Dolphins Activating Jaelan Phillips from PUP List

What They're Saying

NFL Network's Cameron Wolfe: "[Phillips] has been seen running well during rehab sessions in recent weeks."

HC Mike McDaniel said Monday that he's been impressed with the way Phillips stayed patient in his rehab -- but didn't appear to offer any insight into the player's early-season plan.

2024 Fantasy Football Impact

This is obviously a big positive step for Phillips. The team would have needed to keep him on the PUP throughout August to have the option of putting him on the list to open the regular season.

Of course, Phillips' return to practice now doesn't necessarily mean he'll be ready for normal duty come September. And even if he's active and starting Week 1, we're not likely to get a full-strength version.

Phillips relies heavily on speed off the edge and explosion off the snap. His calves and ankles obviously factor pretty heavily into creating that explosion. So any lingering weakness in that area is bound to limit his performance.

We'll keep watching for updates on his status and outlook as the season draws closer. But don't expect Phillips to start for your fantasy football team early in the year as you're deciding whether to draft him in your IDP league.

Other Winners & Losers

The Dolphins' team defense can only benefit from getting Phillips back. I'll bet on McDaniel and staff being smart in how they use Phillips as he continues to work back to full strength.

Having the 25-year-old in a limited role would hurt his chances of being usable in IDP formats. But getting any pass-rush contributions would help a defense with little proven, healthy talent on the edges.

Fellow edge Bradley Chubb (ACL) remains on the PUP list.

Rankings Movement

I started Phillips way down our DL rankings, assuming he'd miss some time at the start of the regular season.

Like I said, there's still a chance he does. But this activation obviously gives a big boost to Phillips' chances of playing early.

I've given him a playing-time boost in the projections. But I still don't recommend targeting a speed rusher who won't be a year beyond his Achilles' tear until late December.

Injury History: New Developments & Historical Context

Players across positions typically don't perform near their peak at any point in that first season following an Achilles' tear. It's atypical for a player to even take the field less than a year after the injury, though we've seen several examples in recent seasons.

Any lack of explosiveness as Phillips continues to work back to full strength could be amplified in his performance at a position that relies heavily on explosiveness.