Dolphins Injury Update: Caleb Douglas Out vs. Chiefs

Originally posted on Dolphins Talk | By Noah Clark | Last updated Sep 25, 2026 1:29 PM ET

Dolphins Injury Update: Caleb Douglas Out vs. Chiefs

The Miami Dolphins will enter Sunday’s home opener against the Kansas City Chiefs dealing with several injuries, including one that will keep a key rookie wide receiver out of the lineup.

Wide receiver Caleb Douglas has been ruled out for Sunday’s game with an ankle injury he suffered in Miami’s Week 2 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Douglas did not practice Wednesday or Thursday and will now miss the first game of his young NFL career.

That’s a significant loss for a Dolphins offense already searching for consistency.

Douglas has quickly established himself as one of Miami’s more intriguing young offensive players. Through his first two NFL games, the rookie has seven receptions for 113 yards on 10 targets, including a five-catch, 94-yard performance in his NFL debut.

Unfortunately for Miami, Douglas isn’t the only receiver dealing with an injury.

Ryan Miller, who provided Miami’s biggest offensive play against San Francisco with a long touchdown reception, is dealing with hip and back injuries. Miller was limited Wednesday before being downgraded to a non-participant Thursday.

Rookie Chris Bell has also been limited this week because of his knee. Bell continues to work his way back after tearing his ACL during his final college season at Louisville. Bell said this week that he plans to play Sunday, which matters given the current state of Miami’s receiving corps.

With Douglas unavailable and Miller’s status uncertain, the Dolphins could be forced to lean more heavily on Malik Washington, Jalen Tolbert and Bell against Kansas City.

There is better news on the defensive side of the football.

Chop Robinson has cleared concussion protocol and is expected to return after missing last week’s game against San Francisco. Robinson practiced fully on Wednesday and Thursday and has said he plans to wear a Guardian Cap going forward.

His return couldn’t come at a better time.

Miami is still searching for its first sack of the 2026 season, and trying to generate pressure against Patrick Mahomes without one of the team’s top pass rushers would have made an already difficult assignment even tougher.

However, fellow edge defender Rob Beal Jr. remains a concern. Beal did not practice Wednesday or Thursday because of a hamstring injury.

Running back Jaylen Wright is another player to monitor. Wright has been dealing with both a stinger and a foot injury and was limited during the first two practices of the week.

Cornerback JuJu Brents (knee) and long snapper Tucker Addington (shoulder) were also limited, while cornerback Chris Johnson (shoulder) and tight end Seydou Traore (thumb) were full participants Thursday.

For a Dolphins team sitting at 0-2 and preparing to face the undefeated Chiefs, the timing isn’t ideal.

The biggest concern may be at wide receiver. Douglas is officially out, while Miller and Bell have both been on the injury report. That could force Miami to shuffle its receiver rotation and create opportunities for players who haven’t had major roles during the first two weeks.

The positive development is Robinson’s return. Miami desperately needs more pressure off the edge, and getting one of its best young defensive players back for a matchup against Mahomes could provide a much-needed boost.

Now the Dolphins will wait to see how much healthier the rest of the roster can get before Sunday’s home opener.

This article first appeared on Dolphins Talk and was syndicated with permission.

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