Myles Gaskin was a seventh-round pick in 2019 and made little impact in his rookie season. In 2020, Gaskin took advantage of a depleted Dolphins’ backfield and produced. Gaskin finished as the RB28 in fantasy football PPR leagues, while missing six games last season.
Current Backfield Situation
This offseason, the Miami Dolphins added Malcolm Brown to their team. Salvon Ahmed also has performed well during training camp and preseason games. Head Coach Brian Flores has also said he wants to get all three running backs involved this season, using each in specific situations.
Gaskin is a three-down back that Miami will use in a variety of situations. Malcolm Brown is expected to be used as the team’s power back. Salvon Ahmed’s role in the offense is unclear at the moment. Most likely, the team will stick with Gaskin and Brown for the majority of touches out the backfield.
Gaskin’s success rate in short yardage situations is what made the Dolphins bring in Malcolm Brown. Gaskin’s 52.7% conversion rate in those situations pale in comparison to Brown’s 69.6%. Look for the Dolphins to use Malcolm Brown in short yardage situations to start off the 2021 season.
Myles Gaskin’s Fantasy Football Outlook
Myles Gaskin is obviously the most talented running back in this backfield.
Here are a few of fun facts for you:
- Myles Gaskin finished with 18.3 touches per game in 2020. That’s more than Alvin Kamara had (18). Kamara finished 7th in total touches among RBs
- Gaskin was tied for 6th in targets per game(4.7)
- He was on pace for 1,000 rushing yards and 70 receptions
Even with the addition of Malcolm Brown, Gaskin will still get his. Brown might take some goal line opportunities and touches from Gaskin early on in the season, but Gaskin could very well have his touches increased if Brown doesn’t perform as needed.
Let’s be honest, Malcolm Brown isn’t the most talented running back we’ve seen. He lacks elusiveness and agility. The Dolphins will use Brown strictly as a power back and nothing more. Salvon Ahmed also shouldn’t play a huge role in the offense. He might steal a couple of touches here and there, but his role should be minuscule unless Gaskin misses time.
Additionally, Myles Gaskin put up mid-tier RB2 numbers while only playing in 69% of offensive snaps for the Dolphins in 2020. Even if his snaps decrease slightly, Gaskin could end the season with around 200 carries for 850-900 yards and 5-6 touchdowns. Also, as the leading passing back, he would be in line for at least 50 receptions on the year; and potentially a couple of receiving touchdowns thrown by Tua Tagovailoa.
According to Sleeper’s ADP, Gaskin is going as the RB24 in fantasy football drafts. Gaskin is a better choice than other players going slightly before him, or around the same ADP.
Conclusion
At his current ADP, Myles Gaskin has value in fantasy football. Consider him a low-end RB2/Flex play. He could easily run away with the job, as long as he stays healthy.
Gaskin is the most talented running back on the Dolphins’ roster by far, and will get plenty of touches to support his ADP. There’s a strong possibility he finishes in the top-20 among running backs in fantasy football. A lot of leagues have Gaskin falling in their drafts due to skepticism surrounding his role in Miami’s offense. If you can grab him after his suggested ADP, that’s a big plus.
