Going into training camp, past production and $6 million of guaranteed salary said Ernest Wilford was the Dolphins' No. 1 wide receiver. Coming out of another good training camp, Derek Hagan thought he was the No. 1 wide receiver.

Now they are the No. 1 and 2 wide receivers on the inactive list. So it was last week in Houston. And it might remain that way Sunday against Baltimore.

''I wouldn't say it was tough,'' said Hagan, who has been inactive in consecutive weeks. ``I would say it's something different because it's something I've never done. I've never been inactive until now. Obviously, there's certain things going on. Sometimes, they're only taking three or four wide receivers to the game. That's the main thing. It's not about how somebody's performing.

``Obviously, it's been difficult. I just take this as a positive. It just makes me work harder in practice.''

PERFORMANCE-BASED

Well, it's about performance on some level. The Dolphins' reasoning is simple: Whatever margin by which Wilford and Hagan beat out Greg Camarillo, Ted Ginn Jr., Devon Bess and Brandon London on performance at wide receiver -- if they beat them out at all -- it isn't enough to compensate for the fact that the other four contribute on special teams. Bess returns kickoffs and punts, Ginn returns punts (sometimes), and Camarillo and London work in special teams coverage.

''When you go to the game, right now we're taking four receivers,'' Dolphins offensive coordinator Dan Henning said. ``Who doesn't go to the games? It's usually the guys that don't contribute on special teams. When you're a first receiver, you're going to the game. If somebody takes your job as a first receiver and you're not a special teamer, you may slip to fourth or you may slip to fifth and that's the way it goes.''

Asked if the coaches had spoken to him about getting in more on special teams, Wilford said, ''Today's Friday,'' adhering to his custom of speaking to the media only on Thursday, a one-day policy that is in unintended symmetry with his one catch this season. Hagan has only three catches for 51 yards.

But what about the week of practice? And what about the defense being faced that week?

''I think you factor in all of those things, but the main concern is what they can do at the game for you. How many jobs they can do at the game?'' Sparano said. 'Ted Ginn, Camarillo, those guys are the people that you're bringing out into the forefront right now and saying, `Hey, you're attacking the defense.' These are the people that are playing first. After that, there might be a specialty in the red area, might be a specialty on third-down something that maybe one of the receivers can help us with that way.''

Certainly Wilford's 6-4 height could have been of use the first week against the Jets, when he was inactive and the Dolphins were throwing fade patterns to Bess, who is 5-10. But should they need that now, they might turn to London, who is 6-4 and possesses Wilford's height and possibly more athleticism. Although London didn't catch any passes against Houston, he didn't hurt himself by making the last key block on Patrick Cobbs' 80-yard screen-pass touchdown.

Sparano constantly lauds the way Camarillo ''makes himself available'' to the quarterback, words backed up by Chad Pennington's actions -- Camarillo is the Dolphins' leading receiver. Based on the starting of Ginn despite 16 catches and a meager 8.1 yards per catch for a player they hope becomes an explosive threat, they seem insistent on giving Ginn all the game time they can to help him round into being a receiver.

It's Hagan's third season. What happens in 2008 could propel his NFL career down the road or down the canyon of oblivion. Still, he's remains buoyant, at least publicly.

''That's just me,'' Hagan said. ``If you let a situation like this get to you, then it's going to cause you to not play well. I can't let something like this bother me. I know my time's going to come back around. It's not like I'm just done and finished. I'm working hard in practice. In certain games, they need certain players to do certain things. The past couple of years, they've been carrying five or six receivers into a game. It's totally different. It's something myself and the rest of the receivers are getting used to.

``None of us know going into each week who's going to be up and who's going to be down.''

CRAMER OUT SUNDAY

Fullback Casey Cramer has been listed as out for Sunday because of an ankle injury. Cornerback Will Allen (left knee) is listed as ''probable.'' Allen insisted Friday that he didn't miss a practice repetition Wednesday, but rather that he took each repetition required.

For Baltimore, cornerback Samari Rolle (shoulder and neck), a Miami Beach High product, safety Dawan Landry (neck), wide receiver/kick returner Yamon Figurs (knee) and offensive tackle Adam Terry (knee) are out. Safety Ed Reed, a big-play defender with the Ravens for seven seasons after doing the same thing at the University of Miami, is questionable because of a hamstring injury.

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