The Miami Dolphins have two players who could hurt the Cincinnati Bengals’ defense where it is most vulnerable when the teams face off on Sunday.
Cincinnati’s defense leads the NFL in missed tackles, by a large margin, with 146. The next closest are the Steelers with 113.
Running back De’Von Achane and tight end Darren Waller are offensive weapons upon whom rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers will rely heavily.
And while these two players in particular will no doubt present a challenge on the defensive side of the ball, the Bengals should view this upcoming trial through orange-and-black lenses.
It will be an opportunity to get a good look at players in one-on-one situations and allow them to showcase their skills for the Bengals or possibly another organization next year.
De’Von Achane ready to wreck Bengals and NFL’s worst tackling defense
There is some irony in the fact that, given the Bengals’ obsession with selecting unproductive Texas A&M players in the draft, they must face an Aggie product that is actually good and productive.
That aside, Dolphins running back De’Von Achane will get a lot of touches against the Bengals as Miami’s lead back. However, where the Bengals must be acutely aware of the speedy back is when the rookie QB checks down to him.
Last week against the Steelers, Achane had 12 rushes for 60 yards. However, his receiving yards eclipsed his rushing numbers with six catches for 67 yards. He was second in receptions against Pittsburgh behind Darren Waller.
This season, Achane leads his team with 61 receptions and is second to Jaylen Waddle with 79 targets. He is also tied for third in the NFL among running backs in broken tackles with 20.
Bengals fans will see a lot of Achane, as he will be a popular target for Quinn Ewers in his first start. However, he might not be the rookie’s biggest receiving option, in both quantity and quality.
Darren Waller next tight end threat for Bengals’ defense to not cover?
Last week notwithstanding, the Cincinnati Bengals still can’t cover tight ends.
The Bengals held Baltimore’s tight ends to two catches for 18 yards. That is a marked improvement over the 11 receptions for 137 yards and two touchdowns they surrendered to Buffalo’s tight ends. That is, until you realize that Lamar Jackson only targeted the position on three of his total 12 passes on the afternoon.
On Sunday, the Bengals will face one of their biggest challenges to date when the once-retired Darren Waller lines up against them.
Waller has been a revelation for the Dolphins since coming out of retirement. In his first game back in Week 4, he recorded three catches and two touchdowns. He had another two TDs in Week 15's otherwise disappointing Dolphins loss at Pittsburgh.
Waller gets another 💪
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) December 16, 2025
📺 @ESPNNFL @CBSMiami pic.twitter.com/HIhiP3LSoc
Despite playing in half as many games (7), Waller shares the team’s lead in receiving touchdowns (6) and is second on the team in total touchdowns behind Achane’s 11.
The last time we saw Quinn Ewers as a starting QB, he was throwing the ball to tight end Gunnar Helm at Texas.
In 2024, the last season at Texas for Ewers and Helm, the tight end led the Longhorns in receptions and was second on the team in receiving yards and touchdowns.
Now with Ewers getting his first professional start against the worst team at covering tight ends, Waller stands to have a big game as the rookie’s proverbial security blanket.
Bengals can use matchup vs. Dolphins' exotic playmakers to evaluate defense
While tackling Achane and defending Waller appear to be mismatches that expose the Bengals' defensive weaknesses, they also offer a golden opportunity to try something new.
Unfortunately for defensive coordinator Al Golden and the Bengals’ defense, there is not a lot they can do differently in their matchup against Achane and Waller that they have not already tried.
However, one thing the caching staff could embrace is the evaluation portion of the season that remains. One way to do that is to welcome the one-on-one concepts that Golden would prefer to run anyway.
This game is an excellent opportunity to see Dax Hill in man coverage against one of the better receiving tight ends this season. The former Wolverine, who excelled as a slot corner, should be able to match up well against Waller if Golden decides to play that card.
Other guys who could attempt covering Waller in man coverage are Jalen Davis, Tycen Anderson, and DJ Ivey, as the team tries to figure out how best to deploy their talents in 2026.
Also, Golden should continue to blitz with Demetrius Knight while allowing fellow rookie linebacker Barrett Carter to key on Achane when Ewers inevitably targets him on check-downs. Carter should also take a snap or two in man coverage against Waller.
The Bengals drafted Carter with coverage skills in mind. They can continue to let him sink or swim now that the playoffs are out of reach, to know how high on the list of priorities a good coverage linebacker should be this offseason.
Spoiler alert: Acquiring a linebacker proficient in pass coverage should be extremely high on Cincinnati’s to-do list.
Bigger picture for Bengals’ defense
Achane and Waller will present an enormous challenge for Cincinnati’s defense, which cannot cover tight ends and is not adept at open-field tackling.
Nevertheless, these two Dolphins skill players also provide excellent opportunities to evaluate the young defensive players.
How the Bengals’ defense responds to the mismatches Achane and Waller present will help determine which defenders are part of the solution and which remain question marks heading into next season.