A Dolphins breakout is brewing for Week 13 and no one is ready for it

In order for a 1-6 football team to win three of four games, it takes a village. But for the Miami Dolphins, the buy-in and collective resilience required from the players whose bottom-line results were flat-out embarrassing can't be talked up enough.

Whether it was veterans taking ownership of Miami's losing ways or young players continuing to grind toward improvement, basically everyone has chipped in to turn the Fins' ship around.

One recent riser on the Dolphins' roster stands out among the rest, though. There's reason to believe we're seeing one of Miami's most important players for the future just scratching the surface of his immense upside. It could culminate in a massive breakout this week.

Dolphins first-round rookie has major coming-out party potential vs. Saints in Week 13

Former University of Michigan standout Kenneth Grant is a gargantuan nose tackle who tipped the scales at the NFL Scouting Combine at 331 pounds. Grant's blend of size, high motor, and movement skills was too tempting for the Dolphins to pass up with the 13th overall pick in the NFL Draft.

Unfortunately, Grant had some serious rookie growing pains. That's being kind in assessing how he played to begin his maiden pro campaign. He was most known as the player the Dolphins drafted before the Colts drafted someone who looks to be a perennial Pro Bowler in dynamic tight end Tyler Warren.

Bad No. 13 superstitions abound! From Week 6 onward, though, the 22-year-old Grant has shown uncommon resilience and maturity to flash rapid progress.

After registering just one PFF game grade better than 39.8 in his first five games, Grant has jumped comfortably into the 60s on average over his last six outings. In other words, he's gone from arguably the worst defensive tackle in the league to more like a slightly above-average starter.

Miami needed a space-eating tackle who could open up the pass rush off the edge and make Zach Sieler's life easier on the interior d-line. Grant is coming into his own to fit the bill.

Many young players experience a Year 2 leap. We might be seeing Grant's in real time during his rookie season.

The Saints could pose some problems for Miami on Sunday, yet Grant should have every reason to go off in what has the makings of a huge breakout performance. Grant's suddenness and play strength can get him quick wins versus the run to make splash plays in the backfield, as he did in Week 11 on a clutch third-and-1 stop. That splash play showed advanced instincts and football IQ.

Alvin Kamara is dealing with an MCL sprain, so New Orleans will be without its feature back for the next little while. Rookie quarterback Tyler Shough was the Saints' leading rusher in their loss to the Falcons with only 22 yards.

It's already a huge struggle for New Orleans to run the football, as that offense averages the third-lowest yards per carry at 3.6. Plus, per PFF's grades, Saints guards Cesar Ruiz (71st out of 79) and Dillon Radunz (55th) are two of the worst run-blocking guards in the NFL.

Being coached by Jim Harbaugh at Michigan for most of his college career and winning a national championship were invaluable experiences for Grant. The NFL didn't go so smoothly at the start, and his performance appeared to suffer because of that.

Rather than continuing to dig a deeper hole for himself and regressing while hitting the dreaded rookie wall, Grant has instead played his best football of late.

All signs are pointing to something big for Kenneth Grant on Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium against the 2-9 Saints. We'll see if the young man seizes the moment and is a big reason for Miami improving to 5-7. Wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if he is.