The Miami Dolphins released their depth chart for their Week 1 matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers on Tuesday.
While many of the Dolphins starters are expected, there are a couple of interesting takeaways from the initial depth chart.
First off, cornerback Kader Kohou will get the first crack at replacing star cornerback Jalen Ramsey on defense. Ramsey is expected to miss multiple months for the Dolphins after having knee surgery this offseason.
A former undrafted free agent out of Texas A&M University-Commerce, Kohou showed last season that he can step up when his number is called for Miami.
In the 2022 season, Kahou appeared in 15 games for the Dolphins and made 13 starts. He had a huge impact for the team, tallying 72 combined tackles, five tackles for loss, one forced fumble and one interception.
He will get the nod over veteran Eli Apple and rookie Cam Smith against the Chargers, who have one of the NFL’s best receiving corps. The team features Keenan Allen, Mike Williams and rookie first-round pick Quentin Johnston at receiver and an impressive pass catcher in Gerald Everett at tight end.
Another interesting note is Miami’s running back depth chart, as Salvon Ahmed is listed as the backup to veteran Raheem Mostert.
With Jeff Wilson Jr. on injured reserve to start the 2023 season, Mostert should be in line for a big workload. Last season, Mostert ran for 891 yards on 181 carries, an average of 4.9 yards per carry. The speedy running back also added 31 catches on 42 targets for an additional 202 yards.
Last season, Ahmed played a small role for the Dolphins, appearing in just 12 games and receiving only 12 carries. The young running back racked up 64 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown in the 2022 season. He also added a catch for eight yards.
He’s listed ahead of rookie running back De’Von Achane on the depth chart. It will be interesting to see if Ahmed receives more touches than Achane in Week 1.
Miami is hoping to start the season off on the right foot with a win. The Dolphins made the playoffs in the 2022 season with a 9-8 record, but they’d love to improve upon that in the 2023 season.
The Dolphins and Chargers will play on Sunday, Sept. 10.
