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Dolphins-Bills game moved to prime time, but on a Saturday. Dolphins add Eric Fisher

The NFL on Monday opted to assign the Dolphins-Bills game to a Saturday night, Dec. 17 slot on NFL Network instead of the more appealing Sunday night, Dec. 18 slot on NBC.

The NFL ultimately bypassed the Dolphins-Bills game for its marquee Sunday night NBC package, opting instead for a Giants-Washington Commanders game.

The downside is that the Dolphins must play the Bills on a short week. Miami will play at the Chargers on Sunday night on NBC, then fly home overnight to South Florida, and then have a few days to prepare before flying to Buffalo on Friday, Dec. 16 and playing the next night.

NFL Network initially planned to move two of these five games to Saturday slots: Dolphins-Bills, Giants-Commanders, Baltimore-Cleveland, Indianapolis-Minnesota and Atlanta-New Orleans.

But the league instead decided to move three of those games to NFL Network on Dec. 17: Colts-Vikings at 1 p.m., Ravens-Browns at 4:30 and Dolphins-Bills at 8:15.

CBS-4 in South Florida will carry a simulcast of NFL Network’s Dolphins-Bills telecast.

Giants-Commanders was moved to NBC on Sunday night, replaced a Patriots-Raiders games, which was shifted to 4:05 on Fox. Washington and New York played to a tie on Sunday, and the NFL anticipates a competitive rematch in prime time on NBC on Dec. 18.

CBS protected the Cincinnati-Tampa Bay game from poaching that weekend, and that game will air in much of the country at 4:25 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 18.

DOLPHINS ADD FISHER

The Dolphins are signing veteran offensive tackle Eric Fisher and moving Austin Jackson to injured reserve, meaning Jackson will miss at least the next four games. Miami has five regular season games remaining.

Fisher, 31, has started 128 games in a nine-year NFL career, including 15 for the Colts last season. Fisher played his first eight seasons with Kansas City before playing for the Colts last season, where he allowed seven sacks and was rated the 86th-best tackle by Pro Football Focus.

Fisher, the first overall pick of the 2013 Draft, made the Pro Bowl in 2018 and 2020 but hasn’t played in the league this season.

Fisher gives the Dolphins a third veteran healthy tackle, along with Greg Little and Brandon Shell, who started on Sunday against the 49ers. Terron Armstead’s status for Sunday’s Chargers game remains in question because of a pectoral injury.

Per PFF, Shell — playing right tackle — gave one sack and three pressures against the 49ers. PFF said Little, at left tackle, allowed one pressure and no sacks.

Nick Bosa had three sacks for the 49ers, and PFF blamed those on Shell, running back Jeff Wilson Jr. and center Connor Williams.