Dolphins’ Myles Gaskin gets no love in NFL.com ranking of starting RBs
It isn’t a great time to be a starting running back in the AFC East — at least according to NFL.com’s Maurice Jones-Drew. Jones-Drew, a former NFL ball carrier himself who claimed the NFL’s rushing title in 2010 asa part of a near-decade long career and 8,167 career rushing yards, knows a little something about what it takes to have success in the league. And that is what makes Jones-Drew’s assessment of the current NFL landscape at the position so intriguing. As an exercise for NFL.com, the former Jaguars running back ranked all 32 starting backs.
Each of the AFC East’s four backs checked in at or below No. 28 out of 32. Dolphins incumbent Myles Gaskin?
He came in dead last.
“Gaskin was a solid back for the Dolphins last season, averaging 4.1 yards per attempt on 142 carries. But I need to see more. He has a real opportunity to be the bell cow and help Tua Tagovailoa in his first season as the full-time starter. Miami’s run game must be better than the 22nd-ranked outfit it was a year ago. It starts with Gaskin but that could change quickly if he can’t handle the load.” — Maurice Jones-Drew, NFL.com
Jones-Drew is correct with his assessment of the situation. Gaskin was solid (but also better in the passing game and did not receive recognition there). The run game must be better and Gaskin is going to get the first crack at being the “bell cow”.
But dead last?
Behind the Jets’ listed starter of Tevin Coleman, who checked in at No. 28? Coleman has had less yards from scrimmage in the last two seasons combined (811) across 22 games than Gaskin had in 2020 in just 10 (972). An honest assessment of Miami’s running back situation indicates there’s plenty of outcomes that are possible; including one in which Miami regrets not doing more for the position this offseason. But we’re not buying Jones-Drew’s assessment of Miami having the worst starter in the league. At least not based off the information we have here and now.
