The Miami Dolphins season hasn’t gotten off to the start they were hoping for, but a bright spot may have emerged in their 31-21 loss to the Buffalo Bills in rookie running back Ollie Gordon II. Gordon, who carried the ball just three times through the first two weeks of the season, saw more playing time in week three as he logged nine carries for 38 yards and scored a touchdown.
Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel emphasized that he likes the dynamic Gordon brings to the backfield and to the Miami offense as a whole, allowing for more depth at the position and giving opposing teams more to worry about with De’Von Achane and Gordon splitting carries.
“I’ve been very intentional with where we thought Ollie was, I thought he could help us on offense but he had to continue to develop his off-ball responsibilities and I felt better about it [this week],” McDaniel said. “So it was time for him to add his skill set to what defenses have to defend. I thought he did a really good job having the mindset that I challenged him on.”
Achane is still the clear cut RB1 in the Miami offense, but the growth of Gordon can really only help what has been a relatively stagnant offense through three weeks.
McDaniel Was Waiting For The Right Time To Introduce Gordon
McDaniel, who has come under fire in the media and the Dolphins fanbase after his teams’ 0-3 start, utilized Gordon strategically through the first few weeks of the 2025 season.
“It was pre-planned,” McDaniel said of the increased usage of Gordon against Buffalo. “What you don’t want to do with a rookie, and I’ve failed in this aspect in the past, you don’t want to put him out there before he’s ready… you have veteran guys out there who know all the assignments, and when you put a rookie out there that maybe doesn’t know what he’s doing, that cost is gigantic on him with the locker room.”
Gordon’s quick growth seems to have hit a point where McDaniel now trusts in his ability to not only run the ball, but to be out on the field on a more regular basis as a blocker and pass catcher when the play calls for him to be versatile.
Gordon was picked in the sixth round of the 2025 Draft out of Oklahoma State, and looks like he could provide Miami with good late-round value, especially if he can responsibly and effectively play second fiddle to Achane.
Dolphins May Get Third-Strong RB Back For Week Four
The Dolphins third-string running back Jaylen Wright, who missed the first three weeks of the season with a knee injury, may be back in the mix heading into the Dolphins week four matchup with the New York Jets. Wright was elevated to full participation for Miami’s practice on Wednesday, Sept. 17, and it looks like he may find his way onto the field for week four.
McDaniel emphasized that Wright’s renewed health is a positive for multiple reasons, the main one being that he’ll put pressure on Gordon to continue to improve, knowing there is someone battling for the RB2 position.
Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel Reveals Plan for RB Ollie Gordon