Pregame Notes | Dolphins vs. Jaguars

Dec 23, 2018 at 11:47 AM

Alain Poupart

Lead Writer

Rookie first-round pick **Minkah Fitzpatrick** will start at safety when the Dolphins face the Jacksonville Jaguars at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday.
Fitzpatrick will take the place of veteran **T.J. McDonald**, who will be inactive because of an ankle injury. McDonald was listed as doubtful on the final injury report of the week after not practicing.
Second-year player **Torry McTyer** will make his third start of the season at cornerback in place of Pro Bowl starter **Xavien Howard**.
Howard will miss his third consecutive game because of the knee injury he sustained against the Buffalo Bills on Dec. 2.
Howard was listed as questionable Friday after being limited in practice all week.
**Bobby McCain** is expected to start opposite McTyer.
Quarterback **Brock Osweiler** will be active despite being added to the injury report Sunday morning.
Osweiler, who will back up **Ryan Tannehill**, was listed as questionable with a back injury.
Linebacker **Kiko Alonso** and defensive tackle **Ziggy Hood** both will be active after being listed as questionable Friday.
Along with Howard and McDonald, the Dolphins inactives will be QB **David Fales**, G **Isaac Asiata**, T **Zach Sterup**, DT **Kendrick Norton** and WR **Isaiah Ford**.
Defensive end **Jonathan Woodard** will be active for the first time since the Oct. 25 game against the Houston Texans.
Defensive end **Andre Branch**, who spent his first four NFL seasons with the Jaguars, will serve as a game captain for the Dolphins.
The list of Jaguars inactives includes two of the four players who were ruled out Friday—WR DJ Chark Jr. and K Josh Lambo—as well as CB Tyler Patmon, RB T.J. Yeldon, LB Martrell Spaight, DT Eli Ankou and OL Brandon Thomas.
Patmon and Spaight both are former Dolphins players.
Safety Ronnie Harrison and OL Jermey Parnell both were placed on injured reserve Saturday.
The forecast for Miami Gardens, according to AccuWeather, calls for temperatures between 71-73 from 1 to 4 p.m. with sunny or mostly sunny skies and winds of 7-8 mph.
The Dolphins will be wearing their throwback uniforms for a third consecutive home game.