Will Tua Tagovailoa Play Again This Season?

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered another scary concussion in Week 2 against the Buffalo Bills and hasn't returned to play since. He lowered his head on a run in an attempt to get a first down and collided with the arm of opposing defender Damar Hamlin, leading to the injury.

The Dolphins quarterback hasn't returned to play since. He was placed on injured reserve and visited with independent neurologists to assess the condition of his brain. Rumors have swirled about his potential retirement from the league, and he's not eligible to return to play until Week 8.

Will Tua Tagovailoa return to the Dolphins and play again this season?

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Will Tua Tagovailoa Play Again This Season?

He likely will. He hasn't expressed any desire to retire, and the Dolphins organization hasn't indicated that retirement is a possibility. Head coach Mike McDaniel appears confident that he will return as well.

🎥 Mike McDaniel reveals Tua Tagovailoa will meet with experts this week as he nears his return: "There's some expert consultation that he has scheduled for this week... the final stages of protocol won't be achieved until we bring him back off IR." (@MiamiDolphins) #GoFins pic.twitter.com/7YkbgGMqg8

— FinsXtra (@FinsXtra) October 7, 2024

As McDaniel stated, the fifth-year pro will need to clear the last stages of concussion protocol before he can play another down. He's reportedly been symptom-free for some time, which is good news. While fantasy managers should be ready for the possibility that his return is delayed, it's unlikely he'll be declared out for all of 2024.

🚨 Adam Schefter with an update on Tua Tagovailoa’s return: “[Tua] has been symptom free and he has been meeting with neurologists and I don’t believe that anybody’s told him anything right now to dissuade him from wanting to play.” (@ESPNNFL) #GoFins pic.twitter.com/IbESAAKO6N

— FinsXtra (@FinsXtra) September 30, 2024

A return to practice in October is likely. This would put him on track for a return to play during Weeks 8-9.

Report: Tua Tagovailoa on track to return to practice later this month https://t.co/LUOY5pppvh

— Dolphin Nation (@Dolphin_Nation) October 8, 2024

Tua Tagovailoa Fantasy Football Outlook

He's a fine fill-in for bye weeks or injuries to the top quarterbacks, but in single-QB leagues, he's not particularly startable. He'll have virtually no rushing upside after the latest injury incident. Expect his coach to repeatedly warn him not to run the ball for risk of further head injuries.

No Tua no wins... The Dolphins have won two of their previous 10 games without Tua Tagovailoa as the starter (including playoffs). pic.twitter.com/1LEsl3i7cT

— Pete Collins (@Pete_Collins_) October 2, 2024

The bigger impact on fantasy relevance is to the Miami skill-position players. They've done virtually nothing while Tagovailoa has been out, and they need him back in a big way. Luckily for everyone, he should return and become a must-start in multi-QB leagues and a solid bench stash in normal leagues.

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