Miami Dolphins @ Atlanta Falcons
Final Score: Dolphins 34, Falcons 10
Writer: Steven Pintado (@coachstevenp)
If you asked anyone before 1 p.m. ET in Week 8, most would’ve picked the Falcons to easily win this game against the Dolphins. But Miami had a completely different plan — and it executed it to perfection. The Dolphins played with aggressive strength and power, controlling the game clock for most of the afternoon. Their quick, short passing attack was sharp and efficient, consistently picking up chunks of yardage.
Meanwhile, the Falcons’ offense completely fell apart without Michael Penix Jr. as Kirk Cousins started at quarterback intead. Miami’s defense was relentless, shutting down Atlanta’s run game and forcing constant miscommunication in the passing attack — especially with Drake London sidelined. In the end, it felt like the two teams swapped offensive identities, and that shift clearly favored the Dolphins.
Three Up
- Tua Tagovialoa — Despite being considered questionable due to an illness, Tagovialoa looked sharp and finished with a four-touchdown day.
- Jaylen Waddle — After being an afterthought in Week 7, Waddle stepped up with a big day, including a 43-yard touchdown.
- Ollie Gordon — The Dolphins wanted more power in their run game, and Gordon filled that void. He looked like a difference-maker on the ground and even scored the first receiving touchdown of his NFL career.
Three Down
- Kirk Cousins — Cousins looked rusty and lost in this game. His throws were off, and his arm strength and release looked weak in this game.
- Bijan Robinson — Managed 50 yards, still, but was unable to get anything going on the ground and caused his own fumble in this game.
- Darnell Mooney — Figured to step up with Drake London on the sidelines in this one, but only managed to secure one reception in a negative game script.
Miami Dolphins
Quarterback
Tua Tagovailoa: 20/26, 205 Yards, 4 TDs
Despite being listed as questionable with an illness — one that even forced him to wear a visor — Tua Tagovailoa didn’t look sick at all. In fact, he looked as sharp as ever. This was a classic Tua performance: quick processing, precise timing, and an ability to get the ball out fast.
Most of his throws came on screens and short routes, allowing Miami’s playmakers to create yards after the catch. Two of his four touchdowns came entirely from his receivers turning short completions into long scores, thanks to excellent blocking and open-field speed.
Tua’s first touchdown came from reading through his progression and finding De’Von Achane on a short crossing route that turned into six. His best throw of the day was a 9-yard touchdown to Malik Washington — Tua escaped early pressure, scrambled out of the pocket, kept his eyes downfield, and delivered a perfect strike.
You can’t expect Tagovailoa to throw four touchdowns every week, but if the Dolphins continue to execute this balanced, quick-hitting approach, they’ll return to being a competitive team.
Zach Wilson: 1/1, 0 Yards
Running Back
De’Von Achane: 18 Carries, 67 Yards | 7 Targets, 5 Reception, 24 Yards, TD
Dolphins running back De’Von Achane didn’t have his most explosive outing, but he remained as steady and efficient as ever. Despite sharing more of the workload with his backups, Achane still handled 18 carries for solid yardage, maintaining his role as the heartbeat of Miami’s ground game.
Where Achane truly shined was in the passing attack. The Dolphins frequently deployed two-RB sets, using Achane as a dynamic weapon through the air. On several plays, Miami faked a handoff to the other back, then hit Achane on quick throws into open space — a perfect use of his burst and vision. He also saw multiple designed touches that gave him room to accelerate upfield and create chunk plays.
Achane’s role appears secure moving forward, even with Ollie Gordon and Jaylen Wright mixing in — the latter making his first appearance of the season. As long as Miami continues scheming touches his way, Achane remains a key piece of this offense and a reliable fantasy asset.
Ollie Gordon: 10 Carries, 46 Yards | 1 Target, 1 Reception, 20 Yards, TD
Backup running back Ollie Gordon saw his most touches since Week 3, and he made the most of them. Gordon ran with the power and burst that perfectly complement Achane’s speed and shiftiness. He was involved early as the short-yardage runner, consistently moving the chains and picking up multiple first downs on tough inside carries.
Gordon’s biggest highlight came on a screen, where he caught the pass in stride and had a clear 20-yard path to the end zone for a touchdown. While his involvement was encouraging, it’s still unclear how the Dolphins plan to divide touches going forward. With Miami playing from ahead for most of this game and also looking to get Wright more involved, Gordon’s weekly role could fluctuate depending on game script.
Jaylen Wright: 9 Carries, 28 Yards | 1 Target, 1 Reception, 0 Yards
Alec Ingold: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 0 Yards
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Jaylen Waddle: 6 Targets, 5 Receptions, 99 Yards, 1 TDs
It took some time for Jaylen Waddle to get going in this game, as he didn’t record a catch until the second quarter. Once he found his rhythm, though, he caught fire, hauling in three receptions on one drive that would help lead to a Malik Washington‘s touchdown. Waddle consistently exploited the soft spots in Atlanta’s zone coverage, showcasing his elite awareness and speed.
