When reporters approached Dolphins receiver Tyreek Hill immediately after he touched the ball just twice in Sunday’s loss to Indianapolis, he said: “Y’all don’t want me to talk today.”

But if Hill was stewing about his lack of involvement against the Colts (just two targets and one catch), he wasn’t admitting as much on Wednesday.

Any frustration, at least in front of reporters, was replaced by joy and relief about Tua Tagovailoa’s return to practice after missing five weeks, and four games, on injured reserve.

“He’s the franchise. Anybody that doesn’t see that or doesn’t believe it, go to another team,” Hill said. “I missed the dude bro. Me and him connected on a few deep shots today. I missed that. I told him I got to take him and his wife to dinner because I missed him so much. That [expletive] was so beautiful, that [expletive] almost made me cry... just hearing his voice. The respect I have for him, the respect this whole team has for him.”

Tagovailoa’s absence has impacted Hill’s numbers - and involvement - perhaps even more than anyone could have imagined.

During the four games that Tagovailoa has missed, Hill’s receiving yardage has been, in order, 40, 23, 69 and 8.

Hill’s two targets on Sunday were his fewest in 41 games, dating to a December 2021 game against Pittsburgh. His 8 receiving yards were his fewest since a January 2022 game in Denver.

Hill has gone from first in the league in receiving yardage a year ago to 48th at 294. He’s on pace for 833 receiving yards, which would be his lowest since his rookie season and well below his 1799 last year.

Mike McDaniel said he spoke with Hill on the plane ride home from Indianapolis. How did Hill react emotionally to the lack of involvement on Sunday?

“I was chilling; I was asleep after the game,” he said. “My mindset will be the same mindset every week [and that] is to win. I don’t care how many touches I have. If we had won the game 17-16 and I had two targets, I would have been fine with that. I just want to win. I’m at

a point in my life and my career where the most important thing is to win games…. If the stats come, they come.”

So has this been a tough month, with the unusually modest stats?

“This month has been great for me. My wife is about to have a beautiful baby girl. Football is football. You are going to have ups and downs. I understand how it goes. I’m not going to lose my head over football. I’m going to control what I can control, which is running the right routes, being in the right spot, being a good teammate.”

What does he say to people who play in him fantasy football and are disappointed in his stats?

“We’re back, baby. Strike up the [expletive] band! We’re back baby. Start me this week.”

INJURY UPDATE

Two Dolphins cornerbacks missed Wednesday’s practice with injuries: Kader Kohou (neck) and Storm Duck (ankle).

If neither can play, Cam Smith could get playing time Sunday after coming off injured reserve. He said he’s “no doubt” ready to contribute.

Smith had been playing well for several days in preseason before a hamstring injury in the second preseason game against Washington landed him on injured reserve.

“When it happened during the Commanders game, it was a little tweak,” he said. “I felt it pop a little bit. It wasn’t bad. Sitting down hurt. Once I got back moving, I felt straight.

“I’ve been feeling good since about Week 2. I’ve been conditioning my [butt] off and trying to get bigger overall.”

In an effort to prevent a recurrence of soft issue injuries, he said he’s stretching when he wakes up and before he goes to bed.

Asked how frustrating it was to begin the year injured - after playing just 20 defensive snaps as a rookie last season - Smith said: “Really can’t say it was disappointing. I thought I was doing good. Everything happens for a reason. Me being put on IR and getting treatment and rest I needed for it, that happened for a reason and I’m kind of grateful for it.”

▪ Besides Duck and Kohou, three others did not practice Wednesday: quarterback Tyler Huntley (who’s out Sunday with a shoulder injury) and Calais Campbell and Terron Armstead, who both got veteran’s rest days.

Five players were limited: Tagovailoa (who remains on track to play Sunday, presuming he clears concussion protocol), Liam Eichenberg (shoulders), Emmanuel Ogbah (bicep), Jevon Holland (hand) and Jaylen Waddle (quadriceps).