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Dolphins Given +100 Odds to Have 1st Overall Pick in 2020 NFL Draft After Week 1

Michael Harrison

by Michael Harrison in NFL Football

Updated Apr 8, 2020 · 11:32 AM PDT

Ryan Fitzpatrick
The Dolphins had a brutally rough opening to their season. Photo from @CBSSportsHQ (Twitter)
  • The Miami Dolphins got smashed in Week 1 by the Ravens
  • One sportsbook has Miami listed at even-money to finish with the worst record in the NFL
  • What other teams could potentially be the worst in the league?

It is always en vogue to overreact to the first game of the NFL season and immediately pronounce a certain team the greatest thing since sliced bread or that they’re the biggest dumpster fire in the history of the world. The Miami Dolphins have taken that narrative to a whole new level after a brutal 59-10 thrashing at the hands of the Ravens.

Is it such a lock that the Dolphins will be virtually guaranteed of earning the first pick in the 2020 NFL draft? Sportsbooks pretty well think so, posting even odds that they’ll lock up the first pick and the presumed selection of Tua Tagovailoa. Can someone else challenge them for futility supremacy?

Odds Dolphins Will Have First Pick in 2020 NFL Draft?

Result Odds
Yes +100
No -140

*Odds taken 09/11/19

The Miami Dolphins are Really Really Bad

First, the obvious – the Dolphins got absolutely annihilated by the Ravens and the 59-10 score doesn’t even do justice to just how horrendous they were in that contest. They got behind early and it quickly became a tidal wave that they couldn’t control.

They do still play in the AFC East though, which besides the Patriots don’t boast any perennial juggernauts. In fact, Miami was second last year with a bad but not horrendous 7-9 record. Sure, Josh Allen and Sam Darnold could be franchise QB’s that will rule the division for years to come, but is it that much of a slam dunk they’re guaranteed to better than Miami? Hardly.

There is the issue of players wanting out of South Beach, but if those players already want out after losing one game, do you really want those guys on the roster anyway?

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The Dolphins have nine remaining games against teams that failed to make the playoffs last season, so after a tough opening month (Ravens, Patriots, Cowboys, Chargers), they’re not facing a murderers row of opponents.

Do You Believe in Fitzmagic?

The other factor that will likely keep the Dolphins from falling to the cellar of the NFL is none other than Ryan Fitzpatrick aka Fitzmagic. Just last year with Tampa Bay Fitzy was lights out in September before eventually regressing to the mean and getting benched.

Expect a short surge again, followed by the drop off. Should he get benched, there’s still promising 2018 first rounder Josh Rosen waiting in the wings who showed flashes of his potential with Arizona last year.

Who Might Challenge the Dolphins for NFL’s Worst Team?

Just because they held on to win in Week 1 doesn’t mean the Raiders are exempt from the possibility of falling flat on their faces amid never ending turmoil. Ditto for the Buccaneers who face a tough division and employ a quarterback in Jameis Winston who has proven to be unreliable and inconsistent. Lastly, the Giants could also bottom out should they stubbornly stick with Eli Manning or Daniel Jones proves he was overdrafted.

Of those clubs, I think the Bucs present the best opportunity to jettison Jameis and draft their new franchise QB in Tua Tagovailoa.

Pick: No. Dolphins don’t get 2020 1st Overall Draft Choice (-140)

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