MIAMI GARDENS — Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle’s injury is indeed a high ankle sprain, Mike McDaniel said Wednesday.
The Dolphins coach is not yet ruling Waddle out for Sunday’s showdown against the Baltimore Ravens for the No. 1 seed in the AFC.
Although high ankle sprains can generally be tough for players to return from quickly, McDaniel said Waddle’s case is not “overly severe.”
“He’s one of — if not the toughest — fast guys I’ve been around,” McDaniel said. “Him being that way, it’s tough to rule him out for this week. … I wouldn’t put anything past him.”
Waddle did not participate in Wednesday’s practice, the team’s Wednesday injury report confirmed after he wasn’t seen during a brief media viewing portion of drills.
The standout receiver that just eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards for the third time in three NFL seasons when he caught a 50-yard pass, which turned out to be his only reception in last Sunday’s win over the Dallas Cowboys.
Waddle’s injury was originally thought to be to his shin during before McDaniel then said after the game it was, in fact, to his ankle.
Another injury which was originally to a shin against Dallas was that of running back Raheem Mostert, although it also now appears to be an ankle issue.
“He’s got some bumps. He got another bump on his ankle,” McDaniel said, “but good luck telling that guy. That’s not a tree I try to climb.”
McDaniel said the Dolphins will manage his ailment accordingly this week, something Mostert has plenty of experience with midweek to prepare to be available for game days.
“Luckily, he’s a consummate professional,” McDaniel said. “Where he is at a preparation standpoint, he is able to get away with minimal reps during the week.”
Mostert did not participate in Wednesday’s practice due to ankle and knee treatment, and he wasn’t the only key offensive skill position player.
Wide receiver Tyreek Hill missed drills recovering from his ailing ankle that he played through against Dallas, but Hill also had veteran rest listed on the injury report. Rookie running back De’Von Achane was held out Wednesday for his toe injury. This in a week where quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was suddenly limited due to left thumb and quadriceps injuries.
Right guard Robert Hunt is progressing from going from the week-to-week designation McDaniel has tabbed for him to approaching day-to-day with his hamstring injury that has caused him to miss six of his past seven starts.
“It’s borderline day-to-day,” McDaniel said. “I’m not quite sure if it’s day-to-day yet, but it’s feeling like it is. … I can feel his confidence.”
Hunt, though, did not return to practice Wednesday. Left tackle Terron Armstead didn’t practice either, now having back issues added to the knee and ankle injuries.
The coach added Hunt will have an uptick in rehab activity, and the team doesn’t want to put the big blocker at risk too soon when he can’t make it through an entire game.
Wide receiver Robbie Chosen, meanwhile, is in concussion protocol as of Wednesday after exiting the Cowboys game following a hit to the head.
“He’s checked the boxes so far that are available to him,” McDaniel said, adding Chosen can’t return to practice yet but possibly some walkthrough elements of drills.
Chosen was listed as a non-participant Wednesday but was seen working out on the side of drills.
Along with Tagovailoa, cornerback Xavien Howard (hip/thumb), safety Jevon Holland (knees), right tackle Austin Jackson (oblique) and outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel (wrist) were limited Wednesday.
The Ravens held a walkthrough Wednesday, after returning to Baltimore early Tuesday morning from playing at San Francisco on Monday night. In an estimation of a regular practice, the team released that safety Kyle Hamilton (knee), wide receiver Zay Flowers (calf) and guard Kevin Zeitler (knee/quadriceps) were deemed non-participants.
Sanders wins weekly award
After nailing five field goals, including the game-winner and three from 50-plus, against the Cowboys, Dolphins kicker Jason Sanders was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week.
It’s Sanders’ fifth career time winning the AFC award. He’s the third player in Dolphins history to win five AFC Player of the Week honors since they began in 1984. Only quarterback Dan Marino (18) and defensive end Jason Taylor (seven) have more.
Sanders made long kicks from 57, 52 and 54 yards. He is the first kicker in Miami history to make three 50-plus-yard field goals in the same game. The 57-yard kick was a career long.
Sanders, who credited the whole special teams unit, including holder and punter Jake Bailey, long snapper Blake Ferguson and the entire line blocking for him, had an interesting perspective on the camaraderie on this year’s Dolphins team.
“This locker room’s different,” Sanders said. “Everyone cares about each other. Everyone likes being around each other.”
Sanders earned the sixth Dolphins player of the week this season, joining quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (Week 1), running back De’Von Achane (Week 3), Mostert (Week 6), cornerback Jalen Ramsey (Week 11) and outside linebacker Bradley Chubb (Week 15).
