Whether you are still waiting to draft your fantasy football team or are already looking ahead to your first waiver-wire period, there remain a few “unsettled” situations that are continuously overlooked.
We have witnessed one of the most tumultuous offseasons for running backs this year, and with so many fantasy managers investing in top wideouts, a lot of NFL backfields without an every-down back to dominate the touches have players either going undrafted or ignored until the mid-late rounds of most fantasy drafts.
With so many fantasy drafters first expecting the Dolphins to sign Dalvin Cook and now anticipating a trade for Jonathan Taylor, current Miami running backs have often been forgotten. That means if you’re looking for running back help, the Dolphins backfield is the perfect place to look.
Miami coach Mike McDaniel installed a similar version to Kyle Shanahan’s West Coast offense when he took over last season, and that is a system in which you very much want to invest. They lean heavily on the running game, using an outside-zone blocking scheme, and use it to set up the pass.
Though they do like to rotate in a few different backs, McDaniel does prefer to have a primary then mix in some complementary help. With no Cook or Taylor or other feature option, that primary becomes Raheem Mostert whose fantasy football ADP currently sits at 136.02, a 12th- or 13th-round pick.
Though some people will dog Mostert for past injuries, the opportunity that sits before him cannot be ignored. Rookie De’Von Achane, taken in the third round of the draft this year, is dealing with a shoulder injury and has yet to return to practice.
He will need at least two weeks to get back to where he needs to be. Jeff Wilson, the third running back on the depth chart, just landed on IR with an abdominal injury and is expected to miss all of September.
That puts Mostert front-and-center for the start of the season, with only Salvon Ahmed competing for carries.
If you have already drafted, see if Mostert is available. If he is, scoop him up immediately. You’ll be happy you did. If you are waiting to draft still, then consider Mostert a bell-cow back and draft him a few rounds ahead of his ADP. You can also probably get Achane at a substantial discount as well and lock up the Dolphins’ backfield altogether.
Remember, when you handcuff your running backs, you are investing in the system more than the individual players, and this Miami system is one in which you definitely want to invest.
Howard Bender is the head of content at FantasyAlarm.com. Follow him on Twitter @rotobuzzguy and catch him on the award-winning “Fantasy Alarm Radio Show” on the SiriusXM fantasy sports channel weekdays from 6-8 p.m. Go to Fantasy-Alarm.com for all your fantasy football advice.
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