Caleb Douglas was drafted into the best possible spot if he was hoping to play in Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season.
The Miami Dolphins‘ third-round pick is going to be a starter immediately.
That news was made official on Wednesday by new Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley, who noted that fellow third-rounder Chris Bell will also be a starter.
Douglas and Bell will likely line up mostly on the outside, while Malik Washington is the best returner and will be the starter in the slot.
It’s not guaranteed to work out for Miami, which also has a new QB, Malik Willis.
But it does bring a healthy dose of mystery to the Dolphins’ season opener, which is Sunday in the late afternoon window against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Why Is Caleb Douglas Starting?
There are a couple reasons, but Hafley put it simply in his Wednesday press conference when asked that question about both Douglas and Bell.
“We believe those guys deserve to start, and we’re gonna start them,” Hafley told reporters.
There’s also the simple matter that Miami doesn’t necessarily have any better options.
They let Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill both leave in the offseason, and so it was basically Washington with a lot of empty space to be filled in around him.
The Dolphins also drafted another rookie, Kevin Coleman Jr., in the fifth round. They also have Jalen Tolbert, the former Cowboys speedster, and former Buccaneers wideout Ryan Miller.
At this point, the Dolphins have to lean on the rookies both because they believe in them but also because there isn’t a whole lot of other choice.
What To Know About Caleb Douglas
Douglas certainly looks the part. He’s an athletic 6-foot-3 receiver originally from Texas.
He began his college career at Florida before heading to Texas Tech, and the Dolphins made him the 75th pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
He had 60 catches for 877 yards in 2024 and then 54 catches for 846 yards in 2025, combining for 13 touchdowns across his two seasons with the Red Raiders.
Douglas measured at the NFL Combine with a 6-foot-8 wingspan and ran a 4.39-second 40-yard dash. If he can put the pieces together, that combination could make him a very tough cover.
The biggest challenge for Douglas as a rookie will be consistency. There’s a lot of adjustment needed for young players entering the NFL, and so it can be easy to fade in and out from week to week.
If Douglas can show up ready to work during the week and ready to play on Sundays, the Dolphins will be very happy that they used a third-round draft pick to bring him aboard and help jumpstart a new era of football in Miami.
The Reason Caleb Douglas Is Week 1 Dolphins WR Starter