The Miami Dolphins’ running back room was supposed to take on a new form with the additions of running backs Jordan Howard and Matt Breida this offseason. With Miami invested heavily in providing a more persistent ground game after an abysmal year in 2019, Miami committed to spent a combined $13M plus a draft selection (2020 5th-round pick) to bring in the presumed top two backs.
But after Week 1 of the 2020 NFL season, neither Breida or Howard can play claim to the title of the prominent back in the Dolphins’ backfield. That honor goes to second-year rusher Myles Gaskin, who was a 7th-round choice of the Dolphins in the 2019 NFL Draft. Gaskin commanded heavy snaps against the Patriots, but will that be a continuing trend? Or will someone else rise to the occasion in Week 2?
Here is our best forecast for the coming week.
RB Jordan Howard
Howard figures to get the most play against teams who are soft up the middle. With the Buffalo Bills still looking to fortify a run defense that was shaky in 2019 and may be without linebacker Matt Milano on Sunday, there’s a fair chance Howard gets. significant amount of carries. But the challenge for Howard is that he’s not overly appealing as a pass catcher and therefore his role on this team may be resigned strictly to an early-down role.
Odds of being Miami’s RB1 in Week 2: Fair