Expectations were not particularly high for the Miami Dolphins coming into the season. But this outlook got even bleaker following the news that De’Von Achane suffered a torn ACL during yesterday’s loss to the Chiefs.
Miami will look to right the ship following its 0-3 start, with Jaylen Wright and Ollie Gordon II now stepping in as the lead backs.
Is Jaylen Wright or Ollie Gordon II the Better Fantasy Football Option on the Dolphins?
Through the opening three games of the season, Achane headlined the production with 34 rush attempts for 127 yards, adding seven receptions for 49 yards through the air. Achane has tallied just 24.6 total fantasy points based on DraftKings scoring, which currently ranks 29th among running backs. But it was just last season that the Dolphins star recorded 1,838 yards from scrimmage and 12 total touchdowns. Achane finished as the fifth-ranked running back, producing 20.9 average fantasy points per game.
Looking beyond Achane in the box score, neither running back has played a significant role thus far this season. Ollie Gordon has tallied 20 rush attempts for 48 rushing yards and a touchdown, as well as 14 yards through the air. Jaylen Wright has just three rush attempts for 10 yards on the season, although it should be noted he missed this week’s game while 17 of Gordon’s carries occurred in this matchup.
The reality here is if you are searching for consistent fantasy football production, the Miami Dolphins backfield is not the best place to find it. Through the opening three weeks, the Dolphins rank 31st in the league in scoring, 26th in total yards and 30th in first downs tallied. They have scored 13 points or fewer in all three matchups thus far. Malik Willis has had some flashes at the quarterback position, but the reality is there is not enough quality talent around him, and neither Gordon nor Wright is the quality of talent that changes this.
But opportunity is the best indicator of production, and this does play to the favor of these two running backs. Wright has been on the field for just 6.1% of the offensive snaps this season in the two games he has played, and he missed last week due to a stinger and foot injury. Gordon has played 40.4% of the offensive snaps this season, but the 83.6% of snaps he logged last week following Achane’s injury is doing the heavy lifting in this metric.
Even if you want to view the start of Willis’ season optimistically, teams are going to continue to stack the box, and there will not be clean running lanes for them to work with. It is also especially concerning from a fantasy football perspective, as both running backs will likely play a role in the offensive attack moving forward. Gordon is the more effective goal-line back, but Wright has been more efficient with his touches in his career thus far.
If you are choosing between the two, back Ollie Gordon as the more desirable option. Miami invested a sixth-round pick in Gordon last year, and it is still sorting through exactly how good he can be. He is a more physically commanding runner, which will come into play with the expected level of defensive attention at the line of scrimmage, and the injuries to Wright are more than just a throwaway point.
But both should only be looked at as fringe options in deeper fantasy football leagues. This is a Dolphins offense that is on a clear path to being one of the worst in the league, and production will not be easy for any individual player. There may be a few individual weeks where Gordon could be a factor, but Miami is a dumpster fire for fantasy football production, and it is in the best interest of most to avoid it entirely.
