Dolphins’ McDaniel updates Waddle’s ankle injury and addresses other issues

Dolphins receiver Jaylen Waddle, who departed during the second half of Sunday’s win against Dallas, has a high ankle injury, and the team is doing more tests to determine the severity.

The Dolphins originally believed Waddle had a shin injury but later determined it’s an ankle issue, coach Mike McDaniel said Monday.

Waddle has shaken off at least seven injuries this season while missing only one game.

But high ankle sprains often cause players to miss time. According to the Cleveland Clinic, severe high ankle sprains can take as many as six to eight weeks to fully heal. Less severe high ankle sprains could take in the range of two weeks to heal. So Waddle’s status for the Baltimore game seems dubious.

“Those can be tricky,” McDaniel said of high ankle injuries.

The Dolphins have two regular season games remaining. The Dolphins would get a first-round playoff bye if they secure the AFC’s No. 1 overall seed.

Regarding how quickly Waddle will return to the lineup, McDaniel said: “It gives me optimism because of the individual and what he has gone through for sure.

“He’s had other things that might take other players... take longer to come back from. I do have a lot of confidence in him in those situations. He’s a really tough player, and has battled through some tough things.”

The Dolphins have five healthy receivers on the 53-man roster: Tyreek Hill, Cedrick Wilson Jr., Braxton Berrios, Chase Claypool and River Cracraft. Robbie Chosen is in concussion protocol.

Running back Raheem Mostert told reporters on Sunday that he sustained a shin injury during the game. Though he returned to the game, he played sparingly in the second half.

McDaniel said Mostert wanted to return to the game in the second half, but “we could tell it was pretty painful at times.” That’s why his second half playing time was limited.

“Thought that gave us the best chance in that particular situation,” McDaniel said of using De’Von Achane and Jeff Wilson Jr. as the primary running backs in the second half.

Meanwhile, McDaniel said he is “very optimistic” that right tackle Austin Jackson will play on Sunday at Baltimore. Jackson was active for the Dallas game but the team planned to use Kendall Lamm - and did - because Jackson was limited last week with his oblique injury.

Jackson “was a warrior to even be able to dress” against Dallas, McDaniel said. “We kind of knew it would go down to the wire, which it did.

“To be able [to play] through the whole game, we thought that was unfair [to Jackson]. We have so much confidence in Kendall; that was the most appropriate thing to do.”

McDaniel addressed other issues during his Monday media availability, as the team turns its attention to Sunday’s game at Baltimore (1 p.m., CBS):

▪ On facing the Ravens: “You want to be playing the best teams in December and January. We are fortunate to have the opportunity to play the Baltimore Ravens this week.

“This past week does help the team in general because you are finding out about yourself deep down that you are capable of beating any team.”

▪ On Tyreek Hill returning from an ankle injury to catch nine passes for 99 yards against Dallas:

“Tyreek has been living in the training room. That’s what you need from captains, star players.... For a captain to step up and play the second most snaps he has all season, coming off an injury, says he was all in.”

▪ Asked about defensive coordinator Vic Fangio’s decision not to have Jalen Ramsey shadow Cowboys receiver CeeDee Lamb, McDaniel said “it’s easy to say shadow someone with someone” but doing that would somewhat negate this defensive advantage that McDaniel cited:

With the way Fangio runs his defense, opponents have “very little intel with what is about the happen,” McDaniel said. “That, combined with the pass rush, is really what made our pass defense go. When you shadow, there is a gain but it does adjust your entire tool box.

“It’s one reason why Vic is elite as a defensive coordinator; he... understands the pros and cons of everything.... We have a lot of tools. We haven’t really displayed all of them to this point.”

Lamb caught six passes for 118 yards and a touchdown. None of his 10 targets came with Ramsey in coverage.

Here’s my Monday piece, updated after the Raiders’ upset win in Kansas City, with all of the Dolphins’ seeding permutations, what they must do to win the division and get the No. 1 overall AFC seed, and potential first-round opponents.

Here’s my Monday piece with lots of notes by position, including a look at Tua Tagovailoa’s impressive feats and where he stands with two weeks remaining in the regular season.