As Dolphins weigh what to do at running back, here’s how Gaskin and Lindsay compare
The Dolphins found a way to find meaningful roles for three running backs recently against Carolina.
But then, just as the sputtering running game seemed to be mustering some momentum, newcomer Philip Lindsay went down with an ankle injury after less than a week with the team, leaving Myles Gaskin and Salvon Ahmed as essentially a two-man show last Sunday against the Giants. (Patrick Laird left in the first half with a sprained MCL.)
So here’s a question: If Lindsay can return after the bye against the Jets on Dec. 19 — and he was walking fine during Wednesday’s walk-through — should Gaskin remain ahead of him in the pecking order?
How to allocate carries at running back stands among the biggest personnel decisions remaining during the final four weeks of this Dolphins season.
Gaskin’s status for Sunday’s game against the Jets is undetermined because he was placed on the NFL’s reserve/COVID-19 list on Friday. He still has a chance to play on Sunday once he receives two consecutive negative PCR tests taken at least 24 hours apart and has been symptomatic for 48 hours. Ahmed also texted positive for COVID but has been vaccinated and might be able to play against Jets.
Keep in mind that Gaskin’s 3.4 yards per carry average this season is worst in the league for a player with more than 100 carries. (Gaskin has 154 carries.) And keep in mind that’s Miami’s woeful 3.3 per-carry average is second-worst in the league.
Lindsay “certainly will have an opportunity,” Dolphins coach Brian Flores said when asked last week if the starting job will become an open competition.
“What he shows us in practice, what he shows us in walk-throughs, what he shows us in meetings, we feel like he can help us and we will try to put him in positions to do that.
“Myles, Salvon... have helped us as well. We’ll just add him to the mix and try to put him, and really all of our players, in the best positions to play well.”
Lindsay, claimed off waivers from Houston two weeks ago, has a better career resume than Gaskin.
But Gaskin has the better resume during the past year-and-a-half despite Gaskin’s poor per-carry average this season.
Lindsay impressed Dolphins coaches in his debut against Carolina, rushing 12 times for 42 yards (3.5 per carry), while Gaskin ran 16 times for 49 yards (3.1 per carry).
That Panthers game was only the second time in the past six games that Gaskin averaged more than 3 yards per carry — a low bar to reach. He had 15 attempts for 44 yards (2.93 per rush) last Sunday against the Giants.
Running backs coach and co-offensive coordinator Eric Studesville was asked whether Gaskin should be the uncontested starter for the final month of the season or should the Dolphins have an open competition the rest of the season at running back, with the best performer starting and getting the most work.
“I don’t know what the right answer to that is, other than to say I want our room to compete at all times with each other,” Studesville said. “That’s the only time we can continue to get better, to push each other to get better.”
Besides Gaskin and Lindsey, the other healthy options are Ahmed (2.8 average on 54 carries) and practice squad running backs Duke Johnson and Gerrid Doaks. Laird is on injured reserve and will miss at least three weeks.
Studesville, who has admired Gaskin’s rise from seventh-round pick to NFL starter, said Lindsey is “an aggressive runner, hits the line of scrimmage hard. I watched him when he was in Denver. His running style is a good running style for him.”
Here’s how Gaskin and Lindsey compare in a few areas:
▪ Gaskin has averaged 3.7 yards on 332 career carries.
Lindsay has averaged 4.6 yards on 596 career carries, including 2.8 on 62 carries this season, including 50 for Houston.
Edge: Lindsay.
Lindsay’s best work came during his Pro Bowl rookie season for Denver, when he averaged 5.4 per carry. His per carry average has dropped every year since, to 4.5 in 2019, to 4.3 in 2020 for Denver, to 2.8 this season.
▪ Gaskin has been more productive than Lindsay as a receiver, and Ahmed might be a better receiver, too.
Gaskin has averaged 7.1 yards on 93 career receptions.
Lindsay has averaged 6.3 yards on 80 career receptions.
Edge: Gaskin.
▪ Per Pro Football Focus, Gaskin has broken only 12 tackles on 332 career carries; that’s 3.6 broken tackles for every 100 carries.
On 596 career carries, Lindsay has broken 44 tackles; that’s 7.4 broken tackles for every 100 carries.
Edge: Lindsay.
▪ In the key area of yards after contact, Gaskin has averaged 1.7 yards in his career, per profootballreference. This season in that category, he ranks 104th among 134 players who have carried the ball this season, per Pro Football Focus.
Lindsay averages 1.6 yards after contact in his career, per profootballreference.
Edge: Gaskin, slightly, but it’s essentially a wash.
▪ Gaskin averages just 2.0 yards before contact in his career (2.3 this season), while Lindsay averages 3.0 yards before contact in his career.
Lindsay — a north/south runner — hits the hole quickly, thus avoiding contact initially at times, more effectively than Gaskin has in his career.
Lindsay also seems to have benefited from playing behind better run-blocking lines in the first three seasons with Denver than Gaskin has with the Dolphins.
But it’s notable that Dolphins coaches continue to say that Dolphins runners share in the accountability for the Dolphins’ poor running game and that Miami’s shortcomings aren’t totally a byproduct of substandard run-blocking.
Edge: Lindsay, though the Dolphins’ run-blocking has done Gaskin no favors.
This story was originally published December 9, 2021 at 3:18 PM.
