How concerned should Dolphins be about Tyreek Hill's injury?
Tyreek Hill has a famous saying that "Cheetah's don't get hurt," but that theory — or mantra — might be put to the test this week because the NFL's receiving yardage leader missed his second practice of the 2023 season.
Hill, who suffered an ankle injury early in Miami's 34-13 win over the New York Jets but continued to play and finished the game with 102 yards and one touchdown on nine receptions, was likely being rested during Miami's first of three practices preparing for Sunday's road game against the Washington Commanders.
Hill's participation level Thursday will be a better indication of whether the eighth-year veteran, and six-time Pro Bowl selection will play Sunday.
Hill focused on 2,000 yards
Hill is on a personal mission to become the NFL's first 2,000-yard receiver based on regular productivity and eclipse a record presently held by Hall of Fame receiver Calvin Johnson, who recorded 1,964 yards on 122 receptions he pulled in during the Detroit Lions' 2012 season.
Hill is on pace to total 2,046 receiving yards and missing one of Miami's 17 regular season games could derail that.
But head coach Mike McDaniel has consistently taken a cautious approach when it comes to player injuries, with the goal of preserving his starters for "elimination games" in the fourth quarter of the season. Opting to sit Hill against a Commanders team that is struggling defensively could fall into that cautious approach.
However, McDaniel likely realized that would handcuff the NFL's top-ranked offense.
This season Hill broke the 1,000-yard receiving mark in just the eighth game of the season, becoming the first player since 1961 to do so. He’s one of just four NFL players to ever top 1,300 receiving yards in the first 11 games of a season.
Hill sits atop rankings at receiver
His 1,324 receiving yards and 10 touchdown receptions both lead the NFL while his 88 catches are second, trailing Los Angeles Chargers receiver Keenan Allen, who has 97, which he's turned into 1,117 yards and seven touchdowns.
If Hill doesn't play Sunday, he'd miss his first game since the 2021 season, and Miami would likely be forced to make Jaylen Waddle the focal point of the passing game. Waddle has produced 691 yards and scored three touchdowns on the 52 receptions he's pulled down in the 10 games he's played this season.
Braxton Berrios, River Cracraft and Cedrick Wilson Jr. also would likely inherit larger roles in the passing game.
It's also possible that Miami might utilize Chase Claypool, who is working his way back from a knee procedure he had during the bye week, and Robbie Chosen, Miami's second-most experienced receiver, who has bounced on and off the 53-man roster all season. But roles and playing time will likely be dictated by everyone's practice performance, and the game plan for the Commanders.
