Dolphins' Jay Ajayi: Active in Week 17 versus Patriots

Ajayi (shoulder) is active for Sunday's Week 17 tilt versus the Patriots.

Analysis:

Ajayi will suit up following a full practice on Friday, but the extent to which he remains in the game will likely depend on the flow of the contest. The Dolphins are guaranteed a playoff berth, but do have a chance of moving up to the No. 5 seed (which would draw them the Tom Savage-led Texans as opposed to the Steelers) with a win and Chiefs loss later in the afternoon. That said, the Patriots have the even greater motivation of clinching the AFC's No. 1 seed with a win themselves, which could lead to a large Dolphins deficit in the second half. If that indeed comes to pass, Ajayi could well be pulled at some point in the game's latter stages to avoid further trauma and keep him as healthy as possible for the postseason.