It will be Conner, Dulcich for Dolphins. Waddle injury news
The Dolphins likely will play the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday without either of their top two tight ends.
Not only is Darren Waller out with a pectoral injury, but Julian Hill is unlikely to play because of an ankle injury, coach Mike McDaniel said Friday.
Meanwhile, receiver Jaylen Waddle has been dealing with issues with both hamstrings, but McDaniel said he expects Waddle to play at the Falcons (1 p.m., CBS 4). McDaniel attributed the hamstring issues to “the rigors of football.”
The injuries to Waller and Hill leave Tanner Conner and Greg Dulcich as the only healthy tight ends on the 53-man roster. Dulcich was promoted from the practice squad this week after Waller was placed on injured reserve with the strained pectoral muscle, an injury sustained in last Sunday’s loss in Cleveland.
“Both guys we feel very good about it,” McDaniel said of Conner and Dulcich.
Conner has seven catches for 85 yards and has played 121 offensive snaps in seven games, after playing 25, 20 and 25 offensive snaps in his first three seasons with the Dolphins.
Does he feel a bigger burden with Waller and Hill out?
“I don’t feel any more responsibility [than usual],” Conner said. “I might take more snaps than I usually do. I’ll do the best I can.”
He said his uptick in production and playing time has “been cool because the only thing I’ve ever wanted in the NFL is to be an impact player for offenses. Now that I can actually make a few plays a game, that’s all I can ever ask for.”
Conner was a receiver at Idaho State, but the Dolphins immediately moved him to tight end after signing him as an undrafted free agent in 2022. He has worked for three years to get his blocking to the level required of an NFL tight end.
Conner has played the in-line blocking position in preseason and a few snaps in the regular season. That’s a strength of Hill.
“I haven’t been quite the point of attack blocker like a Julian Hill,” Conner said. “On my assignments I had, I’ve done pretty well. I’ve actually set the edge on a couple and sprung a few runs. I’m super happy about that because obviously it has been an area of focus for me for the past couple of years.”
He said both he and Dulcich have received “a lot of reps” this week, including in the in-line line blocker role.
“I definitely do more traditional Y [blocking] stuff in preseason in case something like this happens,” he said. With blocking, “for me, it’s all about leverage and angles, similar to Alec Ingold. He’s not the biggest guy in the world, but he’s phenomenal using leverage. For me, it’s being able to apply that in a short distance.”
McDaniel said Conner “has done a ton of work at tight end and backup fullback. Over the years, he had really struggled to stay healthy. His game has grown in-line and [with his] route tree.”
Dulcich hasn’t appeared in a game since logging 27 snaps over the final six games for the Giants last season, after the Broncos released him Thanksgiving week. He has 41 catches for 464 catches and two touchdowns in 2 1/2 seasons for Denver, where he made 10 starts as a 2022 third-round pick out of UCLA.
“I always want to be a complete tight end; that’s what I’m striving for,” he said. “I’ve got to do a better job as a run blocker, pass blocker, pass catcher”.
Offensive coordinator Frank Smith said Dulcich, who was moved from the practice squad to the 53-man roster this week, “has got really good ball skills, good speed downfield. He has really good natural pass game awareness. He’s good at yards after the catch. The hangup has been staying on the field - with injury issues.”
McDaniel said he’s pleased how Dulcich has looked in practice and how he has picked up the offense.
If the Dolphins want a third tight end active on Sunday, they could elevate Hayden Rucci or Chris Myarick from the practice squad.
Meanwhile, McDaniel said Friday that Waller’s pectoral injury is not season-ending. Because he was placed on injured reserve, he must sit out at least four games.
This and that
▪ McDaniel said he would watch Friday’s practice before deciding whether Zach Wilson or Quinn Ewers will be the No. 2 quarterback this week.
He said both have responded well to the competition and had their best week of practice. Ewers, the rookie seventh-round pick, was No. 2 against Cleveland, the first time that has happened this season.
▪ McDaniel declined to say if there will be lineup changes Sunday. Asked about running back Jaylen Wright, he said he wants to get him more involved. Wright was inactive for the Carolina and Chargers games and didn’t play an offensive snap against Cleveland.
This story was originally published October 24, 2025 at 11:47 AM.
