NFL Trade Rumors: Miami Dolphins Running Back Raheem Mostert Expected to Miss Week 3

The Miami Dolphins backfield has another big problem on its hands. During his Friday media availability, head coach Mike McDaniel revealed that he is "pessimistic" that running back Raheem Mostert will be available for Sunday's game against the Seattle Seahawks.

Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel said he’s “pessimistic” that RB Raheem Mostert will play Sunday at Seattle.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 20, 2024

The news follows the Dolphins placing starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa on injured reserve following his Week 2 concussion in Thursday Night Football's 31-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills. Tagovailoa will miss a minimum of four games.

Mostert has been unavailable since suffering a chest injury in Week 1. He practiced in a limited fashion throughout this week, but either coaches didn't like what they saw, or Mostert continues to endure significant discomfort.

Mostert was one of the Dolphins' most valuable players last season, rushing for 1012 yards and compiling an NFL-best 21 total touchdowns. The overall effectiveness of the Dolphins' rushing attack was a big reason they finished second in scoring with 29.2 points per game last season; their 5.1 yards per rushing attempt led the league.

Given Mostert and Tagovailoa's early-season struggles, it's looking increasingly unlikely the Dolphins will match last year's success. Through two weeks, they've scored a mere 30 total points, and their rushing attack has plummeted to a plodding 3.7 yards per attempt. If they're going to stay in the playoff hunt, they'll need to right the ship soon.