Ten Players to Watch in Preseason Game vs. Washington

The 2024 draft picks and selected veterans will be in the spotlight against the Washington Commanders on Saturday night.

Miami Dolphins quarterback Mike White (14) throws the football against the Atlanta Falcons during the third quarter at Hard Rock Stadium in the preseason opener. / Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

The Miami Dolphins will continue their 2024 against the Washington Commanders at Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday night. Health-provided, the starters are expected to be in action after sitting out the preseason opener.

Whatever playing time quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, wide receiver Tyreek Hill, and other front-line players get isn't likely to be extensive, which again will put the spotlight on younger players looking to secure a roster spot or convince the coaches to give them a bigger role in the upcoming season than originally planned.

With that in mind, here is our list of ten players to watch for this preseason matchup against the Commanders:

DOLPHINS OFFENSIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH

QB MIKE WHITE

One key question with the Dolphins three weeks before the regular season starts is whether they have a legit battle for the backup quarterback position, as head coach Mike McDaniel suggested before the preseason opener. While we still maintain that incumbent Mike White will very likely get the job again, the fact remains that he hasn't looked great this summer, and he certainly didn't look good in the preseason opener. But White also was operating behind the third-team offensive line and with three wide receivers who weren't even with the team at the start of July. White figures to get better circumstances against Washington, and he must deliver a much-improved performance.

WR ERIK EZUKANMA

The 2022 fourth-round pick's road back from his neck injury hit a speed bump when he was sidelined early in camp, but he was back last week and involved in team periods in practice. That would suggest he'll play against Washington, and he needs to deliver when his number is called because he's playing catch-up when it comes to trying to make the 53-man roster.

TE HAYDEN RUCCI

The Dolphins already have a good young blocking tight end on the roster in Julian Hill, and the question is whether there's room for a second one. Rucci, the rookie free agent and the son of former New England Patriots offensive lineman Todd Rucci was impressed in that department this summer, and the question now is whether he can do enough to earn a spot on the 53.

T PATRICK PAUL

We featured Paul in this spot before the preseason opener, and he delivered a performance that matched or topped any expectations. The challenge is to do it again against a group of players who will likely be higher on the depth chart than what he saw against the Atlanta Falcons.

RB JAYLEN WRIGHT

This falls under the same category as Paul. Wright was dynamic in the game against the Atlanta Falcons, to the point that many are already projecting a decent role for him as a rookie in the regular season. Let's see what he can do against Dan Quinn's defense.

DOLPHINS DEFENSIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH

EDGE CHOP ROBINSON

After sitting out the preseason opener against Atlanta because he was dealing with a minor physical issue, it's all systems go for Robinson against the team his father grew up rooting for. Robinson said he'd have family and friends from the Washington area in the stands at Hard Rock Stadium. He'll want to put on a show, even though his focus will be (or should be) on carrying out his assignments.

EDGE QUINTON BELL

After being one of the biggest stories of training camp, Bell was fairly quiet in the joint practices with the Falcons and then had an uneventful preseason opener. If he hopes to earn a significant role in defense, Bell needs to go back to making himself noticeable the way he did in those early camp practices.

LB CHANNING TINDALL

Yes, we have to keep mentioning Tindall, if for no other reason than his draft status. The 2022 third-round pick had a solid performance against Atlanta, and he needs more like that to solidify his roster spot.

CB ISAIAH JOHNSON

We mentioned fellow rookie free agent cornerback Jason Maitre in this spot last week, and Maitre had another good outing to continue his really impressive summer. And the good thing for the Dolphins is that Isaiah Johnson has been just as remarkable. Based on what we've seen, we'd suggest that both of those players have a future in the NFL.

CB CAM SMITH

Smith, however, is the most intriguing of the Dolphins' young cornerbacks. As we chronicled this week, Smith finds himself with a great opportunity to make some headway for a bigger role with Ethan Bonner sidelined by an injuryand Smith flashed in practice both Wednesday and in the joint practice Thursday. Remember that Smith was impressive for most of his rookie training camp before falling into oblivion, and it could be that he just needed more seasoning (and a new defensive coordinator) to unlock his potential.