How Cracraft Is Crafting a Role with the Dolphins

As the Miami Dolphins prepare to face the Atlanta Falcons in their first 2024 preseason game, wide receiver River Cracraft is a player to watch.

Miami Dolphins teammates River Cracraft (left) and Tua Tagovailoa (right) share a high-five during Tuesday's optional organized team activities on May 28, 2024. / Alexander Peterman / USA TODAY NETWORK

Entering his third year with the Miami Dolphins and seventh NFL season, River Cracraft was a journeyman until he found a home in South Florida.

He started that journey after going undrafted in 2018. Cracraft began his career on a few practice squads, commencing in Denver.

After a career at Washington State, Cracraft signed with the Denver Broncos practice squad. Moving up and down, then finally waived, Cracraft landed in Philadelphia with the Eagles in 2019. After his release, he never cracked the roster officially, and Cracraft earned a tryout with the San Francisco 49ers in 2020. 

Cracraft paired up with then-run game coordinator (now Dolphins head coach) Mike McDaniel, who the 49ers promoted to the offensive coordinator role in 2021. While Cracraft only appeared in 15 games with San Francisco in his two seasons, with six catches on his nine targets, McDaniel liked what he saw — so much so that when the Miami Dolphins hired McDaniel, he essentially brought Cracraft. 

In the last two seasons in Miami, Cracraft tends to make mistakes rarely, if ever. Although limited in targets, snap counts, and stat opportunities, Cracraft always does the hard work, such as blocking and thoroughly knowing his assignments.

Rivers Cracraft tends to answer with remarkable consistency when his number gets called. Specifically, he had a catch percentage of 75 percent last season, reeling in nine passes on 12 targets. Eight of those catches went for a first down for Miami. When targeted the previous season, Cracraft's play led to quarterbacks rating 134.4 as a result.

In 2022, for Miami, Cracraft had nine catches on 14 targets. Again, eight went for first downs and helped quarterbacks with a 95.8 rating when targeted. Across his two seasons in Miami, Cracraft has 18 receptions, 223 yards, three touchdowns, a catch rate of 69.2 percent, and a success rate of 61.5 percent. 

The Dolphins are extremely top-heavy at the wide receiver position, with Tyreek Hill as the consensus number-one player in the NFL (per the latest player poll). Jaylen Waddle, one of the league's top number-two receivers, is across from Hill. The third wide receiver target has left newly extended quarterback Tua Tagovialoa and Miami's offense looking for an individual to step up.

Although Miami has signed Odell Beckham, Jr., and drafted Malik Washington, Cracraft could be a sneaky candidate to be the third man in the receiver's room consistently. The veteran Beckham is currently on Active/PUP, and with his career-long wear and tear, an entire season may not be in the cards for him.

As a rookie, Washington is still in development mode with only a few weeks into camp, so Cracraft has a genuine opportunity here. Listed behind Jaylen Waddle on the team's initial depth chart released last week, Cracraft could get penciled in at the fourth wide receiver position when Beckham is activated.

Looking at last season, Cracraft started for an injured Waddle in Week 3 in a home rout against the Denver Broncos. He caught his only target for 13 yards in the Dolphins 70-20 victory. However, the numbers only tell part of the story for Cracraft.

Tyreek Hill has always supported his fellow receiver and detailed the praise to South Florida reports in listing his "team" of Dolphins wideouts and why Cracraft is "always his first pick."

Hill said, "The reason why I pick 'Riv' [Cracraft] is because Riv is one of those guys that understands the offense and he's always in the right place." Hill continued the accolades and included how Cracraft's blocking ability helps running backs when they break their long runs. 

"He's smart. He knows where to be on the field, and you can always account for him. He's one of those guys," added Hill.

Cracraft is soft-spoken and humble. He goes to work every day and does his job. A recent recipient of the orange practice jersey Wednesday in training camp, rewarded for hard work and dedication during camp, Cracraft is a consummate pro. His humility and commitment to his craft command respect among his peers.

When asked about the nonglamorous aspects of the receiver position last week, Cracraft told reporters, "Everybody has a role, you know, and I think when everybody understands where they fit in, it just makes the team more productive." 

He added, "Not everyone can be Tyreek and Jaylen, and the quicker that people can figure that out, the quicker you can find yourself in a role, and for me, it's kinda been in that interior blocking game and trying to be bigger than I am."

This adaptability and willingness to take on different roles could make Rivers Cracraft a valuable asset to the offense.

Cracraft concluded by describing the attributes he brings to the table, stating, "It's all heart and will and techniques and fundamentals. You know, once you dial those in, you can find yourself on the field, so that's what I'm trying to do.

Although this is different from his collegiate days, when targeted more, Cracraft worked to fall into this role when targeted mor. With his familiarity with the McDaniel system and his steadiness and effectiveness, Cracraft could be one of the safer bets to make the 53-man roster and contend for that third receiver Tagovailoa will target this season.