Select just the notes in the bars missing a rest at the start, then check the Properties panel in the lower zone for the property “Starts voice”, which is probably activated. Deactivate it to allow Dorico to show implicit (meaning automatic) rests before those notes.
This really does look like that property is activated somewhere, on either a note or rest somewhere before where you first see notes on those staves. Have a root around, and if you can’t find it, post the project here.
you were right. that property was on. by clicking a bar i wouldn’t fix it. by clicking the last note or last rest before the trouble happened, i could fix it.