The Miami Dolphins are preparing for their 2026 season opener against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, September 13, as Jeff Hafley gets ready for his first regular-season game as the team’s head coach.
Miami enters a new era with a revamped roster, a new coaching staff, and Malik Willis as quarterback.
Chris Bell is one of the young players expected to have an important role as the Dolphins begin the season. The rookie wide receiver has been working his way back into football after returning from a knee injury and made his preseason debut in Miami’s finale against the Atlanta Falcons.
The Raiders matchup also presents a different challenge for Hafley and his staff. Las Vegas has a new head coach in Klint Kubiak and a new starting quarterback in Kirk Cousins, leaving Miami with limited 2026 film to study. Hafley has acknowledged that the lack of tendencies early in the season can make preparation more difficult.
Dolphins Give Chris Bell Clear Green Light Before Raiders Opener
Miami has made an important decision on Bell’s workload ahead of the opener.
Miami Herald’s C. Isaiah Smalls II reported that Bell will not be on a pitch count, per Hafley.
That means the Dolphins are not planning a predetermined limitation on Bell’s snaps or workload against Las Vegas.
It does not guarantee how many plays he will ultimately take, but it allows him to handle a normal role if the coaching staff believes he is ready.
The update is significant because Bell is still working his way back after an ACL injury suffered last November at Louisville.
The third-round pick returned to game action in Miami’s preseason finale and caught two passes for 22 yards on five targets.
Before that game, Hafley had stressed the importance of Bell continuing to progress and get back into football shape.
Bell’s return has been handled carefully throughout training camp, with the Dolphins focused on avoiding setbacks.
Hafley previously confirmed that Bell and fellow rookie Caleb Douglas would start in three-receiver sets, alongside Malik Washington.
“We believe those guys deserve to start and we are going to start them,” Hafley said.
With no pitch-count restriction, Bell now has the chance to establish himself early in Miami’s offense.
The Dolphins will still determine his exact workload based on how the game develops, but there is no preset snap limit that would keep him from taking a regular share of the offensive action.
As Miami prepares for an opponent it has little recent film on, the Dolphins have also received a meaningful update on one of their young offensive weapons.
Jeff Hafley Admits Raiders Pose Unique Week 1 Preparation Challenge
Hafley faces a separate problem when preparing for Las Vegas because there are few 2026 tendencies available from the Raiders’ new coaching staff and quarterback.
Hafley explained why the opening weeks of the season can be difficult for teams trying to predict opponents.
“I, I think it’s the same situation exactly that they’re in. I mean, that’s why in weeks one, two, and three, there’s not a lot of tendencies, right?” Hafley said.
Miami is studying Seattle to understand Kubiak’s system while also examining the Raiders’ personnel and the players they brought in during the offseason.
“We’re watching Seattle, but we’re trying to watch the Raiders players and a bunch of free agents that they brought in to kinda figure out the personnel,” Hafley said.
The challenge is not simply understanding Kubiak’s offensive system. Miami must determine how the new Raiders players will be used within it.
“But trying to piece together how, you know, for example, Kubiak is gonna use X, Y, and Z within his scheme now that he has these guys, I mean, it, it’s a big challenge,” Hafley said.
That uncertainty has pushed Hafley toward a simple approach for the early part of the season.
“I think early in the season, it’s, it’s gotta be about yourself,” he said.
For Miami, Bell now has a full opportunity to contribute while Hafley prepares his young roster to handle an opponent that remains difficult to project. The Dolphins’ September 13 opener will test both their new personnel and their ability to execute their own identity.
Jeff Hafley Makes Chris Bell Decision Ahead of Season Opener