The Facts: Thompson will make his first career start Sunday with both Tua Tagovailoa and Teddy Bridgewater in concussion protocol. The Dolphins' only other healthy quarterback is practice squad quarterback Reid Sinnett; McDaniel said it is too early to tell whether they'll have to elevate him for Sunday's game.

Diehards Line: Tagovailoa will not play Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings, HC Mike McDaniel said Wednesday, but he will return to the practice field for football activities for the first time in nearly two weeks. Tagovailoa was cleared by multiple independent neurologists to resume limited football activities, McDaniel said, which would put him in Phase 3 of the NFL's return to participation protocol. It will be Tagovailoa's first practice since sustaining a concussion in a loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Sept. 29. There is a "definite scenario" in which Tagovailoa clears concussion protocol this week, but McDaniel said it would be a disservice to both Tagovailoa and the team if he were to play him Sunday. Bridgewater has not yet resumed football activities as of Wednesday, McDaniel said, but will do so during Thursday's practice. Even if he clears concussion protocol by Sunday's game, however, the Dolphins are moving forward with Thompson as their starter.