MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- The first name on the Miami Dolphins' first depth chart of the year has been one of the most consistent players at the team's training camp this summer -- even though he's yet to log his first NFL snap.
Rookie wide receiver Caleb Douglas was named a starter as the team prepares for its preseason opener Friday against the Washington Commanders. The depth chart is considered unofficial at this point of the season, but is a sign that the third-round pick has exceeded expectations so far.
"It's been (his) consistency over time -- he's been really consistent," Dolphins coach Jeff Hafley said Wednesday. "He's made some flash plays and then he's made some plays where he needs to catch the ball, but he's probably been one of our most consistent guys. He showed up every day. So that's where he deserves to be at this point."
The Dolphins took Douglas with the 75th overall pick in this year's draft, making him the 11th receiver taken -- just ahead of fellow training camp standouts Zachariah Branch and Ja'Kobi Lane. At the time, it was considered a reach considering his college production (2,031 yards, 16 touchdowns in four seasons), struggles with drops and inconsistencies winning contested catches.
Hafley said the latter was the "number one thing" he wanted to see from Douglas once practices began, but that the rookie has impressed him with his ability to do so.
Douglas has used his 6-foot-4 frame to create separation from defensive backs and is starting to learn how to make defenders pay for assuming how he'll use his speed (4.39-second 40-yard dash).
"Really just always knowing that I'm a bigger guy, they're going to always think I'm going vertical," Douglas said. "So me being able to sell my vertical so well and being able to snap it down, I have a lot of ways of going inside, outside, back down the stem."
Dolphins first (unofficial) depth chart is out:
— Marcel Louis-Jacques (@Marcel_LJ) August 11, 2026
- Caleb Douglas listed as a starting WR
- Tyrel Dodson OR Jacob Rodriguez listed as starting ILB
- Trey Moore starting at ILB
- Chris Johnson listed as starting NB pic.twitter.com/VtB7WWI5Et
Over the past two weeks, Douglas has separated himself as quarterback Malik Willis' most reliable target. Veterans Jalen Tolbert and Malik Washington have more experience, but the rookie's upside is undeniable.
Despite the occasional drop due to a lack of focus, Willis said Douglas has been efficient with his opportunities so far.
"I think he's a great player. I wouldn't even say (he's) even a safety valve yet. I'm still trying to figure everybody out," Willis said. "Everybody's trying to figure me out. We're trying to figure this out together ... He's been making nice grabs in the times where he's the option, where he's the read. So I'm excited for him. I think he's doing a great job getting open. I think he's attacking the mental side of it. It's been great."
Douglas' production carried over into Wednesday's joint practice with the Commanders, for which he drew praise as the brightest spot of an otherwise underwhelming Dolphins offense.
Miami's thin wide receiver room created an opportunity for Douglas to make an early impact and offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik believes he's done so thanks to tireless work on his fundamentals since his arrival -- although there are still a few habits from college that he'll need to clean up before the season begins.
"He's an immensely talented dude. He's got long arms. He's fast. He's got really good feet," Slowik said. "He's tall. We just need him to continue to grow in his technique and his fundamentals of what receiver play entails at the Miami Dolphins, and he's doing that. Like it flashes. It shows when he does it. And then there's still little things that you can get away with in college for all our young guys that in the NFL you no longer can do.
"You know, the catch tuck how important that is, how fast that is. In college, you can probably catch, wait on your tuck for a good two seconds with no issues. The way our defense is going at the ball right now, if it's not instantaneous, it might come out. If our footwork isn't clean on our transitions, we're probably getting tackled. If we have clean footwork on our transitions, now we've got a chance to run through some stuff. So it's just little things like that for all our young guys, we got to continue to grow."
Douglas' starting job is not cemented; he'll have to continue to produce in practice and in the team's three preseason games in order to keep it. But on a Dolphins offense that lacks options in the passing game, Douglas' opportunity is there for the taking.