The Miami Dolphins entered this season with a particularly barren stable of offensive weapons. General manager Jon-Eric Sullivan made the decision to move on from many Miami staples, leaving running back De'Von Achane and wide receiver Malik Washington the last men standing. As fate would have it, Achane would tear his ACL in Week 3, creating a massive void in an offense that was going to lean on him considerably.
In Week 4 against the Minnesota Vikings, backup running back Ollie Gordon II had the best performance of his career when he rushed nine times for 100 yards and a touchdown. Fellow reserve running back Jaylen Wright had a rough day, rushing five times for just seven yards and a few special teams blunders to boot. Regardless of their varying performances, the Dolphins are in no position to turn down talent.
That's why Friday's news that the Dolphins claimed running back Kaytron Allen off waivers from the Washington Commanders makes perfect sense. Allen was a sixth-round pick back in April, and he's handled 12 carries for 41 yards this season. That stat line may not exactly jump off the page, but the 23-year-old who went to the Bradenton, Florida, football factory IMG Academy is definitely worth a look.
Kaytron Allen has a sparkling college resume and could become the Miami Dolphins' next waiver wire gem
Back in 2019, when the Dolphins were similarly rebuilding, they made countless transactions and shuffled the roster. One of those players was Zach Sieler, the standout defensive tackle who remains a leader on Miami's defense seven years later. Legitimate talent is available on the waiver wire; it's all about finding it.
Kaytron Allen spent four years as a heavy contributor for the Penn State Nittany Lions. He ran 769 times for 4,180 yards (5.4 yards per carry) and a whopping 39 touchdowns. He also added 70 receptions for 490 yards and four more touchdowns. He surpassed Evan Royster and Saquon Barkley to become the leading rusher in Penn State history.
Despite being a sixth-round pick, Allen was highly regarded as a collegiate prospect. Pro Football Focus gave him an elite 89.7 grade for the 2025 season, which ranked 17th in the country out of more than 400 runners. He placed 159th on PFF's draft big board.
Allen's charming nickname, "Fatman," describes his play style as a big, power back with a no-nonsense approach. The Commanders listed him at 5'11" and 217 pounds, so he is certainly more Ollie Gordon than De'Von Achane, which speaks to the hard-nosed attack Sullivan and head coach Jeff Hafley are trying to build.
There's also one more interesting wrinkle to the Allen addition. Dolphins defensive tackle — and 2025 first-round pick — Kenneth Grant's greatest college highlight came on a chase-down tackle where he was able to catch Allen despite their more than 100-pound weight difference. Surely, Allen will be happy to be wearing the same colors as Grant going forward.
Jon-Eric Sullivan is following through on his claims to search under every rock and use every tool at his disposal. In that vein, Allen is a worthy and riskless gamble.
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