Miami Dolphins 19 best players of the 2018 season

5 Kenyan Drake

Drake came off strong at the end of the 2017 campaign which led many to believe that an increased workload would allow him to explode and become one of the more dynamic running backs in the game. This didn’t materialize in the way that many thought it would. Drake only ran the ball 120 times for 535 yards and 4 touchdowns, a drop in his numbers from the year before. He did, however, catch 53 passes for 477 yards and 5 touchdowns which allowed him to get the ball in his hands and make plays.

It was clear that he wasn’t the favorite runner for this team since his carries were so low, but he was able to make an impact on the season with his playmaking skills. Oh, and the whole “Miami Miracle” thing was kind of a big deal.

4 Frank Gore

The ageless Frank Gore finally made his way back to Miami when he signed a 1 year deal in the 2018 offseason. Gore quickly took over a considerable amount of the carries because of his ability to pick up 4.6 yards per carry. Then, the injury bug bit him and caused him to miss the final two games of the season. He wasn’t able to hit 1,000 yards on the season but just the fact that it was in consideration should be a testament to Gore’s work ethic and his running ability.

There are multiple reports that Frank Gore will be back on the field for another season and he would be a perfect person to keep around the locker room and help the transition to a new regime.

3 Kiko Alonso

I have been one of the bigger critics of Kiko Alonso over the last few years but this year he proved me wrong with his play. Alonso seemed to be all over the place throughout the season and seemed to always be around when the defense made a big play. He had 125 tackles, 3 interceptions and 3 forced fumbles on the season which are great numbers for any linebacker. I believe that Alonso should have been elected to the pro bowl this year given his play.

2 Laremy Tunsil

Tunsil evolved into the left tackle that we all hoped he would become when he was drafted in 2016. Tunsil made very few mistakes this season and, similarly to Alonso, deserved to be in the pro bowl conversation. He played most of the season and continued to show why he was a steal when Miami picked him.

He was absolutely the strength of the team’s offense and was most assuredly the best player on the offensive line. At 24 years old, Tunsil is going to be the anchor of this unit for a long time to come.

1 Xavien Howard

The only pro-bowler on the team, Howard’s performance throughout the year is more than worth of the top spot. By the end of the year, he was tied for the league lead with 7 interceptions on the season, which he was able to do even with missing the last few games of the season. Howard blossomed into the shutdown corner he was billed to be when he was drafted a few years ago.

Howard is a foundational piece for the team moving forward. Recent reports have said that Howard wants to be one of the highest paid corners in the game. Given his recent pay, and assuming it can be structured in the appropriate manner, it might be worth it to give him his pay so one corner spot can be locked down for the next 5-7 years.