Dolphins QB Situation: Malik Willis to IR, and Is Kyle McCord a Fantasy QB Option Week 10?

Dolphins QB Situation: Malik Willis to IR, and Is Kyle McCord a Fantasy Option?

• Malik Willis is on injured reserve with a core-muscle injury
• Kyle McCord is expected to make his first NFL start
• McCord is a waiver-wire option in two-QB leagues, not a must-start in standard formats

The Miami Dolphins placed starting quarterback Malik Willis on injured reserve on Tuesday after a groin injury that was lingering and an MRI revealed a core-muscle injury. Willis is expected to miss at least the next four games, and reports indicate he is not expected to miss the rest of the season. That leaves Kyle McCord as the team's only other quarterback on the active roster, and he is in line to make the first start of his career.

Injury and depth chart information is based on reports from November 10 and may change before kickoff.

Who Is Kyle McCord?

McCord was a sixth-round pick of the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2025 NFL Draft. He spent that season on Philadelphia's practice squad before signing a reserve/futures contract with the Green Bay Packers in January. Miami acquired him in late August, sending a 2028 sixth-round pick to Green Bay, one day after trading Quinn Ewers to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Head coach Jeff Hafley confirmed at the time that McCord would be the team's No. 2 quarterback behind Willis.

He has not yet thrown a regular-season pass in the NFL. He did perform well in three preseason games this year, and Hafley and general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan both came to Miami from Green Bay, which should make the transition to the Dolphins' system smoother. Still, the jump from preseason snaps to a starting role is significant for a player with no regular-season experience.

The Dolphins' Supporting Cast

McCord would not be walking into a loaded offense. Ollie Gordon II is the clear lead back, and De'Von Achane is on injured reserve, which means the running game will likely lean heavily on Gordon in the short term. Jaylen Wright and Kaytron Allen are the primary depth options behind him. Miami's receiving corps has not been described as a strength, and a rookie or first-year starter often needs time to build rapport with his targets. Any fantasy outlook for McCord has to account for a thin group of weapons and an offense that has been inconsistent.

Is Kyle McCord a Legitimate Fantasy Option?

The answer depends on the league format. In two-quarterback or superflex leagues, McCord is worth a waiver claim. He is likely to start for at least the next few weeks, he has the arm strength and passing profile that scouts have praised, and in those formats a starting quarterback has real value even when his ceiling is limited. Treat him as a streamer with upside rather than a locked-in starter, and monitor his practice reports and the Dolphins' weekly injury report before lineup decisions.

In standard one-quarterback leagues, McCord is a much harder sell. He has no regular-season film in the NFL, his supporting cast is limited, and the Dolphins' offense is not built around a quarterback who will be asked to carry the team. Unless you are short on quarterback depth or facing a particularly favorable matchup, he is more of a bench stash than a starter.

What Happens When Willis Returns?

Willis is not expected to miss the rest of the season, so McCord's opportunity may be a stretch of a few weeks rather than a long-term role. Once Willis is healthy, he should return to the starting job, and McCord would likely go back to being the backup. That makes this a short-window opportunity for fantasy managers. If you add McCord, plan on dropping him once Willis is cleared, unless the first few starts show he can be a consistent producer.

Bottom Line

Kyle McCord is a reasonable waiver-wire add in deeper formats and a speculative flier in standard leagues. The most important thing to watch is whether he earns a full, competitive workload from the start. Check the Dolphins' injury report and any official confirmation of the starter before each week, because his fantasy value rises and falls with Willis's timeline.