Dolphins Camp Preview: Running Backs
The Miami Dolphins made a lot of changes this offseason hoping to make the playoffs for the first time since 2017 and win a playoff game for the first time since 2000.
The team hired former 49ers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel as its head coach, acquired highly touted offensive players like offensive tackle Terron Armstead and Tyreek Hill, and kept their entire 2021 starting defense together.
In order to prepare fans for a pivotal season, we’ve decided to break down each positional group on the roster by giving an outlook for each player, awarding superlatives, and analyzing key questions.
We continue our series with the running backs.
DOLPHINS RUNNING BACK OUTLOOKS
Raheem Mostert
2020 Stats (with San Francisco, injured in 2021 opener): 521 rushing yards, 2 TDs, 16 receptions, 156 receiving yards, 1 TD reception
2022 Outlook: Mostert signed a one-year deal with the Dolphins this offseason after spending six seasons with the 49ers. The big question surrounding Mostert is how healthy he will be when the Dolphins kick off the season. He missed essentially all of last season with a knee injury. Mostert tweeted in June that he was close to 100 percent.
Assuming Mostert is healthy, his experience with head coach Mike McDaniel and the outside zone offense he’s known for running should give him a leg up in the battle for the starting spot. Mostert’s speed and big-play ability shined with the 49ers, which is something the Dolphins have been missing in their running game the past couple of seasons.
Chase Edmonds
2021 Stats (with Arizona): 592 rushing yards, 2 rushing touchdowns, 43 receptions, 311 receiving yards
2022 Outlook: Edmonds signed a two-year contract this offseason coming over from the Arizona Cardinals. He is expected to bring a blend of explosive rushing ability and receiving prowess to Miami’s backfield this season.
Edmonds achieved career rushing yards, yards per run, and receiving yards last season while also seeing an increase in touches. He did miss time with a high ankle sprain last season as he only played in 12 games.
Edmonds will have a chance to be Miami’s starter in Week 1 regardless of Mostert’s health and likely will be a key fixture of the offense even if he doesn’t see the bulk of the carries.
Sony Michel
2021 Stats (with L.A. Rams): 845 rushing yards, 4 rushing TDs, 21 receptions, 128 receiving yards, 1 rushing TD
2022 Outlook: Michel is the newest member of the Dolphins’ backfield, signing with the team in May. There wasn’t a huge market for Michel’s services, but he can provide the Dolphins with several important abilities this coming season.
For starters, Michel is the team’s best power runner. He’ll give the Dolphins a strong option in short-yardage and goal-line situations. Additionally, Michel has extensive playoff experience winning two Super Bowls (2019, Patriots, and 2022, Rams).
Michel will probably be Miami’s third option but both Edmonds and Mostert missed time with injuries last season, meaning Michel could see a lot of carries at some point.
Myles Gaskin
2021 Stats: 612 rushing yards, 3 rushing TDs, 49 receptions, 234 receiving yards, 4 receiving TDs
2022 Outlook: After leading the Dolphins in rushing for two straight seasons, Gaskin’s outlook is much bleaker in 2022. He’ll have to beat out one of Michel, Edmonds, and Mostert to earn himself touches this season.
Gaskin does have one leg up on the three players ahead of him — availability. He played in all 17 games last season and, although Miami’s rushing game struggled (finished 30th in total rushing yards), Gaskin was a productive receiver out of the backfield.
If something happens to Edmonds, Gaskin is the most likely option to take his pass-catching opportunities.
Salvon Ahmed
2021 Stats: 149 rushing yards, 12 receptions, 117 receiving yards
2022 Outlook: Like Gaskin, Ahmed is going to have to jump a lot of names on the depth chart if he wants carries in 2022. He might have to battle for a spot on the 53-man roster, meaning his training camp could be spent proving he can play on special teams effectively.
Ahmed is a quality scheme fit who is capable of generating explosive plays on occasion, but he was inactive for four games last season and there are better players with the same running style already on Miami’s roster.
Gerrid Doaks
2021 Stats: Did not play
2022 Outlook: Doaks spent most of last season on the practice squad after the Dolphins selected him in the seventh round of the 2021 NFL draft. He will have to fight for a 53-man roster spot during training camp.
