Dolphins Week 1 starter odds: This one's a no-brainer

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Following three straight losing seasons and the overhaul of the franchise, the Miami Dolphins are close to moving forward with their future core. The only problem is, they're missing the most important piece.

Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was projected to be the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft prior to the 2019 college football season. Fast forward to the end of the year and Tagovailoa was instead on the mend after undergoing season-ending hip surgery. LSU's Joe Burrow wound up going first overall, while the lefty out of Alabama fell to the Dolphins at No. 5.

Tagovailoa's the type of marksman Miami needs to inject life into the offense. We know he'll get his shot, but how long will the injury history and inexperience keep him on the sideline?

Let's dive into the odds and see which Miami quarterback offers the best value to start the opener.

Odds to start for Dolphins Week 1

Player	Odds
Ryan Fitzpatrick	-550
Tua Tagovailoa	+370
Josh Rosen	+2500

The case for Ryan Fitzpatrick

You have to admire Fitzpatrick's stats in 2019. Despite getting sacked a career-high 40 times, the veteran journeyman posted 3,529 passing yards - the second-best clip of his career - along with 20 touchdowns and 7.1 yards per attempt. Fitz is getting old - he'll be 38 in November - but make no mistake, he's still a formidable backup who made the most of a bleak situation in 2019.

The case for Tagovailoa

Here's one thing to consider: if the NFL has to push its schedule back due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, will that extra time help Tagovailoa return to 100% and spring up the depth chart? It's an interesting thought. But here's what we do know about him: he's one of the best college football quarterbacks of all time with the physical tools to become a stud at the professional level.

Dating back to last season, Miami has traded away good talent for picks and made plenty of moves both in free agency and the draft. When Tagovailoa does get his turn, the plan will finally be set in motion.

The case for Josh Rosen

The Dolphins took a gamble on Rosen last offseason, trading away a second-round pick to the Cardinals in exchange for the former first-rounder. However, that experiment was short-lived after he was benched in Week 5 against the Redskins.

Anything can happen from now until the start of the season, but Miami isn't going into 2020 with the goal of starting Rosen.

Best bet Ryan Fitzpatrick (-550)

This is a no-brainer for head coach Brian Flores. The franchise's rebuild is going swimmingly and there's light at the end of the tunnel, but the Dolphins aren't expected to compete right away. It'd be outlandish for them to rush Tagovailoa into the starting job fresh off hip surgery.

Fitzpatrick isn't the sexiest option, but he's a capable backup with multiple years of experience in offensive coordinator Chan Gailey's system. If Tagovailoa trots off the sideline with the offense in Week 1, Miami's done itself a disservice.

Alex Kolodziej is a betting writer for theScore. He's a graduate of Eastern Illinois who has been involved in the sports betting industry for 12 years. He can quote every line from "Rounders" and appreciates franchises that regularly wear alternate jerseys. Find him on Twitter @AJKolodziej.

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