Miami Dolphins: The running game heading into Chicago

It’s that time a year again. To the people who live and breathe football, the NFL season is upon us! Well, not exactly—it’s preseason. But the preseason, although boring and exhausting the majority of the time, can be entertaining. I look at the preseason in a different light than most. Preseason is normally the time for the unknown players on the field to earn their stripes, gain respect on and off the field, and find a place on their team’s roster. This will be apparent all over the field tonight for the Dolphins, particularly at the running back position. This time of year, it’s always fun to see guys give it their all to fulfill a lifelong dream of playing in the NFL—it’s somewhat gladiator-esque.

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So, tonight, after months and months of agony, we finally get to watch Miami Dolphins football. Yes, I know. It’s only a preseason game—a game where the starters may play only two series. But with questions and injury concerns still lingering around multiple positions, it makes this game more intriguing.

For the most part, not much has changed on the depth chart at running back since the start of training camp. Lamar Miller will be penciled in as the starter; Damien Williams will be the backup; LaMichael James has moved his way up to third; and finishing off are Mike Gillislee and rookie Jay Ajayi.

Although starter Lamar Miller may not get a lot of playing time Thursday night, I’m confident in his ability as an NFL running back. Miller proved his worth last year having his best season as a pro. Averaging over five yards per carry and rushing for over 1,000 yards last year, Miller put a lock on his starting position. Now, there were questions regarding Miller and his ability to be an every-down back, but by adding a little over five pounds of muscle this offseason, Miller has a body more equipped for the beating that’s normally expected for NFL running backs.

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Moving down the depth chart, the running backs that will receive the most attention tonight are Damien Williams, LaMichael James, and rookie Jay Ajayi. Because they’ll be bearing the bulk of tonight’s carries, we’ll get to see first hand what these three have to offer. Will Damien Williams continue to impress us with his play as he did last year in his limited role? Will LaMichael James live up to the hype he has created for himself this training camp? Will Jay Ajayi put his versatility of being a runner and receiver on display? Hell, will Mike Gillislee solidify himself as someone to take seriously?

All of these questions will start to be answered tonight in Chicago—and that’s what makes the preseason exciting. I’m curious to find out how the running game fares against an opposing team’s defense. Going against one of the toughest, most physical defensive fronts in practice every day could pay off for this area on offense.

So, tell your significant other to make plans. You need the living room to yourself. The NFL is back; Dolphins football is back; and starting tonight, your diet falls by the wayside—well, at least on game days