The New England Patriots (4-3) will once again feel the impact of key absences in their Week 8 divisional tilt with the Miami Dolphins (1-5). 

Now under 90 minutes until kickoff, each team has revealed their lists of game day inactives — including several offensive contributors for the visitors. New England has been shorthanded on a weekly basis through the first two months of the 2026 regular season, and their trip down to Miami Gardens will be no different.

Here’s who’s in — and out — of the Patriots’ AFC East clash against the Dolphins:

The following players on New England’s’ 53-man roster will not be active for today’s game:

Fresh off of 10 days’ rest between Week 7’s Thursday Night Football loss at the Chicago Bears and their contest today, early expectations would have suggested that the Patriots’ return to health would continue. Instead, they’ll be without their top receiving option on the perimeter, A.J. Brown, for the fifth time this season. Brown was unable to finish Wednesday’s practice with a knee injury and did not participate on Thursday or Friday, initially being listed as “questionable” for Sunday before ultimately being downgraded to “out” on Saturday. 

TreVeyon Henderson (illness) and Marcus Bryant (ankle) followed that same trajectory. Henderson did not practice all week before being downgraded on Saturday, while Bryant has been designated to return from injured reserve, but has not yet been activated to the 53-man roster.

Miami will not be dressing the following players against New England:

Much like the Patriots, the Dolphins’ most impactful absence will be on the offensive side of the football. Offensive guard/tackle Kadyn Proctor was ruled out on Friday with a concussion that kept him sidelined during the week of practice. The rookie first-round pick (No. 12 overall) had previously started all six of Miami’s games at left guard  to begin the regular season after spending his collegiate career at tackle for the Alabama Crimson Tide. A major blow to the interior of the home team’s offensive line.

Aside from New England’s heavy-hitters on offense being ruled out, the remainder of their injury report for Week 8 leaves room for optimism moving forward.

The Patriots only listed two players as questionable for Sunday after their Saturday downgrades: Carlton Davis III and Christian Elliss. Both will be suiting up when the action begins.

Davis (neck) was originally injured in the regular season opener and has been working his way back to a consistent role in the lineup ever since. He missed Week 2, returned for Weeks 3 and 4, but has not been active since October 4. Paired with Christian Gonzalez’s brief absence, Davis’ availability will mark the first time since Week 3 that New England will roll out their full complement of starters in the secondary. 

Elliss (chest) has been listed as questionable for each contest since Week 4, but has not missed a game. The hard-hitting linebacker is coming off of a career outing that included 13 tackles, one tackle-for-loss, two quarterback hits, and five defensive stops against Chicago — a showcase of his rise to prominence as one of the Patriots’ most reliable defenders this season.

Elsewhere, New England will receive a major boost along the interior of the offensive line with the return of Ben Brown (knee). Prior to his Week 7 absence, Brown played 48% of the offensive snaps and allowed no sacks with a 4.7% pressure rate (six total pressures) and a pass-block win-rate of 92.4% (per PFF).

The Patriots also listed Kevin Byard III (chest), Channing Canada (hamstring), DaQuan Jones (back), Dre’Mont Jones (shoulder), Drake Maye (right shoulder), Morgan Moses (foot), and Karon Prunty (hamstring) on the injury report during the week, but none carried statuses into game day.

Miami listed two players as questionable for Sunday’s matchup: cornerbacks JuJu Brents (neck/concussion) and Reese Taylor (quad). 

Brents started the week as a non-participant and worked his way back to full participation but Friday, while Taylor last saw game action in Week 4 in the Dolphins’ 15-10 loss to the Minnesota Vikings.

Miami also listed quarterback Malik Willis (groin), running back Jaylen Wright (foot/quad), wide receivers Malik Washington (knee) and Jared Wayne (knee), tight ends Greg Dulcich (ankle) and Will Kacmarek (hamstring), and safeties Michael Taaffe (neck/foot) and Dante Trader Jr. (shoulder) on the injury report during the week, but none carried injury designations into Sunday.

Each team made multiple roster transactions prior to game day, including practice squad elevations and signings to the 53-man roster:

On Saturday, New England signed running back Lan Larison to the 53-man roster and elevated wide receiver Ryan Miller from the practice squad.

Larison was previously elevated from the practice squad for the season-opener against the Seattle Seahawks and had two more elevations remaining, making his signing to the 53-man roster a slight surprise. He was the final man on the outside looking in on cutdown day, as the Patriots swung a trade with Minnesota to land guard Walter Rouse near the deadline. Larison joins Rhamondre Stevenson and Corey Kiner in the New England backfield without the services of Henderson.

Miller was signed to the practice squad on October 19 after beginning the 2026 regular season with the Dolphins — where he appeared in five games and recorded three receptions, 92 yards, and scored on a 77-yard touchdown reception against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 2. He’ll be the fourth active wide receiver on the Patriots’ game day roster, joining Efton Chism III, DeMario Douglas, and Kyle Williams.

Miami made two waiver claims and two practice squad elevations ahead of Sunday.

The Dolphins’ waiver claims came in the wake of two trades made around the league this week. When the Indianapolis Colts sent All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson to Seattle, the Seahawks waived third-year guard Christian Haynes to make space on the roster. Miami filed a claim for Haynes and was awarded the player, who was a former third-round pick (No. 81 overall) in the 2024 NFL Draft by the Seahawks. Likewise, the Bears waived edge rusher Jamree Kromah after finalizing a trade with the Tennessee Titans to acquire All-Pro defensive tackle Jeffrey Simmons — and the Dolphins were the beneficiary of that roster cut. Kromah recorded two tackles against New England in Week 7.

For the second consecutive week, Miami elevated kicker Zane Gonzalez and edge rusher Max Llewellyn from the practice squad. Gonzalez was added to the practice squad on October 20 after the Dolphins released Riley Patterson, while Llewellyn was selected in the seventh round (No. 238 overall) of the 2026 NFL Draft by Miami after spending his collegiate career with the Iowa Hawkeyes.

What are your predictions for Sunday’s AFC East clash between the Patriots and Dolphins? Drop your thoughts in the comments below and join the conversation on Patriots Roundtable.

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