Malik Willis expected to start for Dolphins in Friday’s first 2026 preseason game

The Miami Dolphins are set to take the field for their first 2026 preseason game Friday, and Malik Willis is expected to make the start, according to Yahoo Sports. The opening stretch of preseason action has more than exhibition value for Miami this year. It is an early read on how the new quarterback plan fits within the Dolphins’ new football identity, and how quickly the offense can operate with a first-team rhythm.

The quarterback spotlight carries extra weight because Miami has already made sweeping changes at the top. Yahoo Sports reports the team hired new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and brought in Jeff Hafley as head coach, indicating a shift in personnel decisions across the roster. In that context, Willis being in line for the first start is less about one game outcome and more about what the Dolphins can establish offensively in the first live-team window of the season.

The Dolphins’ offseason quarterback direction, as described by Yahoo Sports, also included moving on from Tua Tagovailoa and leaning toward Willis. Yahoo Sports frames Willis as a former Packers backup now expected to play a central role in Miami’s preseason picture. That reported pivot makes Friday’s start a key evaluation point for both the coaching staff’s offensive scheme and the quarterback’s command of it.

Preseason starting assignments often become a proxy for broader questions within an NFL team. For Miami, that includes whether the passing game can generate consistent timing between the quarterback, the route concepts, and the protection calls. It also becomes a test of how quickly the receivers and offensive line can adapt to the communication style Willis brings to the huddle. Even if the Dolphins treat many reps as developmental, the way the offense moves from drive to drive is the clearest measure the staff has early.

For Willis personally, a first preseason start is also an opportunity to confirm that his ceiling in the system matches what Miami hopes to build. When a team makes a quarterback change, the preseason period is where coaching staffs look for more than highlights. They look for situational awareness, decision speed, and whether the quarterback can execute the playbook while the team is still installing the core of its offseason work.

Miami’s new leadership, including both the front office and coaching hires cited by Yahoo Sports, suggests the Dolphins are viewing this preseason as part of a longer restructuring rather than an isolated evaluation. The quarterback battle and roles for the other report-callers will still develop over the coming weeks, but Friday’s reps for Willis will set an early tone for the competition and for the offensive expectations the staff has going into the regular season.

What to watch next is straightforward. Pay attention to how much of the first-team playbook the Dolphins choose to show in the early series, how the protection holds up against live pressure, and whether Miami can sustain drives rather than only producing one or two strong bursts. The Dolphins may still rotate quarterbacks after the initial look, but the starting sequence will likely shape how the staff adjusts the rest of the preseason plan.