Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel did not rule out the possibility of four injured players returning to action before practice on Thursday, and the final injury report for the Wild Card playoff game against the Kansas City Chiefs reflected that uncertainty.
Among the players in question were safeties DeShon Elliott and Jevon Holland, who had not participated in the team’s only full practice of the week on Thursday. The initial injury reports had been based on estimations.
Running back Raheem Mostert and wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, who both missed the crucial Week 18 AFC East title showdown against Buffalo, were also listed as questionable. They had been limited participants throughout the week.
The Dolphins are eager to have both Mostert and Waddle back in the lineup, especially given Mostert’s impressive regular season performance with an NFL-best 18 rushing touchdowns. Having Waddle available would provide quarterback Tua Tagovailoa with one of his key weapons for his first NFL playoff game.
The final verdict on whether these four players will be able to participate in the game may only become clear when Miami’s inactive list is released 90 minutes before kickoff on Saturday.
As for the other five players listed on the injury report this week, they did not receive a specific game status designation, indicating that they are expected to be available. These players include wide receiver Tyreek Hill (ankle/quad), cornerback Jalen Ramsey (knee), running back De’Von Achane (toe/ribs), tackle Terron Armstead (knee/ankle/back), and center Liam Eichenberg (calf/ankle). Achane, Armstead, and Eichenberg all participated fully in practice on Thursday.
The highly anticipated game is scheduled to kick off at 8 p.m. and will be exclusively available for streaming on Peacock. A victory for Miami would mark the team’s first postseason win since 2000.
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