The Miami Dolphins offense will soon welcome wide receiver River Cracraft.

Head coach Mike McDaniel said before Wednesday’s practice that Cracraft’s three-week practice window will open on this day, meaning he could return as soon as Sunday — or any time in the next three weeks.

The Dolphins designated Cracraft to return when they placed him on injured reserve (IR) on Aug. 27, taking advantage of the new rule that allows teams to designate two players to return during the move to the 53-man limit (all players had to be in the original 53 to be designated for return prior to this season).

This tells us the Dolphins knew Cracraft’s shoulder injury wasn’t season-ending and valued him enough to use one of their eight return designations on him.

Cracraft was injured during the preseason when he caught a touchdown pass from Tua Tagovailoa against the Washington Commanders.

Cracraft is one of three players the Dolphins have already used the return designation on, along with Tagovailoa and cornerback Cam Smith, who was also placed on IR in August.

The Dolphins have five other players on IR who are eligible to be designated to return – WR Braxton Berrios, WR Grant DuBose, QB Tyler Huntley, DB Pat McMorris and LB Jaelan Phillips. However, Berrios and Phillips have ACL injuries that will keep them out for the entire season. Long snapper Blake Ferguson will also figure against the eight return designations if he is brought back from the reserve/non-football Illness list.

The Dolphins still have three players on PUP who don’t count toward the eight-designation limit: LB Bradley Chubb, OL Isaiah Wynn and LB Cameron Goode. McDaniel said Wednesday that he doesn’t have a timetable for the Wynn, but that it’s progressing well two days after his less-than-encouraging comments about Chubb.

The Dolphins have five wide receivers on the roster after Dee Eskridge was signed off the practice squad, and the question here is whether they would go six-on-53 when they activate Cracraft.

Let’s say the choice is to stay at five. In this case, it’s not ridiculous to suggest that Odell Beckham Jr.’s spot could be in jeopardyconsidering he played just 11 snaps in each of his three games and was targeted just three times overall, none in Sunday’s 28-27 loss against the Arizona Cardinals.

We know Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle aren’t going anywhere. The Dolphins like rookie sixth-round pick Malik Washington, and Eskridge brings value as the new starter.

Cracraft has caught just nine passes in each of the past two seasons, but it wouldn’t surprise anyone if he becomes the third wide receiver upon return.