MIAMI GARDENS - The Miami Dolphins secured their second win of the 2024 NFL Preseason , besting the Washington Commanders 13-6. This game saw more starters than the first, including quarterback Tua Tagovailoa , who was flawless in the one drive he played , going 5-5 for 51 yards and one touchdown. Although Tagovailoa got the start, top receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle did not.
The absences left a void for another receiver to step up and be the first option with the starting quarterback on the field. It rarely happens, and it’s a golden opportunity ripe for the taking. One man put on his big boy pants and did just that, and his name is River Cracraft .
Coming into his third year with the Dolphins , Cracraft is known as a sure-handed receiver who finds himself open more times than not but has not gotten the touches necessary to make him a weekly threat, but that’s due to Miami having a top-heavy receiving core, and his inability to stay healthy. When Cracraft is on the field, he makes plays, and yesterday’s game against the Commanders was another feather in his cap as to why he’s trending toward being the Dolphins WR3. Although Cracraft only had two targets in his appearance, he made the most out of them.
The first target was the first offensive play of the game, where he ran a zone beater, finding a soft spot in the defense and gaining sixteen yards. Tagovailoa found him with confidence and got the drive to a quick start. The second and final target was a thirte.