What Dolphins' injuries mean for Bills in Week 3 divisional matchup

Not only has the Miami Dolphins’ pride been bruised over the course of two straight losses to begin the season, they’ve also had a few players banged up along the way.

Entering this week’s meeting with the Buffalo Bills, it’s already been declared that two Dolphins’ defensive starters will miss the AFC East tilt.

And Miami could be without a few more impact players by the time the two teams kick off on Thursday night, making what is already expected to be a blowout perhaps an even more lopsided matchup between these two teams.

The Dolphins were already expected to have one of the worst coverage units in the NFL this season, and to begin the year, their secondary has been depleted, which has exacerbated those concerns.

Miami’s top cornerback, Storm Duck, sustained an ankle injury during the team’s Week 1 matchup with the Indianapolis Colts and missed Week 2 against the New England Patriots. He has also been deemed out for this week’s game against the Bills, per Miami’s official injury report. Additionally, starting safety Ifeatu Melifonwu will be absent for the Dolphins this week due to a calf injury.

Duck’s absence will bring to the forefront a familiar face for Bills fans, as former Buffalo cornerback Rasul Douglas earned the start at CB this past week and is expected to do the same in Week 3.

Last week against the Patriots, Douglas allowed one reception for six yards, per NFL Pro. At safety, Miami will rely even more heavily upon first-year Dolphin Minkah Fitzpatrick, whose services the team obtained through a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason. Opposite Fitzpatrick it will be either Ashtyn Davis or Dante Trader getting the start at the safety position.

The Miami secondary has been gashed through the first two weeks of the season, allowing opposing quarterbacks Daniel Jones of the Colts and Drake Maye of the Patriots to complete over 75% of their passes, including an 82.6-percent clip from Maye in Week 3. Now, it will face off with the reigning MVP in Bills QB Josh Allen without two of its top options in the back end.

Elsewhere on the Dolphins’ defense, linebacker Chop Robinson (knee), one of the team’s top pass rushers, has been deemed questionable, along with defensive tackle Benito Jones (oblique).

Robinson’s absence would make slowing the Bills’ potent offense, particularly quarterback Josh Allen and the passing game, even more challenging for Miami this week. Robinson, a 2024 first-round pick, recorded a sack and a couple of pressures in last week’s matchup with New England, per NFL Pro. The Bills have allowed Allen to be sacked just twice in two weeks this season and boast one of the most effective offensive lines in the league.

Finally, wide receiver Jaylen Waddle is also listed as questionable to play on Thursday due to a shoulder injury. The former first-round pick is one of the Dolphins’ top two targets on the outside and has recorded nine receptions for 98 yards and a touchdown through the first two weeks of the season.

If Waddle cannot play, that would make things a bit easier for veteran cornerback Tre’Davious White, who is expected to make his second start of the season against Miami. The Bills were stifling against the pass in their win over the Jets, limiting New York’s starting quarterback, Justin Fields, to just 27 yards passing before he exited the game in the fourth quarter due to a concussion.

Each team’s list of inactive players will be announced at 6:45 p.m. on Thursday night, providing clarity on those above listed as questionable.

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