After some extensive time off in the form of a bye week, the Miami Dolphins won't be completely healthy when they take on the New York Jets, but they're getting there.
But they will get back a big piece of their offense for the Week 7 matchup against the New York Jets, with wide receiver Caleb Douglas off the injury report after being a full participant in practice Friday.
Douglas missed the past three games because of an ankle injury he sustained in the Week 2 loss against the San Francisco 49ers and the Dolphins clearly missed him.
It's not ridiculous to say the outlook of this game changes with the return of Douglas. The Dolphins passing offense was one-dimensional without him, with only Malik Washington and Greg Dulcich being consistent targets for Malik Willis, but even that's pushing it.
Despite missing three games, Douglas STILL has the third-most receiving yards of any target on the Dolphins with 113.
Miami is lacking a wide receiver that has as much upside as Douglas has shown so far, even with limited snaps due to the injury. His ability to separate from defenders is unmatched on the roster right now, combined with his speed and agility to get open in a hurry. His return brings size back to the position, with his 6-4 frame being taller than any other wide receiver.
The Dolphins currently average 153.6 passing yards per game, the second-fewest in the NFL, just 0.1 yards ahead of the Tennessee Titans. The group could use a splash of youth to energize it against a Jets secondary that allows only 185 yards per game, the fourth-fewest in the NFL.
Who Else Is Coming Back To The Field?
Douglas isn't the only Dolphins rookie who could make his return against the Jets.
Safety Kyle Louis was listed as questionable for Sunday even though he's currently on the IR, but the encouraging sign here is that he was a full participant in practice Friday after being limited the previous two days. This could be a sign he's ready to return in his first week of eligibility after missing the required four games.
Normally, activating someone from the IR would require a corresponding roster move to stay within the 53-player limit, but the Dolphins are currently at 52.
Running back Jaylen Wright, who's been dealing with a nagging foot injury, also was cleared to play. With that said, Wright has struggled to make an impact as Ollie Gordon's backup, but the Jets' defense hasn't had the best success against rushing offenses - 123 yards per game given up. This could be his best chance yet to contribute.
Rookie tight end Will Kacmarek, who has been dealing with a hamstring injury, specifically noted on Thursday that he'll be ready to play Sunday, and he was cleared on Friday. As mentioned earlier with Wright, attacking the ground might be key for Miami's offense, and Kacmarek has impressed as a run blocker for Gordon thus far.
However, there are a few players on defense who might not play this game. That includes edge rusher Rob Beal Jr., who is listed as doubtful. He had to exit the San Francisco game with a hamstring injury. Before that, he recorded a single tackle against Las Vegas in the season opener.
It's also confirmed that cornerback Reese Taylor will not play Sunday because of a quad injury; he was ruled out.
Linebacker Willie Gay Jr. was back at practice Friday after being out one day with an illness, and he was listed as questionable after being a limited participant.
What About New York's Team?
On the other side, Jets head coach Aaron Glenn is dealing with a significantly larger number of questions in terms of who's playing in this game. The most significant player on the list is running back Breece Hall, who was listed as questionable. He's been dealing with a quad injury suffered against Detroit in Week 3.
Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley said that he'd be surprised if Hall didn't play in this game, but the Jets might not want to rush things with Hall, especially because his replacement, Braelon Allen, has done such a great job in his wake with 314 yards and two touchdowns.
A big boost to the Jets' receiver corps will be the return of wide receiver Adonai Mitchell, who is expected to play while dealing with a broken finger. It'll be the first time that Mitchell, Garrett Wilson and rookie first-round pick Omar Cooper Jr. will all be ready to go in the same game since their season opener.
Nose tackle T'Vondre Sweat is dealing with a knee injury but is expected to play Sunday. He's been reliable when healthy, with 15 tackles in six games played. It's a solid contribution for a player who was acquired from Tennessee in a trade that sent Jermaine Johnson to the Titans.
There are a few players officially ruled out: linebacker Kiko Mauigoa (quad), edge rusher Joseph Ossai (ankle), and offensive lineman Max Mitchell (concussion).
Left guard Dylan Parham is questionable to play in this game with a knee injury that has sidelined him for three games. His backup, Jordan Meredith, has played well in his absence, but it would mean a lot for the Jets to get one of their top linemen healthy once again.
Kene Nwangwu is also listed as questionable, which is a big blow for the special teams. He's been a decent kick returner with 251 yards on 11 attempts but hasn't had an opportunity to break a long run yet this season. If he can't go, Isaiah Williams will likely have to shoulder returning once again for the Jets. It should be noted that Williams had a 78-yard punt return for a touchdown for the Jets' only score in the Dolphins' 34-10 victory at MetLife Stadium last December.
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