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The Miami Dolphins are coming off their bye week to face the Buffalo Bills this weekend. One of the top priorities for the off week was to come back healthy and ready to run through the remaining 11 weeks of the NFL season, and, for the most part, they seem to have done that.
Linebacker Dannell Ellerbe is the one Dolphins player who was unable to practice this week as he battles a shoulder injury he suffered in Week 5 against the Baltimore Ravens. Today, the team officially listed him as doubtful, meaning there's only a 25% chance he will be available to play this weekend.
Ellerbe has said all week, and reiterated it after practice on Friday, that he will be playing Sunday.
Miami listed two players, wide receiver Brandon Gibson (hip) and cornerback Dimitri Patterson (groin), as questionable for Sunday's contest. Gibson was not listed on the injury report earlier in the week, indicating however he hurt his hip, it happened in practice. He had been listed on the injury report prior to the Ravens game, also landing in the questionable category, with an ankle injury, but he was able to play, recording four receptions for 74 yards.
Patterson has not been able to practice or play since the Dolphins' Week 1 victory over the Cleveland Browns. In that game, Patterson recorded two interceptions along with two tackles. He was limited in practice throughout this week, but does appear like he will be ready to play come Sunday.
Questionable, by definition, means there is a 50-50 chance the player will play.
Under probable, the Dolphins listed safety Chris Clemons (knee), punter Brandon Fields (back), tackle Nate Garner (knee), defensive end Dion Jordan (ankle), linebacker Koa Misi (shoulder/knee), center Mike Pouncey (ankle), linebacker Jason Trusnik (rib), defensive end Cameron Wake (knee), and tackle Will Yeatman (shoulder). All nine players were full participants in practice on Friday.
After practice Wake, who left the team's Week 3 game against the Atlanta Falcons with a sprained MCL early, then missed all of the Week 4 Monday Night Football game at the New Orleans Saints, and then started against the Ravens in Week 5, but only played three snaps, was not as positive about his being ready for Sunday as a "probable" listing would make it seem . According to the Palm Beach Post's Andrew Abramson, Wake said after practice he's not yet sure he will be able to play.
On the other side, the Dolphins' opponents this weekend, the AFC East division rival Buffalo Bills, listed seven players as probable for Sunday: cornerback Ron Brooks (foot), wide receiver Stevie Johnson (back), linebacker Mann Lawson (hamstring), quarterback Thaddeus Lewis (foot), running back C.J. Spiller (ankle), defensive tackle Kyle Williams (Achilles/illness), defensive end Mario Williams (hip). Kyle Williams was the only player to not be a full participant in Friday's practice from the group, sitting out the day with his illness. Spiller is so probable for Sunday, he was actually listed twice on the report.
The Bills did rule out starting quarterback E.J. Manuel due to his knee injury. Lewis should start this week, while the Bills signed free agent quarterback Matt Flynn as their primary backup.
The Bills and Dolphins will kickoff in the 1pm ET slot this Sunday.
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