It’s Friday, and that means it’s injury report day for teams around the NFL. As per usual, the Miami Dolphins report is as lengthy as your holiday shopping list.
Several Miami Dolphins star players have been in and out of the lineup this season. OT Terron Armstead, RB De’Von Achane, CBs Xavien Howard and Jalen Ramsey, C Connor Williams, and G Robert Hunt have all been dinged up to varying degrees, and this week, a number of key players once again find themselves tagged “questionable” heading into game day.
Terron Armstead and Jevon Holland Both Uncertain for Dolphins in Week 13
For what it’s worth, Armstead, who’s officially listed as questionable with knee and quad injuries, is adamant that he intends to play against the Washington Commanders on Sunday. “I’m out there Sunday for sure. I had a subpar performance last game. It was not up to my standards,” Armstead told reporters on Friday.
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It should be noted that if Armstead is ultimately unable to take the field, it wouldn’t be the first time a Dolphins star was confident that he’d play only to end up on the inactives list. All-Pro cornerback Xavien Howard told reporters that he planned to play ahead of Week 7 before sitting out. Head coach Mike McDaniel often opts to play it safe with his star players, a trend that has held up repeatedly this season.
On Armstead and his backup at left tackle, Kendall Lamm (questionable, back), McDaniel was vague about their potential availability. “Hey man, you know, Vegas. They’ll both be practicing today,” McDaniel said on Friday. “I have no freakin’ idea. The collective group has gotten to a comfortable place. I know one thing: There will be a left tackle majoring in blocking.”
Third-string LT Kion Smith is expected to get the start if neither Armstead nor Lamm are able to suit up.
Superstar safety Jevon Holland (knee) is also questionable for Sunday. Holland had one of the highlight plays of the NFL season in last week’s win over the New York Jets with a 99-yard interception returned for a touchdown as the first half expired.
Miami’s elite centerfielder explained that he overstretched both of his knees during a play late in last week’s game. “I’m trying. I’m trying to get back. I’m taking it day by day,” he said Friday. Holland got in a limited practice on Friday after sitting out Wednesday and Thursday.
“He knows he’s playing the best ball of his career … he’s as eager as ever to play,” McDaniel said about Holland on Friday. “We have to be smart, knowing what he means to our team as a leader and as a player and what he’s able to do in our scheme. We’ll be assessing him. I’ll be very cautious and not afraid to be the patient, wise one.”
Electric rookie running back De’Von Achane, however, is set to take the field. “You know what … he’s playing,” McDaniel emphatically stated on Friday. Achane will return from his knee injury to a running back rotation already featuring explosive veteran Raheem Mostert. Together, the two will comprise one of the most dangerous RB duos down the stretch of the season.
Elsewhere on the offensive line, guards Lester Cotton (illness) and Rob Jones (knee) are both listed as questionable. With left guard Isaiah Wynn on injured reserve, Cotton and Jones being absent would relegate backup center Liam Eichenberg back to left guard, where he spent significant time in his career before moving to center this offseason.
Eichenberg played all 70 of Miami’s offensive snaps at right guard against the Jets, filling in for the injured Robert Hunt, and allowed zero pressures. Cotton and Jones both practiced in a limited fashion on Friday.
Rounding out Miami’s questionable players is undrafted rookie running back Chris Brooks (knee). Brooks played well in spurts for Miami this season before landing on injured reserve.
The team has opened Brooks’ 21-day return window, meaning he’s eligible to practice and must be activated to the 53-man roster at some point over the next couple of weeks or revert back to IR for the remainder of the season. Brooks received the seventh of eight available IR-return designations, so Miami has one left to use for the 2023 season.
For the Commanders, CB Emmanuel Forbes Jr. (elbow) and DE James Smith-Williams (hamstring) are out, while C Tyler Larsen (knee) is questionable.
Miami Dolphins at Washington Commanders Week 13 Injury Report
Miami Dolphins
Questionable
- OT Terron Armstead (knee/quad)
- OT Kendall Lamm (back)
- OL Lester Cotton (illness)
- OL Robert Jones (knee)
- S Jevon Holland (knees)
- RB Chris Brooks (knee)
Washington Commanders
Out
- CB Emmanuel Forbes Jr. (elbow)
- DE James Smith-Williams (hamstring)
Questionable
- C Tyler Larsen (knee)
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