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Breaking Down the Final Wild-Card Dolphins-Chiefs Injury Report

Xavien Howard was the only Dolphins player ruled out for the playoff game at Arrowhead Stadium

Alain Poupart

Breaking Down the Final Wild-Card Dolphins-Chiefs Injury Report
Breaking Down the Final Wild-Card Dolphins-Chiefs Injury Report /
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Head coach Mike McDaniel refused to close the door on four injured players before practice Thursday and the Miami Dolphins' final injury report ahead of their wild-card playoff matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs reflected that. 

Safeties DeShon Elliott and Jevon Holland were among the four players listed as questionable despite not taking part in the team's only real practice of the week Thursday after the first two injury reports were based on an estimation.

Running back Raheem Mostert and wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, who both missed the Week 18 AFC East title showdown against Buffalo, both were listed as questionable after being listed as limited all week.

We may not know until the inactive list is released 90 minutes before kickoff Saturday whether any of the four will be able to play.

The other five players who were on the injury report this week didn't receive a game status designation, meaning they'll be available. Those five are WR Tyreek Hill (ankle/quad), CB Jalen Ramsey (knee), RB De'Von Achane (toe/ribs), T Terron Armstead (knee/ankle/back) and OL Liam Eichenberg (calf/ankle).

Better yet, Achane, Armstead and Eichenberg all were full participants in practice Thursday.

KANSAS CITY INJURY REPORT

For the Chiefs, the big news probably was veteran left tackle Donovan Smith being cleared after missing the final five games of the regular season with a neck injury.

That was big for the Chiefs, who will be without Smith's backup Wanya Morris for a second consecutive game after he was ruled out with a concussion.

Veteran Joe Thuney moved from left guard to left tackle for the season finale with both Smith and Morris out, but he'll now move back to his normal position and Creed Humphrey will go back to center after replacing Thuney at left guard.

The only two other players besides Morris to get a game status designation were wide receivers Justyn Ross (hamstring) and Kadarius Toney (hip/ankle), who both were listed as questionable.

The only change in the Chiefs' practice participation Thursday was Smith being full after being limited the previous two days.

Will Dolphins face Patrick Mahomes without starting safeties?

Published
Alain Poupart
ALAIN POUPART

Alain Poupart is the publisher/editor of All Dolphins and co-host of the All Dolphins Podcast. Alain has covered the Miami Dolphins on a full-time basis since 1989 for various publications and media outlets, including Dolphin Digest, The Associated Press, the Dolphins team website, and the Fan Nation Network (part of Sports Illustrated). In addition to being a credentialed member of the Miami Dolphins press corps, Alain has covered three Super Bowls (for NFL.com, Football News and the Montreal Gazette), the annual NFL draft, the Senior Bowl, and the NFL Scouting Combine. During his almost 40 years in journalism, which began at the now-defunct Miami News, Alain has covered practically every sport at one time or another, from tennis to golf, baseball, basketball and everything in between. The career also included time as a copy editor, including work on several books such as "Still Perfect," an inside look at the Miami Dolphins' 1972 perfect season. A native of Montreal, Canada, whose first language is French, Alain grew up a huge hockey fan but soon developed a love for all sports, including NFL football. He has lived in South Florida since the 1980s.

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