Ollie Gordon Steps Up as Dolphins’ Running Back Room Takes a Hit
The Miami Dolphins’ depth at running back is bordering on translucent right now. First and foremost, the head of the snake of the Dolphins’ run game, De’Von Achane, exited the first quarter of Sunday’s loss to the Kansas City Chiefs with a knee injury, and he could potentially be out for a while. Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley said after the game that Achane’s injury status “doesn’t sound very optimistic” right now.
Then there’s Jaylen Wright, who didn’t even suit up against the Chiefs. He’s still recovering from a neck stinger and an additional foot injury he suffered in Week 2’s loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
Injuries to both Achane and Wright made Ollie Gordon II the next man up against the Chiefs, and with no one else for the Dolphins to turn to at the position, he fared decently. On the game, he finished with 41 rushing yards and scored the Dolphins’ only touchdown in the first quarter.
He could have been more efficient with his carries, however, as he averaged just 2.4 yards per carry, a far cry from the efficiency Achane has played with during his Dolphins career.
But that’s being nitpicky, and overall, Gordon was put in a tough spot as the default RB1 and responded by scoring the team’s only touchdown of the outing. The outing was a necessary step in the right direction for a young player in a backfield that’s looking quite depleted right now.
If the injury situation in the Dolphins’ running back room persists and neither Achane nor Wright suit up against the Minnesota Vikings, fans should be optimistic about Gordon’s readiness to contribute again in that game. The Vikings are undefeated at 3-0 and recently picked up a 23-16 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
