Sept. 11 (UPI) — Miami Dolphins running back Raheem Mostert will not play against the Buffalo Bills because of a chest injury, coach Mike McDaniel said Wednesday.
Mostert sustained the injury early on during the Dolphins’ win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday in Miami Gardens, Fla. The Dolphins will host the Buffalo Bills in their second game of the season Thursday at Hard Rock Stadium.
McDaniel also said that Dolphins running back De’Von Achane — listed as a co-starter with Mostert — will be evaluated Wednesday before a determination is made regarding his playing status. He is dealing with an ankle issue.
“We have several guys we will be feeling out and go from there,” McDaniel said.
Achane registered the most use among Dolphins running backs in Week 1, playing 37 of 71 (52%) offensive snaps. He totaled 17 touches for 100 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown. Mostert was in for 31 snaps (44%). He logged eight touches for 19 yards.
Backup running back Jeff Wilson Jr. totaled five carries for a team-high 26 rushing yards in Week 1. The Dolphins did not practice Monday and held a walkthrough Tuesday. They gave Mostert and Achane “did not practice” designations.
Rookie Jaylen Wright, who was a healthy inactive in Week 1, is the only other running back on the Dolphins roster.
Achane and Wright participated in practice Wednesday in Miami Gardens.
McDaniel said he had a sense that Mostert’s injury could heal in time, but didn’t rule out a multiple-week absence. The veteran running back appeared in 15 games last season, when he led the NFL with 18 rushing touchdowns and tied San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey with a league-best 21 total scores.
“My sense is it’s not something that time won’t take care of,” McDaniel said of Mostert’s injury. “However, I’m definitely not going to make him worse by setting my expectations for when he is going to play again.”
The Dolphins and Bills will kick off their AFC East divisional matchup at 8:15 p.m. EDT Thursday at Hard Rock Stadium. The game will air on Prime Video.
