A look at how the Miami Dolphins have fared in the Week 3 power rankings following their loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Miami Dolphins are starting to believe in their success, despite posting a 0-3 record thus far through three weeks of the 2026 season.
Miami nearly held on for a win against the Kansas City Chiefs, but they could not contain Patrick Mahomes and company through all four quarters.
That said, here is where the Dolphins sit in the national power rankings.
The Athletic - No. 31
The Athletic does not see the Dolphins as the worst team in the league, as they moved up from No. 32 to No. 31.
The ranking does stipulate the lack of touchdowns thrown by quarterback Malik Willis, as he only has one. Also, the lack of designed runs for the scramnling passer being a bit underwhelming.
Willis is dealing with a very inexperienced wide receiver room, and one that is without Caled Douglas, but fellow rookie Chris Bell is showing promise.
ESPN - No. 32
ESPN is still not much of a believer in Miami yet, but there is some promise being shown from players. One of them is wide receiver Malik Washington.
Each week, Washington has been picking up more yardage and showing his ability to get open in space. If he can continue to grow, this could be the connection that Willis needs to ensure more scoring happens on the offense.
Yahoo Sports - No. 32
Similar to ESPN, Yahoo Sports still has the Dolphins at the bottom for obvious reasons. This young and inexperienced team is showing growth, but it may take more time to truly see some significant gains.
The loss of running back De'Von Achane is certainly not helping Miami's case in terms of believing they can show some level of success in 2026.
NFL.com - No. 30
NFL.com surprisingly has the Dolphins moving up two spots from No. 32 to No. 30, pointing to the sheer effort that the team is showing on the field.
As they say, "there are no moral victories," so the Dolphins need to find ways to finish drives, and they may be able to grind out some wins in the near future.
The Verdict
The Dolphins may still be a bottom-dwelling team, but everyone is starting to notice the fight under new head coach Jeff Hafley.
This includes players, who continually say they see the fight that is being produced to the end of the game. Keeping one of the most dangerous offenses scoreless through one quarter was impressive, but it counts for nothing if there isn't a win behind it.
While Miami has a lot more to grow on, they are showing that the plan to build a young and physical team is starting to work.
