Dolphins’ Willis worst QB by most statistical measures. Nuggets on each position

Heading into the Bills-Rams game on Monday night, 19 NFL quarterbacks had started all five of their team’s games. By virtually any statistical measure, the Dolphins’ Malik Willis has been the worst of the 19.

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Among that group, Willis is last in passer rating (68.4) and completion percentage (56.2) and touchdown passes thrown (two) and passing yards per game (169.8) and first downs passing (35).

He has struggled all season in the face of a pass rush; his 35.9 passer rating when “under pressure” is 18th among the 19, ahead of only Tennessee’s Cam Ward.

In Sunday’s 31-24 loss to Cincinnati, Willis was 4 for 11 for 23 yards, with a touchdown and two interceptions, when under pressure.

He was 0 for 5 on passes thrown at least 20 air yards, making him 4 for 20 on those throws this season (with one TD and two interceptions). That 20 percent accuracy on such throws is fourth worst among NFL starters, ahead of only Daniel Jones, Jacoby Brissett and Ward. Willis famously was perfect on those 20-plus yard throws for Green Bay last season (7 for 7).

In fairness to Willis, he is not receiving nearly enough help from a young and most untested group of wide receivers. And the Dolphins’ veteran tackles haven’t played up to expectations this season.

There was one positive Sunday: Willis’ 74 yards rushing were the most in a game in Dolphins history.

Some notes by position off Sunday’s loss:

Running back

Ollie Gordon II has seized the top running back job; he played 43 snaps and delivered 88 yards on 18 carries (4.9 per rush). Gordon is averaging 5.0 yards on 47 carries, compared with 2.8 on 70 rushing attempts as a rookie last season.

Conversely, Jaylen Wright played only nine snaps (rushing six times for 11 yards). He’s averaging just 2.0 yards per carry this season (14 for 28).

Carlos Washington Jr., who was elevated from the practice squad, also played nine snaps but didn’t touch the ball. Fullback DJ Herman played 19 snaps and was helpful as a blocker for a running game that churned out 217 yards on 34 attempts (6.4 per carry).

Wide receiver

Malik Washington played 53 of the Dolphins’ 66 offensive snaps, while Chris Bell played 47, Kevin Coleman Jr. 42, Ryan Miller 16 and Jalen Tolbert 15.

Washington was targeted eight times and caught six, for 43 yards; he has led the Dolphins in receptions in four consecutive games and ranks in the top 12 in the league in all purpose yards.

Coleman caught three of his seven targets for 30 yards and a touchdown. Bell didn’t catch either of the two off-target throws to him.

Since catching four of eight targets for 67 yards against Kansas City, Bell has gone two games without a reception on five targets.

Tight end

Greg Dulcich played 49 offensive snaps and rookie Will Kacmarek 25 — a reversal of the previous week, when Kacmarek played slightly more. Among 20 players who logged snaps on offense Sunday, Pro Football Focus rated Dulcich the best and Kacmarek 12th.

Dulcich caught four of five targets for 37 yards, converted a difficult two-point conversion, and received high marks as a run blocker. Rookie Seydou Traore played the first offensive snap of his career.

Offensive line

With Jonah Savaiinaea limited to 18 snaps because of an ankle injury (he was in walking boot after the game), Jarrett Kingston played 48 snaps and PFF rated him Miami’s best offensive lineman and second-best player overall Sunday, behind only Dulcich. He permitted two pressures on 27 pass blocking chances.

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Kingston was a sixth-round pick of the 49ers in 2024 out of Southern California, but the 49ers released him before his rookie season. He joined the Carolina Panthers on waivers and played one offensive snap in 2024 and 37 offensive snaps for Houston last season.

Among the 20 players who logged snaps on offense for Miami on Sunday, PFF rated Aaron Brewer third, Kadyn Proctor fourth, Patrick Paul 15th and Austin Jackson 17th. Jackson allowed five quarterback pressures; Paul permitted four and a sack. PFF rated Brewer as Miami’s best run blocker on Sunday.

Defensive tackles

Kenneth Grant, activated off injured reserve on Saturday, played his first 16 snaps of the season, and PFF rated him sixth best of the 20 players who logged snaps on defense on Sunday.

Zach Sieler played 51 of Miami’s 65 defensive snaps, while Zeek Biggers played 42 and Jordan Phillips 38. PFF rated Phillips, Biggers and Sieler 13, 14 and 15, in that order, among Miami’s 20 defenders.

Defensive ends/edge players

Chop Robinson played 36 snaps and led Miami with four quarterback pressures, per PFF. No other Dolphin had more than two pressures.

Josh Uche played 45 snaps, Malik Herring 20 and Rodney McGraw 14. PFF graded McGraw as Miami’s highest-rated front seven player on Sunday, but he had only two chances to rush the quarterback.

For the fourth time in five games, the Dolphins did not have a sack. The one exception: a four sack game against Minnesota.

Inside linebackers

Jacob Rodriguez’s 11 tackles gave him a league-leading 57 for the season; he played all 65 snaps Sunday. Jordyn Brooks was limited to 45 snaps because of a foot injury that temporarily sidelined him during parts of the second and third quarters. Brooks’ departure created more snaps for Willie Gay Jr. (37) and Jackson Woodard (10).

All four players had some issues in pass coverage. Rodriguez permitted three receptions on three targets for 14 yards and two touchdowns. Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow was 4 for 5 for 28 yards against Brooks, 1 for 1 for 14 yards against Woodard and 3 for 3 for 21 yards against Gay.

Cornerbacks

JuJu Brents left three different times — once with concussion symptoms and twice with stingers. He returned after being tested for a concussion and came back after the first stinger, but not the second, according to the team.

Nevertheless, he played 40 of 65 snaps and permitted just 7 yards on two receptions and five targets in his coverage area. PFF rated him Miami’s best player on defense.

Jason Marshall Jr. did all that he realistically probably could on Ja’Marr Chase’s spectacular 45-yard TD catch that he grabbed with his right hand. Marshall played 57 snaps and permitted all four passes thrown against him to be caught, for 76 yards.

Rookie Chris Johnson played 64 snaps, forced a fumble and permitted four catches on four targets, but for just 22 yards. PFF rated him Miami’s third best player on defense — behind only Brents and Jaylin Simpson, who played five snaps late and made a nice third-down play in coverage.

Safeties

Dante Trader Jr. played all 65 snaps and Michael Taaffe played 62; Taaffe left briefly with a chest injury. They allowed a combined 7 yards in pass coverage, and PFF rated Taaffee Miami’s fourth best player on defense on Sunday.

Taaffe and Johnson become the first pair of Dolphins rookies to force a fumble in the same game since Lorenzo Bromell and Kenny Mixon did it against the Saints in 1998. That has been done 10 times in Dolphins history.

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This story was originally published October 12, 2026 at 11:33 AM.