Dolphins’ final injury report offers little clarity for Week 17

Dolphins’ final injury report offers little clarity for Week 17

Here’s what we do know about the Miami Dolphins’ Week 17 date with the Buffalo Bills on Sunday afternoon — it will be the Dolphins’ biggest game since Week 16 in Buffalo back in 2016 and the team’s biggest Week 17 clash since a “win and in” showdown with the New York Jets back in 2008. But there’s plenty we don’t know, too.

We don’t know whether or not the Buffalo Bills are going to commit their starters to playing a full game, a full quarter or perhaps less. And on Miami’s side of the fence, we also don’t know whether a handful of critical pieces of the Dolphins roster are going to be able to suit up to play.

Miami will enter Sunday’s contest with four questionable starters — and each one would certainly change the dynamic of the game if they’re able to go. Here is Miami’s final injury report, with the status of each of the four “questionable” starters confirmed by head coach Brian Flores.

Out

  • N/A

Questionable

  • OL Solomon Kindley (knee/foot)
  • DE Shaq Lawson (shoulder)
  • WR Jakeem Grant (ankle)
  • WR DeVante Parker (hamstring)

Full participation

  • S Bobby McCain (ankle)
  • OL Ereck Flowers (ankle)
  • S Kavon Frazier (shoulder)
  • TE Mike Gesicki (shoulder)
  • CB Xavien Howard (shoulder)
  • CB Jamal Perry (foot)
  • LB Kyle Van Noy (hip)

Kindley, Lawson, Grant and Parker all being up in the air leaves the Dolphins with conflict in their game plan if they’re unable to play. Based on the odds, the Dolphins are least likely to see Jakeem Grant tomorrow, who suffered a high ankle sprain against the Raiders and has already been reported by some as out for Sunday. Lawson will likely be mentally ready to go, given that he’s facing his former team in such a high-stakes clash.

But the biggest remaining question, as it has been for the last two weeks, is the status of DeVante Parker — who has been dealing with a hamstring issue and has provided a looming absence in the Dolphins’ passing game. If Parker can’t go, Miami will need to lean heavily into the running game to try to get the job done; and while theoretically one would assume Parker will have a good chance of playing, he’s been missing in action for the last two weeks of high-stakes play.