MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The Dolphins have a running back problem.
De’Von Achane is nursing a calf injury that the Dolphins trainers don’t want him to rush back from. Maybe that’s not quite a big deal because the team doesn’t have a meaningful game until Sept. 7. Maybe it is a big deal because anytime your star running back is sidelined of course, it’s a big deal. It holds doubly true for Achane, as he has battled through injuries throughout his career.
And that big deal was made even bigger when second-year running back Jaylen Wright limped off the field with a right leg problem during the Dolphins’ joint practice with the Jaguars on Thursday. That further depletes a Dolphins run game that already lost veteran Alexander Mattison last weekend in their preseason game at Chicago.
Wright was already splitting reps in practice with rookie Ollie Gordon, so it was Gordon who handled the majority of touches after Wright left, and he did well. There were several catch opportunities for Gordon on check-downs from Tua Tagovailoa, and he spouted off some big-time physicality on a run through the right guard, where he pushed for extra yardage.
Before practice, Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel was asked if he was open to using more of his running back depth once Achane came back from his injury, and he didn’t sound like someone who wanted to overload one running back.
“Ultimately, dispersion of the football is the most powerful weapon you can do against any defense,” McDaniel said. “Whether that’s using or changing running backs and keeping them fresh, or distributing among all four eligibles of offensive play, that’s what we’re looking for. We want a team not to know how we’re going to attack them and utilize their weaknesses to our strengths.”
That sounded a lot better before Wright got hurt, since Wright could blend in some of what makes Achane a weapon with some added physicality. Now the Dolphins might not have the luxury of using so many running backs.
If Wright’s injury is significant, then Gordon has feasibly won the Dolphins backup running back job by default because no one left on the roster could really push him for it.
And if Achane isn’t ready for Week 1 against the Colts, and if the Dolphins don’t add anyone else, then Gordon is the team’s starting running back.
And if Gordon shines in Week 1, particularly for his physicality, then he could blossom into a real contributor for the Dolphins.
Gordon has been a wonderful surprise thus far for the Dolphins, leading the team this preseason in carries (18) and yards (83; a 4.6 average) with a rushing touchdown against Chicago last week. None of those numbers came with the starting unit, but it will come Saturday as McDaniel said his starters will play in front of their home crowd in their final preseason game.
It should be mentioned that Gordon led the FBS in rushing yards in 2023 at Oklahoma State when he totaled 1,732 yards on 285 carries with a Big-12 leading 21 rushing touchdowns. His 2024 was hampered by injuries, but the 226-pounder came back to play at the 2025 Senior Bowl and showed off not only his powerful rushing style but capable hands.
Gordon might be the physical part of a duo with De’Von Achane, something the offense lacked last year — they averaged a league-worst 1.9 yards per carry and a league-worst 47.6% first-down conversion rate from their backs on 63 rushes of three or fewer yards to go.
Maybe the Dolphins don’t have a running back problem. Maybe Gordon, who was all smiles after practice after meeting with the media, could be part of Miami’s solution to an improved run game in 2025.
This news was originally published on this post .
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