Is Malik Willis playing today? Dolphins’ starting QB vs Commanders in Week 1 of 2026 NFL Preseason

The Miami Dolphins play against the Washington Commanders in Week 1 of the 2026 NFL Preseason. Given that Malik Willis is the QB1 of the AFC East team, but also that he is a newcomer, all eyes are on him to see if he suits up or not for this game.

During Wednesday’s presser, Miami Dolphins’ new head coach Jeff Hafley confirmed Malik Willis will play vs Commanders. This might prove to be the best decision as Willis has been a backup throughout his whole career. These reps could be very valuable for Willis.

Jayden Daniels playing status vs Dolphins is also confirmed. However, Daniels and Willis face very different situations. Daniels’ focus is to stay healthy and keep his level up. Meanwhile, Willis needs to prove he is QB1 caliber.

Malik Willis’ preseason stats

Given that he’s been a backup for the majority of his career, Willis has been an active preseason performer. Hence, he is used to get plenty of reps in preseason as part of the Tennessee Titans and Green Bay Packers.

See also

Is Geno Smith playing today? Jets’ starting QB vs Bucs in Week 1 of 2026 NFL Preseason

Dolphins’ preseason schedule

Miami will face three NFC teams during the 2026 NFL Preseason. Two of those games will be at home, so at least the Dolphins get to save traveling time. Now, it’s up to them to prove they have what it takes to be a competitive team in the NFL.