-playoff team, beating playoff hopeful Bucs was a big win for Ewers and the team.
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The Patriots will be aiming for victory to try to secure the top seed and a bye in the first round of the playoffs. If Ewers plays well, this will be the best stage of his professional career.
RB Jaylen Wright
The Dolphins have their franchise running. If De’Von Achane continues to play at his current level and stays with the team for years to come, he has the potential to become one of Miami’s best players.
But that doesn’t mean they don’t need to find value behind him on the depth chart. Rookie Ollie Gordon II has had some good flashes this season, but Jaylen Wright is the real wild card in the backfield.
During the first two seasons of Wright’s career, he struggled to get on the field consistently. As the season progressed, he saw more snaps. This could be a good opportunity to see if he should stay in the fold.
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TE Greg Dulcich
The tight end position looked to be the best game Miami had last week against Tampa Bay. But it wasn’t Darren Waller who reaped the benefits.
Since ending up with the Denver Broncos, Dulcich has been looking for a way to get back on the field, and he found himself an important part of the Dolphins’ offense this past Sunday.
Dulcich looked great last week. Coach Mike McDaniel might just see how real that production was against a better team.
DT Kenneth Grant
Despite being an intriguing pick in the 2025 draft, former Michigan lineman Kenneth Grant did not find consistent success on the field during his rookie season. It’s unlikely the Dolphins will attempt to replace him anytime soon, but this week’s game could be a good way to see how he will best be used moving forward.
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So far this season he has 15 solo tackles and 2 sacks. Miami’s defensive line has some solid contributors, but finding a way to give Grant a spot on the line more regularly would get the most out of their investment in him.
He’s developed some over the course of the season, but hopefully the Dolphins get a glimpse of the first-round talent he is in the season finale.
CB Jason Marshall Jr.
Like Grant, Jason Marshall Jr. was a rookie who found himself on the field early. And with injuries to the Dolphins secondary this season, Marshall often carries a lot of responsibility.
Marshall had a solid rookie season, but it’s hard to say what his role will be on the team moving forward. There’s a chance Miami will be healthier next year and he won’t play as much as he did this year.
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Marshall has probably done enough to stay on the roster, but if Miami has a chance to replace him, the team should continue to add talent in the secondary.
This article was originally published on Dolphins Wire: Dolphins vs. Patriots: 5 Miami players to watch in Week 18
