Wallace played well down the stretch last season, catching 29 passes for 396 yards and four touchdowns in his last six games. Can he connect with QB Ryan Tannehill on a higher percentage of deep passes? Photo: C.W. Griffin

Data as of June 26 | Current Cheatsheets | Current Projections

NR = Not ranked

QB Ryan Tannehill

After showing solid improvement during his second year in the league, Tannehill will have to learn a new offense in 2014 under the direction of offensive coordinator Bill Lazor. He improved his passing yards from 3,294 to 3,913 and saw his touchdowns jump from 12 to 24 but the Dolphins feel that Tannehill has plenty of room for growth. The Dolphins offensive line was an absolute mess in 2013, the running game wasn’t productive and Mike Wallace was a disappointment as the team’s top wide receiver. With a revamped offensive line, the addition of Knowshon Moreno at running back and a deeper depth chart at wide receiver, Tannehill could have a breakout season in 2014. While that is a possibility, we aren’t banking on it given that outside of Wallace, one of the league’s more perplexing players, there aren’t enough proven playmakers amongst the team’s receivers. That holds Tannehill back as a lower tier fantasy backup.

RB Knowshon Moreno

Moreno entered 2013 stuck behind Montee Ball and Ronnie Hillman on the Broncos depth chart at running back and wasn’t even considered a lock to make the team’s opening day roster. Then he went on to have a career year, topping 1,000 rushing yards for the first time as well as reaching career highs in rushing touchdowns with 10, receptions with 60 and receiving yards with 548. His reward was a one way ticket out of town as Denver failed to make any effort to re-sign him in free agency. After languishing on the market, Moreno agreed to join the Dolphins and he will enter training camp as the team’s starter. Just don’t go expecting him to approach the 301 touches he had last season as a time share with Lamar Miller seems to be in the cards. While Miller is the more explosive of the two, Moreno is a more well rounded player who does everything well and nothing exceptionally well. Barring the Dolphins becoming a top 10 offense, Moreno figures to finish 2014 as a mid to high end RB3.

RB Lamar Miller

A preseason favorite to bust out in 2013, Miller was a major disappointment, rushing for 709 yards and just two touchdowns on 177 carries and showing little explosiveness as a receiver with 26 receptions for 170 yards. While the Dolphins porous offensive line could be partially blamed for Miller’s struggles, he was also to blame, missing several rushing lanes and too often bouncing his runs outside. With Miller failing to secure the starting role, the Dolphins signed Knowshon Moreno in the offseason to bolster their rushing attack. While reports out of the team’s OTAs indicated that Moreno showed up out of shape, don’t jump to the conclusion that Miller is the favorite to land the starting role. There’s a reason they signed Moreno and that’s because they weren’t convinced Miller is the answer at running back. Miller rates as a lower tier RB3 or upper tier RB4 although he does retain some upside.

RB Daniel Thomas

For the second consecutive season, Thomas will have to fight for a roster spot with the Dolphins. A hot fantasy prospect in 2011, the former 3rd round pick has been a major disappointment, failing to top 3.7 yards per carry in any season and rushing for just 731 over the past two years. With the Dolphins adding Knowshon Moreno in free agency, Thomas will enter camp in a battle with 2nd year player Mike Gillislee for the third spot on the depth chart. He has no fantasy value entering 2014.

RB Mike Gillislee

A 6th round pick in 2013, Gillislee’s fantasy prospects looked decent with a pair of unproven players in Lamar Miller and Daniel Thomas ahead of him on the depth chart. While Thomas once again struggled, Miller flashed big play ability and will open the season in a battle with free agent signee Knowshon Moreno for the starter’s job. That likely leaves Gillislee in a battle with Daniel Thomas for a roster spot. While we like his chances in that competition, we don’t like his fantasy prospects in 2014. Barring injuries, Gillislee isn’t worth owning in redraft leagues and has only marginal value in dynasty formats.

WR Mike Walllace

After signing a five-year, $65-million contract during the 2013 offseason, much was expected of Wallace. It’s fair to say that for the most part he failed to deliver, finishing the year with 73 receptions for 930 yards and five touchdowns. Of course, it’s fair to ask why the Dolphins showered Wallace with such a lucrative contract coming off an 836 yard, eight touchdown season with the Steelers in 2012. Entering 2014, hope springs eternal as new offensive coordinator Bill Lazor plans to move Wallace around in an effort to get him the ball in space, even working him out of the backfield in OTAs. It is also worth noting that Wallace played well down the stretch last season, catching 29 passes for 396 yards and four touchdowns in his last six games. With Wallace far and away the most talented Dolphins receiver, expect him to once again approach the 142 targets (a career high) he had last season. If he can connect with quarterback Ryan Tannehill on a higher percentage of deep passes, he could have a solid bounce back season. However, history tends to repeat itself so it is best to draft Wallace as a mid-tier WR2 with upside.

WR Brian Hartline

After posting a career year in 2012 when he accumulated 74 receptions for 1,083 yards and a touchdown, Hartline was just as good last season with 76 receptions for 1,016 yards and four touchdowns. Of course, in each of the last two seasons he has benefited from circumstance. In 2012, the Dolphins were thin at wide receiver with Hartline and Davone Bess the team’s starters. Last year, Mike Wallace suffered through an uneven first year in Miami and Brandon Gibson was lost to injury half way through the season. The truth is that Hartline is a guy fantasy owners settle for, not one that they covet. If he’s available as an upper tier WR5, grab him.

WR Jarvis Landry

Looking to add depth at the wide receiver position, the Dolphins used a 2nd round pick to acquire Louisiana State’s Jarvis Landry. Unfortunately, this pick seemed a reach given Landry’s lack of size (5’11” and 205 pounds) and decent but not spectacular speed (40 yard time of 4.51). Landry shapes up as a possession receiver, willing to fight for the ball and will likely battle with Brandon Gibson for playing time out of the slot as a rookie. Barring a strong preseason, he is waiver wire material to start the season.

WR Brandon Gibson

After signing a three-year, $9.8-million contract, Gibson was on his way to have a solid first year as a Dolphin before tearing his patellar tendon in Week 8. His outlook for 2014 is somewhat uncertain given his return from the injury, his $2.8-million salary and the Dolphins improved depth chart at wide receiver with Rishard Matthews playing well in Gibson’s absence and the team adding Jarvis Landry in the 2nd round of the NFL Draft. Did we mention the emergence of Charles Clay as a solid pass catching tight end in 2013? Gibson’s prospects of emerging as a fantasy option in 2014 seem pretty dim.

TE Charles Clay

When Dustin Keller went on injured reserve in the preseason with a knee injury, the door opened for Charles Clay. Also helping matters was the loss of the Dolphins top backup wide receiver Brandon Gibson half way through the year. Clay made the most of his golden opportunity, locking down the starter’s spot with 69 receptions on just 103 targets for 759 yard and six touchdowns. Looking ahead to 2014, it will be difficult for Clay to replicate that production due to the addition of Knowshon Moreno at running back, a solid receiver out of the backfield, as well as the return of Gibson and the Dolphins plans to get Mike Wallace more involved in their offense. Clay rates as a lower tier TE1 or upper tier backup.