The Miami Dolphins are 0-4 and staring at must-win territory as the Cincinnati Bengals roll into Hard Rock Stadium looking to shake off back-to-back losses.
Game details
| When | Sunday, October 11, 2026 at 1:00 PM ET |
| Where | Hard Rock Stadium |
| TV | Fox |
| Line | Cincinnati Bengals -7 | O/U 44.5 (market view) |
| Cincinnati Bengals record | 2-2 |
| Miami Dolphins record | 0-4 |
Overview
Miami sits at 0-4, losers of four straight, and has been outscored 101-46 on the season. Cincinnati arrives at 2-2 but has dropped its last two games, falling 17-22 to the Jacksonville Jaguars at home and 27-30 to the Pittsburgh Steelers on the road before that. Both teams need a course correction, but only one of them has actually won a game this year.
The stakes are different for each side. For Cincinnati, this is about stopping the bleeding after consecutive losses and getting Joe Burrow and the offense back on track. For Miami, it's about avoiding a fifth straight defeat and finding any sign of life with Malik Willis under center. Kickoff is set for Sunday, October 11, with clear skies and temperatures near 90 degrees at Hard Rock Stadium, conditions that could sap energy from both lines as the game wears on.
The edge here goes to Cincinnati, and it's not close. The Bengals have scored 97 points to Miami's 46 and allowed 85 to Miami's 101. Burrow gives them a floor Willis simply can't match right now, and even a banged-up Bengals receiving corps should find enough room against a Dolphins defense that's been torched for 101 points across four games.
Key players
Joe Burrow, QB, Bengals: He's the swing factor in this game, carrying a 19.5-point projection and the arm talent to pick apart a Miami secondary that's allowed heavy scoring all year.
Ja'Marr Chase, WR, Bengals: Questionable with a concussion, but if he suits up, he's a 16.5-point projected weapon who can take over a game by himself.
Tee Higgins, WR, Bengals: Also questionable, dealing with a groin issue, and his 16.0-point projection means his game-day status matters a lot to Cincinnati's passing attack.
Malik Willis, QB, Dolphins: Projected for 11.0 points, he's the engine Miami needs to find a spark behind if the Dolphins want to avoid a fifth straight loss.
Ollie Gordon II, RB, Dolphins: Projected at 8.0 points, he's the lead back Miami will lean on to try to keep drives alive and control the clock against Cincinnati.
Keys to the game
Miami has to find a way to slow down Burrow and the Bengals' passing attack, because the Dolphins defense has already given up 101 points through four games.
The Dolphins need Willis to protect the football and avoid the kind of mistakes that have buried this offense, which has managed just 46 points all season.
Miami has to establish Ollie Gordon II early and often on the ground to shorten the game and keep Cincinnati's offense off the field.
Fantasy angles
Malik Willis is a fringe streaming option at 11.0 projected points, but there's little evidence he can carry a lineup against a Cincinnati defense that's held opponents in check at times this year.
Ollie Gordon II is the clearest start for Miami backers, projected at 8.0 points as the lead ball-carrier with De'Von Achane out on injured reserve.
De'Von Achane sits on injured reserve and is an obvious bench, despite a 7.0-point projection that means nothing if he's not active.
Malik Washington projects for 8.0 points and is a low-end flex option at best given Miami's offensive struggles through four weeks.
Riley Patterson projects for 6.4 points, and in a game where Miami's offense may stall in the red zone, his value could hinge on field-goal attempts rather than trips to the end zone.
Prediction
The market sets this one at Cincinnati Bengals 26, Miami Dolphins 19, and that lines up with what each team has shown so far. Cincinnati's offense, even coming off two losses, has scored at a higher clip than Miami's all season, while the Dolphins defense has been one of the most porous units in the league. Expect Burrow to move the ball consistently enough to keep Miami chasing, with the Dolphins offense generating just enough to make it respectable but not nearly enough to end the losing streak.
Injury report
| Player | Team | Pos | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ja'Marr Chase | Cincinnati Bengals | WR | Questionable |
| Tee Higgins | Cincinnati Bengals | WR | Questionable |
| Colbie Young | Cincinnati Bengals | WR | Questionable |
| Swayze Bozeman | Cincinnati Bengals | LB | Questionable |
| Bryan Cook | Cincinnati Bengals | S | Questionable |
| Kyle Dugger | Cincinnati Bengals | S | Out |
| Caleb Douglas | Miami Dolphins | WR | Out |
| Jaylen Wright | Miami Dolphins | RB | Questionable |
| Robert Beal Jr. | Miami Dolphins | DE | Out |
| Storm Duck | Miami Dolphins | CB | Questionable |
| Kenneth Grant | Miami Dolphins | DT | Questionable |
| Jackson Woodard | Miami Dolphins | LB | Questionable |
| Justin Joly | Miami Dolphins | TE | Out |
| Reese Taylor | Miami Dolphins | CB | Out |
Depth chart
| Pos | Miami Dolphins |
|---|---|
| QB | Malik Willis |
| RB | Ollie Gordon II, Jaylen Wright |
| WR | Malik Washington, Caleb Douglas, Chris Bell |
| TE | Greg Dulcich |
Recent results
| Team | Last games |
|---|---|
| Miami Dolphins | Wk4 L 10-15 vs Minnesota Vikings, Wk3 L 10-24 vs Kansas City Chiefs, Wk2 L 13-35 vs San Francisco 49ers |
In this story
- Cincinnati Bengals at Miami Dolphins
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Miami Dolphins
- Bryan Cook
- Caleb Douglas
- Chris Bell
- Colbie Young
- De'Von Achane
- Greg Dulcich
- Ja'Marr Chase
- Jackson Woodard
- Jaylen Wright
- Joe Burrow
- Justin Joly
- Kenneth Grant
- Kyle Dugger
- Malik Washington
- Malik Willis
- Ollie Gordon II
- Reese Taylor
- Riley Patterson
- Robert Beal Jr.
- Storm Duck
- Swayze Bozeman
- Tee Higgins
Written by Rhett Zone, an AI analyst, from News Hub Fantasy data (schedule, scores, box scores, injuries and depth charts), and checked against that data before it published automatically. Read how we use AI in our editorial standards.