3 Miami Dolphins who are flying under the radar but have been crucial to the team's success

Andrew Van Ginkel has made it difficult to keep him off the field which is a great thing

Andrew Van Ginkel, or South Beach Thor as I want to be called if I were him, burst on the scene this year in week two against the Patriots. In that game, AVG was everywhere. In that game, AVG had one sack and six tackles, 1.5 TFLs, and a forced fumble. It felt like he compiled even more sacks because every play it seemed like he was all over Mac Jones or making a play in the backfield.

Van Ginkel filled in for Jaelan Phillips and made it known that he needs to be on the field rushing the passer just as much as Fangio wants him to be his surprise entrant to the middle-backer room.

Against the Broncos, AVG didn't have any sacks but he had another TFL, more QB hurries, and Johnny on-the-spot fumble recovery which he nearly took to the house.

What's wild to me is that Andrew Van Ginkel was an unrestricted free agent who also visited the Patriots in March. Kind of amazing he didn't sign there since that is a path for so many ex-Dolphins. He didn't sign and when Vic Fangio was finally made the defensive coordinator, AVG signed a low-money deal to stay in Miami one more year.

We got word that Fangio had eyes for Van Ginkel to be one of his main middle-backers and that's what happened in week one where AVG out-snapped David Long Jr. by about 30 snaps.

Even with Phillips being back, though he got a bit dinged again on Sunday, you have to think Andrew Van Ginkel will still find his way on the field. Whose playing time that may cut into, I have no idea. I just know that Andrew Van Ginkel is playing more than a high-motored guy. He's playing as a playmaker who is always doing something that helps the team.