Wide receiver Tyreek Hill probably will not be 100% in the Miami Dolphins’ massive Week 9 game against the Buffalo Bills.
But it appears as though he will give what he can despite still needing treatment for an injury that’s bothered him for the past week.
What Is Tyreek Hill’s Injury?
Hill has been dealing with a foot injury that he seemingly suffered in practice last Thursday.
His participation this week has been spotty — he was limited on Thursday with the foot issue after sitting out Wednesday with what the Dolphins reported as a veteran rest day.
But entering Friday, Hill had not had a full day of practice since a week ago Wednesday.
The foot wasn’t 100% entering Week 8, but Hill still had a full workload in the Dolphins’ 28-27 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. He caught six passes for 72 yards and was on the field for 57 of a possible 65 snaps.
Is Hill Playing In Week 9?
Hill had no game designation on the team’s final injury report of the week, suggesting that there’s no doubt in the Dolphins’ minds that he’ll play.
Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel told reporters that the Dolphins have been trying to manage Hill’s foot injury during the week, but “we feel good about the game and him playing in it.”
Dolphins-Bills final Week 9 injury report pic.twitter.com/AzqoVvJVpR
— Adam Beasley (@AdamHBeasley) November 1, 2024
That seemed likely all along, given his high Week 8 participation rate, his history of playing through pain, and the Dolphins’ teetering playoff hopes.
Miami’s postseason dreams would all but vanish with a loss to the Bills in Week 9.
“Every man on the field, everybody has to play better,” Hill said after the Cardinals game. “And at the end of the day, it’s got to mean something to you. It’s got to.”
How Might Hill’s Absence Impact the Miami Dolphins if Ruled Out?
While his numbers aren’t what they were in the last two seasons, Hill is still the heartbeat of a Dolphins passing game that showed hints of getting things figured out in Week 8.
Beyond Hill and Jaylen Waddle, the Dolphins’ wide receiver room (which includes Odell Beckham Jr.) has seven catches for 71 yards in seven games.
Beckham has yet to catch a pass in three games since coming off the physically unable to perform list. But he said Wednesday that he feels healthy, explosive, and eager to make an impact.
Still, the foundation of the Dolphins’ passing game remains Hill and Jaylen Waddle — a fact the opposition knows and plans for.
The Dolphins could get a lift in Week 9 should River Cracraft return from IR. This week he was back on the practice field for the first time in two months. The Dolphins opened his window to return from injured reserve, but they will wait to see how his shoulder holds up in practice before making a Week 9 determination.
“There’s times where you have to be efficient in your release but also it comes down to us trying to help with formations, creating stacks, bunches, access points for them to get into the defense,” Dolphins offensive coordinator Frank Smith said this week.
“So there’s certain things like when I was a young coach, I learned that line formations can control defenses so you get certain reactions, so we try to use that to create access for them. But at the end of the day, it’s about ability to get off the line of scrimmage and get into the defense, but we will use different formations that allow us to be able to try and do that.”