His biggest play came on a 43-yard touchdown, where he ran a short slant across the middle, turned on the jets, and ripped through the secondary for a huge yards-after-catch score. Performances like this remind everyone that Waddle remains the WR1 in Miami, and fantasy managers should expect more games like this version of Waddle — not the quieter one from Week 7.
Malik Washington: 5 Targets, 4 Receptions, 36 Yards, TD
Second-year receiver Malik Washington had a solid outing against the Falcons. He was primarily featured in the wide receiver screen game and on short-area routes, allowing him to get into space and create yards after the catch. Most of his production came in the first half, as Miami shifted to a more run-heavy approach once the score started to widen.
Washington found the end zone in the second quarter, hauling in a quick pass from Tagovailoa and breaking a tackle to reach the goal line. He showed good separation on the route and enough strength to finish the play for six.
While Washington currently serves in more of a gadget-style role within the Dolphins’ offense, it’s not yet consistent enough to rely on for fantasy purposes. However, his usage suggests the coaching staff continues to look for creative ways to get the ball in his hands.
Nick Westbrook-Ikhine: 3 Targets, 1 Reception, 18 Yards
Cedrick Wilson Jr. : 1 Target, 1 Receptions, 2 Yards
Tanner Conner: 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 6 Yards
Atlanta Falcons
Quarterback
Kirk Cousins: 21/31, 173 Yards | 2 Carries, 2 Yards
With Michael Penix Jr. sidelined by a knee injury, many expected to see Kirk Cousins reclaim the starting role — and hoped that more time removed from his Achilles injury would bring back the vintage version of Cousins. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. Cousins looked rusty and limited throughout the game, with noticeable issues in arm strength and release timing. His deep passes consistently sailed off-target, and he failed to connect on any throws downfield.
Most of his production came in garbage time, primarily on short and intermediate passes — many of them to Kyle Pitts Sr. While a few drops from backup receivers didn’t help, Cousins simply looked out of rhythm and uncomfortable in the pocket. It’s possible some of that was rust, but overall, he looked like a shell of his former self.
Running Back
Bijan Robinson: 9 Carries, 25 Yards, Fumble (LOST) | 3 Targets, 3 Receptions, 23 Yards
What a disappointment for Bijan Robinson in a matchup that was supposed to be a cakewalk against the Dolphins’ defense. Miami has quietly tightened up against the run over the last two weeks (outside of a few short-yardage touchdowns), and Robinson simply couldn’t get anything going in this one. His longest run of the day was just 7 yards, coming early in the second half.
The Dolphins consistently clogged rushing lanes and tackled well in space, preventing Robinson from breaking free or creating yards after contact. He did contribute a bit in the receiving game, but most of that production came late — including a 17-yard catch in the fourth quarter. Unfortunately, he also made a costly mistake in the third quarter, fumbling the ball on what looked like a mental lapse in ball security.
With the game out of hand, Robinson spent the final 7 minutes on the sideline, capping off one of his most underwhelming outings of the season.
Tyler Allgeier: 4 Carries, 4 Yards, 1 TD | 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 10 Yards
As Robinson struggled, so did Tyler Allgeier. The backup running back scored the Falcons’ lone touchdown late in the fourth quarter, but outside of that drive, his production was virtually nonexistent. For most of the game, Allgeier sat at negative rushing yards (-2), unable to find any running room against Miami’s front. While the touchdown salvaged his fantasy day to an extent, it was still a disappointing performance overall.
Nathan Carter : 2 Carries, 14 Yards
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Kyle Pitts Sr.: 9 Targets, 9 Receptions, 59 Yards
The only Falcons player who ended up with a solid outing was tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. Pitts appeared to be Cousins’ go-to target, leading the team in receiving yards with 59. Early on, he made a few strong catches of 10+ yards, showing good chemistry with Cousins on intermediate routes.
After a quiet stretch in the middle of the game, Pitts reemerged late in the third quarter as Cousins’ underneath safety valve, hauling in multiple short gains between 5 and 7 yards. The consistent target volume was encouraging — something Pitts hasn’t enjoyed much this season. However, with Drake London expected to return next week, Pitts may see a dip in targets moving forward.
Darnell Mooney: 4 Targets, 1 Reception, 11 Yards
It was a disappointing game for Darnell Mooney, who was expected to step up with London sidelined. Instead, Mooney managed just four targets on the day. It wasn’t entirely his fault — Cousins missed him several times, and Mooney also had a near-catch broken up by a defender who knocked the ball loose.
Mooney served primarily as the downfield threat, but with Cousins struggling to push the ball vertically, those opportunities never materialized. It continues a frustrating trend for Mooney, who has been below average for most of the season, and at this point, there’s little reason to expect that to change.
David Sills V: 3 Targets, 2 Receptions, 14 Yards
KhaDarel Hodge: 8 Targets, 3 Receptions, 31 Yards
Casey Washington: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 25 Yards