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Dolphins running backs

Mostert looking like iffy flier

There's a story at ESPN suggesting that Dolphins running back Raheem Mostert is iffy for Week 1. This isn't terribly surprising to anyone who's followed Mostert's recent career. From the report it sounds like Mostert possibly had a setback with the knee injury he suffered early last season. It doesn't exactly leave Miami in the lurch, since the team has been signing more running backs than it can possibly roster.

First it was Chase Edmonds, then Mostert, and then former Patriot and Ram Sony Michel. And they already had Myles Gaskin, and yet another former Niner, Salvon Ahmed. Only one football, right? The Dolphins are bringing a lot of running backs to camp.

Over the last three years (picked three to sneak in Mostert's last productive season), there have been 98 total seasons where a running back had at least 800 total yards. Seven were by backs currently on the Dolphins' roster. That includes 3 of the 34 such seasons a year ago.

RUNNING BACKS WITH 800 TOTAL YARDS, 2019-2021
YearPlayerAttRunNoRecTDTot
2019Christian McCaffrey, Car.28713871161005192392
2021Jonathan Taylor, Ind.332181140360202171
2020Derrick Henry, Ten.378202719114172141
2020Dalvin Cook, Min.312155744361171918
2019Ezekiel Elliott, Dall.301135754420141777
2019Nick Chubb, Cle.29814943627881772
2019Derrick Henry, Ten.303154018206181746
2020Alvin Kamara, N.O.18793283756211688
2019Leonard Fournette, Jac.26511527652231674
2021Najee Harris, Pitt.307120074467101667
2019Dalvin Cook, Min.250113553519131654
2019Aaron Jones, G.B.236108449474191558
2021Austin Ekeler, LAC20691170647201558
2019Austin Ekeler, LAC13255792993111550
2021Joe Mixon, Cin.292120542314161519
2020David Montgomery, Chi.247107054438101508
2019Chris Carson, Sea.27812303726691496
2020Jonathan Taylor, Ind.232116936299121468
2020Aaron Jones, G.B.201110447355111459
2019Saquon Barkley, NYG21710035243881441
2021Nick Chubb, Cle.22812592017491433
2019Joe Mixon, Cin.27811373528781424
2020James Robinson, Jac.240107049344101414
2021Dalvin Cook, Min.24911593422461383
2021Alvin Kamara, N.O.2408984743991337
2021Antonio Gibson, Was.258103742294101331
2019Alvin Kamara, N.O.1717978153361330
2019Miles Sanders, Phil.1798185050961327
2020Ezekiel Elliott, Dall.2449795233881317
2019Josh Jacobs, Oak.24211502016671316
2020Josh Jacobs, L.V.273106533238121303
2021Ezekiel Elliott, Dall.237100247287121289
2021Leonard Fournette, T.B.18081269454101266
2019Mark Ingram, Balt.202101826247151265
2019LeVeon Bell, NYJ2457896646141250
2021Josh Jacobs, L.V.2178725434891220
2021Javonte Williams, Den.2039034331671219
2020Nick Chubb, Cle.190106716150121217
2019Phillip Lindsay, Den.22410113519671207
2021Aaron Jones, G.B.17179952391101190
2019Marlon Mack, Ind.2471091148281173
2021Cordarrelle Patterson, Atl.15361852548111166
2019Kenyan Drake, 2TM1708175034581162
2021David Montgomery, Chi.2258494230171150
2020Kareem Hunt, Cle.19884138304111145
2020Melvin Gordon, Den.21598632158101144
2020Ronald Jones, T.B.1929782816581143
2021Melvin Gordon, Den.20391828213101131
2021James Conner, Ariz.20275237375181127
2021AJ Dillon, G.B.1878033431371116
2019Carlos Hyde, Hou.2451070104261112
2021Elijah Mitchell, S.F.2079631913761100
2020Clyde Edwards-Helaire, K.C.1818033629751100
2021Devin Singletary, Buff.1888704022881098
2020Kenyan Drake, Ariz.23995525137101092
2021Derrick Henry, Ten.21993718154101091
2019David Montgomery, Chi.2428892518571074
2021D'Andre Swift, Det.1516176245271069
2019Devonta Freeman, Atl.1846565941061066
2020Miles Sanders, Phil.1648672819761064
2019Todd Gurley, LAR22385731207141064
2021Damien Harris, N.E.20292918132151061
2021Tony Pollard, Dall.1307193933731056
2020Antonio Gibson, Was.17079536247111042
2019Adrian Peterson, Was.2118981714251040
2019Ronald Jones, T.B.1727243130961033
2020Mike Davis, Car.1656425937381015
2021Darrel Williams, K.C.1445584745281010
2019Sony Michel, N.E.247912129471006
2020David Johnson, Hou.1476913331481005
2021James Robinson, Jac.164767312228989
2021Sony Michel, LAR208845211285973
2020Myles Gaskin, Mia.142584413885972
2019Devin Singletary, Buff.151775291944969
2020Chris Carson, Sea.141681372879968
2021Michael Carter, NYJ147639363254964
2020Devin Singletary, Buff.156687382692956
2020J.D. McKissic, Was.85365805893954
2019Raheem Mostert, S.F.1377721418010952
2020James Conner, Pitt.169721352156936
2020Austin Ekeler, LAC116530544033933
2020J.K. Dobbins, Balt.134805181209925
2021Miles Sanders, Phil.137754261580912
2019Melvin Gordon, LAC162612422969908
2019James White, N.E.67263726456908
2021Chase Edmonds, Ariz.116592433112903
2020D'Andre Swift, Det.1145214635710878
2019Latavius Murray, N.O.146637342356872
2021Darrell Henderson, LAR149688291768864
2020Nyheim Hines, Ind.89380634827862
2021Devontae Booker, NYG145593402683861
2021Saquon Barkley, NYG162593412634856
2020Gus Edwards, Balt.14472391296852
2020Chase Edmonds, Ariz.97448534025850
2021Myles Gaskin, Mia.173612492347846
2020Todd Gurley, Atl.195678251649842
2020Latavius Murray, N.O.146656231765832
2019Duke Johnson, Hou.83410444105820

These things have a way of working out. If Mostert is iffy for the start of the season, it's fair to call him iffy for the active roster. Maybe he winds up on an injured list, or maybe he doesn't make the team. And maybe you remove a lesser player like Ahmed, who will probably need another injury to make the team.

If we're drafting right now, the top 3 backs at the beginning of the year would seem to be Michel (as the primary first- and second-down runner), Edmonds (passing situations and maybe some early-down carries) and Gaskin. But the addition of these other backs suggests the coaching staff isn't promising Gaskin anything; maybe he winds up on a different roster in August or September.

The Mostert news definitely makes Michel and Edmonds look a little safer as draft picks, I think. With Gaskin and Ahmed, we'll see.

--Andy Richardson

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