Hafley: Ollie Gordon can be every-down RB

The Dolphins took an early lead and never looked back, allowing them to lean on their ground game for the better part of four quarters. Gordon, in turn, set new career highs in rushes and yards. In four starts sans De’Von Achane, Gordon has 69 carries for 332 yards and four touchdowns. He has finished as a top-20 fantasy option at his position in all four starts. Gordon’s role on one of the most run-heavy offenses in the league is too good to ignore. He will be in the RB2 mix when the Dolphins take on the Patriots next week.

Gordon continued to operate as the Dolphins’ No. 1 running back, scoring a touchdown for the second straight week. He took all of Miami’s red zone backfield touches and was tackled at the one yard line in the third quarter, coming close to his second touchdown of the day. He lost two yards the next play and the Dolphins did not convert. Gordon saw 42 snaps on the day and will be a low-end fantasy RB2 for Week 7 against the Jets after a Week 6 bye week.

Gordon entered the game on the Dolphins’ second drive, generating one yard and two receptions on three touches during that possession. Things improved from there. After letting nominal starting RB Jaylen Wright and Gordon each play their own drives, the Dolphins eventually began rotating them in and out until Gordon separated on the first drive after halftime. Gordon notched three carries in a row, breaking off a 53-yarder on the second one by navigating traffic and making his way to the left sideline, shedding a jersey grab along the way. On the seventh drive, he had what could have been a breakaway touchdown run blown dead by officials, who thought Gordon was down by contact as he stumbled through the box. It was a close call. He then touched the ball on two-of-four plays on the ensuing drive, including a touchdown run up the middle from 12 yards out, in which Gordon acrobatically vaulted over a downed lineman. Tentatively expect Gordon to be the Dolphins’ starter in Week 5 against the Bengals and treat him as an RB2/FLEX.

Dolphins RB Ollie Gordon is rotating in behind Wright, confirming Wright is the team’s current starter. That said, the Dolphins could still split the backfield workload almost evenly. We won’t know what the plan is until the game is underway. For now, Wright should be viewed as the slightly safer FLEX, though both running backs could get bottled up by the Vikings’ defense today.

Wright sits atop the Dolphins’ depth chart with De’Von Achane (knee) done for the year. He will likely split touches with new No. 2 running back Ollie Gordon in a very difficult matchup against the Vikings this week. Both players are worth rostering, but they are shaky FLEX starters this week.

Wright was a full participant in Thursday’s and Friday’s practices, which is a good sign for his Week 4 availability. If he doesn’t draw a questionable tag later in the day, we’ll go ahead and assume that the third-year back will be on the field when the Dolphins visit the Vikings. Wright should be in line for a decent day as far as volume is concerned, but it’s hard to invest much hope in him or Ollie Gordon, who will split work with De’Von Achane (knee) out for the remainder of the season. It’s hard to know how the touches could be distributed here, but fantasy managers shouldn’t be rushing to put either back in their lineups against a stout Vikings defense.

Wright should be rostered in 12-team leagues. He is now on track to play in Week 4 against the Vikings and is still listed ahead of RB Ollie Gordon on the Dolphins’ depth chart. The Vikings’ defense could bottle up this running back, but things might get a tad easier in Week 5 against the Bengals.

Wright and RB Ollie Gordon are expected to split backfield touches moving forward, though this could be a fluid situation if one running back simply outplays the other. Gordon profiles as a burly grinder, while Wright may offer more big-play potential. It sounds like Wright has a strong chance of playing in Week 4 against the Vikings.

Wright was inactive with his foot injury last week against Kansas City. De’Von Achane went down with a season-ending ACL injury and Ollie Gordon took over as the team’s workhorse with no other running back on the active roster. Dolphins coaches have implied that both Gordon and Wright will get work in the Miami backfield with Achane out. An even backfield split would make both Wright and Gordon nothing more than deep-league flex plays.

In other words, expect a committee. Ollie Gordon remains the most likely back to chair the committee in the short-term as he’s actually healthy while Jaylen Wright missed last week’s game and has just seven snaps this year in two games while active to Gordon’s 15 in the first two weeks. This all feels a little desperate given how poor the Dolphins have looked, but volume at running back is volume at running back in a year where many RB2 stabs have disappointed early.