Cracraft Returning to Practice

The Miami Dolphins wide receiver was injured during the preseason.

Miami Dolphins wide receiver River Cracraft (85) catches a touchdown over Washington Commanders cornerback Benjamin St-Juste (25) during the first quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. / Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

The Miami Dolphins offense will be getting wide receiver River Cracraft back soon.

Head coach Mike McDaniel said before practice Wednesday that Cracraft's three-week practice window would open on this day, meaning he could be back as soon as Sunday — or anytime within the next three weeks.

The Dolphins designated Cracraft to return when they placed him on injured reserve (IR) on August 27th, taking advantage of the new rule allowing teams to designate two players to return during the move to the 53-player limit (all players had to be on the original 53 to be designated for return before this season).

This tells us the Dolphins knew Cracraft's shoulder injury wasn't season-ending, and they valued him enough to use one of their eight return designations on him.

Cracraft was injured during the preseason when he caught a touchdown pass from Tua Tagovailoa against the Washington Commanders.

Cracraft is one of three players on whom the Dolphins have already used the return designation, along with Tagovailoa and cornerback Cam Smith, who was also placed on IR in August.

The Dolphins have five other players on IR who are eligible to be designated to return — WR Braxton Berrios, WR Grant DuBose, QB Tyler Huntley, DB Pat McMorris, and LB Jaelan Phillips. However, Berrios and Phillips have ACL injuries that will keep them out for the whole season. Long-snapper Blake Ferguson will also count against the eight return designations if he's brought back from the Reserve/Non-Football Illness list.

The Dolphins also have three players still left on PUP who do not count against the eight-designation limit: LB Bradley Chubb, OL Isaiah Wynn, and LB Cameron Goode. McDaniel said Wednesday he had no timetable on Wynn but was progressing well two days after his not-so-encouraging comments regarding Chubb.

WHAT NOW AT WIDE RECEIVER?

The Dolphins have five wide receivers on the roster after Dee Eskridge was signed from the practice squad, and the question here is whether they would go with six on the 53 when they activate Cracraft.

Suppose the choice is to stay at five. In that case, it's not ridiculous to suggest that Odell Beckham Jr.'s spot could be in jeopardy, considering he's played only 11 offensive snaps in each of his three games and has been targeted only three times total, none in the 28-27 loss against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.

We know that Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle aren't going anywhere. The Dolphins like rookie sixth-round pick Malik Washington, and Eskridge brings value as the new kickoff returner.

Cracraft has caught only nine passes each of the past two seasons, but it would surprise no one if he became the third wide receiver upon his return.