Dolphins Lose Douglas Ahead of Chiefs Game — SkimNews
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- Caleb Douglas, the Dolphins' leading receiver through two games with 7 catches for 113 yards, is ruled out of Sunday's game against the Kansas City Chiefs after sustaining an ankle injury against the San Francisco 49ers last week, coach Jeff Hafley confirmed Friday.
- Douglas — a rookie third-round pick out of Texas Tech — did not practice at all this week; Hafley pushed back on speculation that he was held out only because the 49ers game grew lopsided, confirming the ankle injury kept him sidelined.
- Rookie Chris Bell is expected to play despite limited practices and residual soreness in his surgically repaired knee from a December ACL tear, telling reporters doctors called the fluid and soreness normal for his recovery.
- Veteran Jalen Tolbert, who signed a one-year deal this offseason but was a healthy scratch through the first two games, is likely to be activated as Miami digs deeper into its receiver depth chart.
- The Dolphins added A.J. Henning to the practice squad this week to further reinforce the position; Henning spent last season and most of this training camp with Miami before being released at the end of August.
- Offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik said the injuries won't change Miami's game plan, but called the bigger issue quarterback Malik Willis still building rapport with a receiver group featuring new faces — quote: "So that's the biggest thing, making sure Malik and the receivers feel comfortable with each other."
- Douglas isn't the only Dolphins player sidelined: defensive end Robert Beal Jr. (hamstring) is out and running back Jaylen Wright (stinger) is doubtful, per Hafley.
Why it matters: Miami's offense already ranks 24th in the NFL in yards per game, and now the Dolphins head into a road game at Kansas City without their leading receiver, leaning on a healthy-scratch veteran and a rookie still recovering from ACL surgery while quarterback Malik Willis — in his first extended action with the team — continues building timing with receivers he barely practiced with this week.
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