Willis focused on taking fewer sacks in Week 2

“Malik needs to be better, but that’s not the headline -- we all need to be better ... everything in the pass game has to be better.. It’s the receivers, it’s the tight ends, it’s the protection,” Hafley continued. Willis is by all statistical measures one of the weakest quarterbacks in the league with his arm, but at least he’s skimping some superflex QB2 value with his legs. There’s not much reason for the Dolphins to bench him either way, as they have nobody they pressingly need to evaluate. Willis should return after the Week 6 bye.

Willis had a poor passing day, finishing the first quarter completing 0-of-4 passes. He threw a pair of second quarter interceptions to Jordan Battle, the first coming off a tip and the second on a cross-body throw and poor decision. He also fumbled and recovered a snap in the two-minute drill while a potential third interception was dropped in the endzone in the second half. Willis recovered with a touchdown throw to Kevin Coleman in the fourth quarter but fumbled deep in the Dolphins’ own territory late in the game. He capped off his day with a quick goal-line rushing score at the end of the game but it was too little, too late. Between his decision-making and lack of ball security, Willis had a poor game but good fantasy production due to his rushing output. Willis is a fantasy QB2 heading into a Week 6 Dolphins bye week.

Douglas has not practiced or played since Week 2. If only there were some sort of “injured reserve list” he could be placed on. Ah well.

Dolphins coach Jeff Halfey said Douglas is “doing better” but is not ready to practice yet. It sounds like the rookie will miss another week. Malik Washington will continue to operate as the Dolphins’ No. 1 receiver, putting him in the WR3 mix for Week 5. Fellow rookie Chris Bell has seen his role grow every week, but the fantasy numbers aren’t there to match. He was held without a catch on three targets in Week 4. Bell is a solid long-term stash but barely cracks the WR5 ranks for Miami’s matchup with the Bengals.

It’s hard to know what to make of this, but Douglas has missed back-to-back games with his injury and could be at risk of missing a third straight game if he can’t get on the practice field ahead of Week 5’s game against the Bengals. Douglas did not practice at all last week, so even getting on the field in a limited capacity would be an improvement. His name will be one to keep an eye on when the Dolphins release their first injury report on Wednesday.

Willis’ biggest plays of the day are the ones that didn’t count. Willis rolled out of the pocket, escaping pressure, on the Dolphins’ third drive and hit Chris Bell downfield for what could have been a 68-yard touchdown. Unfortunately, the officials determined that the tiniest edge of Bell’s right cleat grazed the sideline pre-catch, during the scramble drill, negating the play altogether. Heartbreaking. Willis also had a 10-yard scramble called back due to holding on the Dolphins’ fifth drive. He attempted a running fadeaway pass 25 yards downfield to Bell on 3rd-and-8 on the Dolphins’ ninth drive, but the catch was contested and ultimately fell incomplete. He is a QB2 against the Bengals next week.

The Dolphins will be without Douglas, one of their two talented rookie wide receivers, against the Vikings’ top-tier defense today. He is sidelined by an ankle injury. Joly, the Dolphins’ rookie tight end, is inactive after making his debut last week. Cook wil serve as the team’s emergency third quarterback.

Douglas will miss his second straight game with an ankle injury, paving the way for fellow rookie Chris Bell to build on his Week 3 performance in which he went for 4-67-0 on eight targets. Bell and all Dolphins pass-catchers will be tough for fantasy managers to trust as anything more than WR4s on the road against a Vikings defense that could give them fits all afternoon.

Hafley’s full quote is fairly non-committal. The first-year head coach was asked whether Willis could receive more designed rushes with De’Von Achane (knee) out for the year. Hafley said the game planning in that regard will “go game by game,” and be employed “situationally when we need him to.” For those hoping that Willis will consistently be involved in the run game, those outings could come, but the occurrences could be volatile. Willis remains a QB2 at this time.

We expect to see Douglas listed with a second DNP next to his name today, putting him on the wrong side of questionable for Week 4 against the Vikings. Were he indeed to miss this week’s game, WRs Chris Bell (knee) and Malik Washington would benefit. Washington’s target volume is somewhat intriguing, but Bell looks like the far more talented player.