On Friday, the Miami Dolphins will host the Atlanta Falcons at Hard Rock Stadium as both teams make their 2024 NFL preseason debut. It remains to be seen how much the starters will play (if at all), but regardless, it’s great to have football back.
Here is everything you need to know surrounding the Dolphins vs. Falcons Week 1 preseason game, including the channel, start time, live stream options, and more.
How to Watch the Atlanta Falcons at Miami Dolphins
- Start time: Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, 7 p.m. ET
- Channel: Local
- Live stream options: NFL+
- Radio stations: 92.9 The Game, Dolphins Broadcast Network
- Starting QBs: Michael Penix Jr., Mike White
- Betting lines:
- Spread: ATL -2.5
- Total: 38.5
- Moneyline: ATL -148, MIA +124
The Falcons head to Miami to take on the Dolphins as both teams prepare to begin their season. After an impressive offseason between free agent signings, draft selections, and extensions, the Dolphins are prepped and ready to improve on their late-season collapse in 2023.
While Miami’s most recent move holds the most significance, the offseason roster building started with the Dolphins finally inking quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to a four-year, $212 million contract that will keep him with the team through 2028. Both sides seemed eager to agree, but hammering out the precise terms of the extension took a bit longer than expected.
In addition to Tua’s deal, Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle earned a three-year, $84.75 million extension, and Tyreek Hill had his contract restructured.
Has the team made enough of a mark in other areas to take another shot at a Super Bowl in 2024? The splashes on defense look promising, but time will tell with the all-important Achilles heel of the Dolphins: the offensive line.
On the other hand, the Falcons had a very intriguing offseason. Atlanta had a chance to take the NFC South in 2023 if the quarterback situation was a bit better. Despite his best efforts, Desmond Ridder couldn’t cut it under center, as the team turned to backup Taylor Heincke at multiple points in the season. With Ridder and former head coach Arthur Smith gone, it was time for change.
However, the change got a bit strange. After bringing in Raheem Morris as the team’s new head coach, Atlanta signed QB Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract to finally give the Falcons offense a fighting chance. Then, a month and a half later, Atlanta used the eighth overall pick to select Penix. As a result, fans went crazy.
One could argue that the Falcons thought they wouldn’t find themselves with the eighth pick in the NFL Draft in the near future, with a chance to select a quarterback who could be a foundational cornerstone for their franchise. However, if that’s the case, why would you give a veteran QB a $100 million guaranteed contract?
Falcons fans will get to see their quarterback back of the future plenty this preseason. Penix will take the field while Cousins continues to rehab his Achilles injury to prepare for Week 1 of the regular season. Don’t be fooled; no matter how good Penix looks, this is Cousins’ squad.
No matter who takes over under center, upgrading the floor at quarterback only helps the vast number of playmakers on this roster, such as running back Bijan Robinson, wide receiver Drake London, and tight end Kyle Pitts. Could we see career years from these young offensive weapons?
Falcons vs. Dolphins Betting Preview
We are unlikely to see much of Kirk Cousins in the preseason, but a top-10 draft pick in Michael Penix Jr. is not a bad fallback. Around him, the Falcons have some very talented options competing for roles this season, so this offense could be fairly electric at times in preseason. We likely will not see much of the Dolphins’ starting offense in the preseason, and their defense could be pretty slimmed down as well, given some of their injuries and the number of experienced veterans on their roster. There could be some intriguing moments to watch for the offensive depth, but this should be fairly comfortable for a Falcons team with more to prove.
For more betting analysis, make sure to check out PFN’s Week 1 preseason picks and predictions.
Fantasy Players to Watch
TE Kyle Pitts
There’s no concern over Kyle Pitts’ role in the offense. This is about his ability to perform. Pitts has been hyped to the moon each of the past two seasons and has thoroughly underwhelmed. Given the reports that Pitts wasn’t fully healthy last season, if Pitts does play in the preseason, we want to see what he looks like running routes. Are his cuts sharper? Is he faster? Can he get open? If Pitts looks like the guy we saw as a rookie, that would not only make fantasy managers more bullish on him this season but also likely spike his ADP.
Miami Dolphins: RB Jaylen Wright
The Dolphins’ decision to draft another running back seemed perplexing at first. When you realize De’Von Achane struggled to stay healthy last year and Raheem Mostert is 32 years old, it suddenly makes more sense. Jaylen Wright is a perfect fit in Mike McDaniel’s run-friendly scheme. He won’t have any fantasy value to start, but if Achane or Mostert miss time, Wright will see the field. Use the preseason to evaluate how he looks.
For more fantasy analysis, make sure to check out PFN’s fantasy players to watch during the NFL preseason.