Doaks' college film showed a player who possesses good contact balance as a runner and showed he was a capable blocker on third down.
Za'Quandre White
2021 College Stats (South Carolina): 583 rushing yards, 2 rushing TDs, 19 receptions, 202 receiving yards, 3 receiving TDs
2022 Outlook: White signed with the Dolphins as a UDFA after the conclusion of the 2022 NFL draft. He’ll have to fend off some of the players ahead of him to earn a 53-man roster spot but could land on the team’s practice squad if he has a strong training camp.
White profiles as a power rusher capable of winning in short-yardage situations.
FB Alec Ingold
2021 Stats (Las Vegas): 2 carries, 1 rushing yard, 12 receptions, 85 receiving yards, 1 receiving TD
2022 Outlook: Ingold signed with the Dolphins this offseason to fill their fullback spot, which is an important part of McDaniel’s offense. Ingold’s primary role will be serving as a lead blocker, so his impact won’t show up in the box score a ton.
However, if Ingold is doing his job well, it will allow Miami to effectively use different running schemes to counter defenses who stack the line of scrimmage hoping to stop the outside zone.
DOLPHINS RUNNING BACK SUPERLATIVES
Breakout Candidate: Chase Edmonds
Most Underrated: Chase Edmonds
Fastest: Raheem Mostert
Best Receiver: Chase Edmonds
Toughest Runner: Sony Michel
Best Run Blocker: Alec Ingold
KEY DOLPHINS QUESTIONS AT RB
How will the Dolphins split their carries?
Miami acquired three running backs this offseason who have been productive members of a team in the past. However, there are only so many carries and touches to go around, so deciding who takes the lead early in the season will be important.
Looking back at McDaniel’s history, he’s had success designing a running game around multiple ball carriers. When he was the 49ers run game coordinator in 2019, the team split carries evenly between Mostert, Matt Breida and Tevin Coleman. The 49ers finished second in total rushing yards that season.
Given how late Michel signed in the free agency process, it’s unlikely the team is planning to give him an equal share of carries compared to Edmonds and Mostert. This means it’s more likely they will split the carries 50/50 between Edmonds and Mostert while using Michel in specific short-yardage scenarios.
Can the Dolphins generate more explosive plays in the running game?
The Dolphins finished 2021 with an 8 percent explosive run (15 yards or more) rate, which was good for 31st in the NFL. That is one of many reasons the Dolphins decided to add two players known for their speed in Mostert and Edmonds.
Arizona finished 11th in explosive run rate last season with Edmonds leading the way. The 49ers finished sixth in the NFL in explosive run rate in 2019 with Mostert tied for the team lead in rushing. Last season without Mostert, the 49ers finished 22nd in explosive rush rate.
Those numbers don’t isolate Edmonds’ and Mostert’s individual explosive-play ability, but they’ve both heavily contributed to teams who have fared much better than Miami has in recent seasons.
Whether it is Mostert or Edmonds leading the way, Miami needs to get more explosive plays from its running game this season.
Who will Miami’s fourth running back be?
The running back position is especially susceptible to injury thanks to all of the hits they take over the course of a season. Combine that with the injury history of Miami’s top-three backs and it seems inevitable the team’s fourth running back will have to play at some point.
The leader is probably Gaskin who has proven to be at least an NFL-caliber player after Miami selected him in the seventh round of the 2019 draft. However, White, Ahmed, and Doaks will be gunning for his spot during training camp and the preseason.
It might shape up to be one of the most contested position battles on the offensive side of the ball in the coming months.
Which running back will step up in pass protection?
Having a running back capable of being an effective blocker on third down has become increasingly important for successful NFL teams in recent years. It takes some pressure off the offensive line and the quarterback at the same time.
Miami’s top three backs aren’t exactly known for their effectiveness in this area. Michel seems to be the best bet since his 64.9 PFF pass-blocking grade is the highest of Miami’s primary backs.
Additionally, Michel has the frame and natural strength to hold up against blitzing linebackers. However, if Michel is blocking on third downs, it might chip into Edmonds’ chances to make an impact as a receiver.
Miami will have to figure out who their blocking running back is and how to balance that player’s reps with Edmonds’ third-down pass-catching reps.
