The Dolphins have stumbled to an 0-4 start to the season, and they lost superstar running back De’Von Achane (knee) for the season after a Week 3 knee injury. In the game that Achane was hurt, Ollie Gordon II was forced to take most of the work and stepped up against the Chiefs. He was even better in Week 4, reaching 100 rushing yards against the Vikings.
Is the second-year running back a must-start in Week 5 after his two big games? Let’s dive in and look at Gordon’s upside and whether he should get the start this week as the Dolphins come home to take on the Bengals.
Ollie Gordon II’s breakout performance
When Achane went down in Week 3, Gordon stepped up with 17 carries for 41 rushing yards and the team’s only touchdown of the game. As a receiver out of the backfield, he also caught all three of his targets for 14 yards. He had to take on an even larger role in that game since Jaylen Wright ($4,800) was already inactive due to a foot injury and a stinger. It wasn’t clear, though, how the time share would be split when Wright returned.
In Week 4, when Wright was available, he got the start but only played 31% of snaps in his return. He took his five carries for just seven yards.
Gordon played 56% of the snaps and did much more with his opportunities, totaling 100 rushing yards on only nine carries. He showed vision, toughness and the ability to break big plays like this 53-yard run.
Gordon didn’t score on that run but he did score the team’s only touchdown of the game for the second straight week. He also added a pair of catches on his two targets, and he was the only pass catcher with multiple receptions besides Malik Washington.
Ollie Gordon II Fantasy Football Outlook
The Dolphins’ offense ranks near the bottom of the league in just about every category across the board. They have only averaged a league-low 11.5 points per game and 267.5 yards of total offense per game, the third-lowest mark in the NFL. Since the Dolphins aren’t scoring many points or producing long drives, Gordon’s upside is limited. He has scored 100% of the team’s touchdowns in the last two weeks, which doesn’t seem to be a sustainable rate going forward.
Gordon has shown enough upside, though, to be owned in all formats. The Dolphins will be as run-heavy as they can to take pressure off QB Malik Willis throwing the ball, so Gordon should continue to get the call, especially if he keeps being so effective. His solid work as a receiver out of the backfield will also be important to him staying on the field as Wright gets back to full speed.
Wright is still the starter and could get more playing time going forward, but even in a potential 50/50 split down the road, Gordon should be on rosters in most leagues after his strong outings the last two weeks. Coach Jeff Hafley talked up Gordon as an “every-down back” during the offseason, and now he’s getting the opportunity to excel in that role after Achane’s injury.
In Week 5, Gordon takes on the Bengals, who have allowed two running-back touchdowns in four games this season, but who have allowed 125+ yards to the position in each of the last two weeks. They’re a slightly favorable matchup for Gordon, especially since the Dolphins will be at home, as they look to get their first win of the year.
The Bottom Line: Ollie Gordon II is a Strong FLEX Start
With the struggles of his offense as a whole, I’m still not quite putting Gordon in the top 20 running backs in Week 5, so he isn’t technically a “must-start.” If you grabbed him off the waiver wire and are stretched thin at running back due to injury or the bye weeks, though, you could definitely start him as an RB2 after his last two weeks.
I do see him as a strong FLEX play in standard-sized leagues for this week against Cincinnati, and he’s definitely worth having on your roster if he’s somehow still available after his last two big performances. In DFS contests like the NFL $2.75M Fantasy Football Millionaire [$1M to 1st] on DraftKings, Gordon has a $5,300 salary. He brings huge value upside at that affordable price point and should be a popular play if managers are looking for a starting running back at a bargain rate.
