Caleb Douglas (ankle) won’t play vs. Chiefs

We expect Douglas to be listed as a non-participant today, just like yesterday. Douglas got his ankle rolled up on in Week 2, which is always a concerning injury. Fortunately, his foot was only planted for a moment, so he may have avoided the worst-case scenario. He was later seen wearing a boot. The prudent move is to expect Douglas to miss Week 3. Fellow Dolphins WR Chris Bell (knee) will either be listed as a non-participant or limited, but it sounds like it would be a very light limited, if so.

Douglas suffered an ankle injury in Miami’s Week 2 loss to the 49ers and did not return. He was spotted in a boot after the game. Hafley has been noncommittal when talking about Douglas’s Week 3 status, though we suspect he won’t suit up versus the Chiefs. Malik Washington is locked in as the team’s No. 1 receiver now, giving him some appeal as a FLEX option this week. Rookie Chris Bell should also see an uptick in routes, making him worth stashing in deeper leagues.

So it sounds like this wasn’t just a ding and in fact has a chance to keep him out for the week. He left Week 2’s game in a walking boot after catching 2-of-3 targets for 19 yards. Jalen Tolbert could replace Douglas on the active roster in Week 3 for those of you in 75-team leagues.

Douglas left the stadium in a walking boot, and while it is likely precautionary, it’s certainly something to monitor. The rookie got his ankle rolled up on while blocking late in the second half. He did escape being pinned quickly and was walking on the sideline, so perhaps it’s not a serious injury. Douglas appears to have the WR1 role for the Dolphins, playing on 51 of the team’s 56 snaps and running a route on 26 of Malik Willis’ 30 dropbacks, even counting the time missed with the ankle injury. The results may not be there early on, but Douglas remains worth a bench stash given his role.

Willis stood in the pocket, holding onto the ball too long when trailing the Raiders in the second half last week. He is currently nursing a toe injury, though scrambling faster, or at least throwing on the run, might help him achieve his new goal. Checking down to explosive RB De’Von Achane would also be smart, but the South Florida Sun-Sentinel’s David Furones instead highlighted Willis’ strong connection with rookie WR Caleb Douglas in his article on the subject. Getting the ball out of his hands quickly to either player would be a smart move. Willis’ Dolphins will likely be trailing often in the second half. Developing go-to responses to this situation would help out all involved for fantasy purposes.

In preseason play, Douglas showed a real knack for getting open downfield, whether stretching the seam from the slot or working along the sideline, particularly during the scramble drill. Those traits showed up again today. The rookie wide receiver delivered multiple double-digit gains. Douglas snagged a 25-yarder on 2nd-and-26 after getting open for QB Malik Willis, who had rolled out of the pocket, evading defenders. The play set up a successful field goal attempt, giving the Dolphins their first points of the day. He helped set up the Dolphins’ next successful field goal on the following drive by snagging a 30-yard pass on an in-breaking route from the slot. Douglas is officially on the FLEX radar on volume against the 49ers next week.

“We believe those guys deserve to start, and we’re gonna start them,” was Hafley’s matter-of-fact Wednesday statement. His words come after the ‘Fins officially listed the third-round rookies as starters on Tuesday. His “pitch count” comments pertain to Bell’s summer stint on the NFI list as he completed his recovery from torn ACL suffered last season at Louisville. Starting a pair of Day 2 receivers in Week 1 is far from ideal for anybody, but no less so than trotting out Jalen Tolbert. The Dolphins are fully committed to their rebuild, and rookies like Bell, Douglas and Kevin Coleman are the biggest potential beneficiaries. Bell and Douglas belong on 12-team league watch lists, with Coleman worth a dynasty stash.

Douglas has seemingly secured a starting role in his rookie season. The big-bodied downfield wide receiver looked good in the first preseason game and played just three snaps in the second one. The Dolphins are expected to field a run-heavy offense, but Douglas could warrant FLEX treatment before long. He should be targeted late in drafts.

Douglas is worth a late-round pick. Dolphins QB Malik Willis attempted five passes tonight, sending two his way. Both of Douglas’ targets were downfield throws. Douglas erred on the first. After managing to get wide open, running toward the right sideline, the rookie wide receiver experienced a blip in his spatial awareness and ended up securing the pass while stepping out of bounds. Willis gave him another chance on a vertical route from the slot, firing a long ball to the lanky receiver downfield. Douglas fought contact with his right hand while high-pointing the pass with his left, and critically retained possession as he landed hard on his back. The third-round rookie looks good.

Douglas has had some camp buzz after going 75th overall and appears to be holding off Tutu Atwell for a starting role. While this does not mean Douglas is necessarily going to be a fantasy factor this season, neither Malik Washington nor Jalen Tolbert have done much with their opportunities so far in their respective careers. It’s certainly possible — if not outright likely — that Douglas rides a high target share to be fantasy-interesting early.