The Miami Dolphins are hoping they can find their way, but one rookie is giving Mike McDaniel a reason to get him more involved in the offense. Ollie Gordon continues to impress.
The Dolphins' offense has been missing something under McDaniel: physical play from his running backs. De'Von Achane is electric, but he isn't punishing; Gordon is.
Achane is a workhorse, and it's hard to bring him down, but when he comes off the field, there hasn't been a bulldozer in the backfield. That changed when Miami selected Gordon late in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Miami Dolphins rookie RB Ollie Gordon continues to give Mike McDaniel more reason to play him
Gordon is still learning the ropes of the NFL, but it is becoming clear that the game isn't too big for him. Against solid defensive units, Gordon continues to run with determination. A downhill runner, the moment he gets the ball, there is no hesitation in what he does at that point.
One of the knocks on McDaniel is the fact that he veers from the running game far too much, even when it is working well. This has been a problem since he arrived.
Against the Buffalo Bills on Thursday, Gordon was excellent when he was on the field despite another low statistical performance. He finished with nine rushes for 38 yards and a touchdown, but it was how he ran that was impressive.
He continued a strong start to his pro career despite limited touches. What has stood out is the fact that he doesn't go down easily and that his power is unquestionably NFL caliber.
McDaniel's job is on the line after yet another loss on Thursday, but if he can continue to call a game like he did against the Bills, his team will have a shot at sticking around later in the season. But he has to be able to give the ball to his running backs and let them dictate the tempo of the game.
Gordon isn't going to light up the stat sheet, but fans are seeing why Miami general manager Chris Grier liked him in the draft, and McDaniel has a great chance to be the beneficiary.