The Sports Xchange

Miami Dolphins rookie wide receiver DeVante Parker (foot) practiced again Friday and appears poised to play in Sunday’s regular-season opener at the Washington Redskins.

The Dolphins have taken a cautious approach with Parker, who underwent offseason foot surgery. He has looked better than expected all week, and coach Joe Philbin said Parker knows enough of the offense to play a significant role Sunday.

“We wouldn’t put him out there if we don’t have faith in him,” Philbin said. “He’s come a long way and every day he is getting better. He is improving. All these practice reps that he has gotten in the last 10 days or so or two weeks, whatever it may be, (are) certainly helpful. You can see the progress on tape.”

–Running back LaMichael James is listed as the first-team kick and punt returner, although starting wide receiver Jarvis Landry is also an option on the return teams.

“We have some options, they’re good options,” Philbin said. “We’ve got obviously Jarvis has a history of production that he had from last year. We’ve used different combinations in the preseason. We’re going to do whatever we need to do and whatever we feel like is best to win the game.”

–Quarterback Ryan Tannehill has been praised by the coaching staff for his improved footwork and accuracy since the start of training camp, but Sunday marks the first true litmus test against a defense game-planning against the Dolphins’ offense and how well Tannehill reads the defense and knows when to escape the pocket.

“He’s played very effectively when he has played so far. But that’s an area, again, we’d like to see… We talk about the three primary job responsibilities – decision making, accuracy and playmaking,” Philbin said. “Part of the ability in playmaking sometimes is… maybe extending those plays or making plays. We all know he’s a very good athlete and he can make plays with his feet.”