Can Malcolm Brown Seize The Dolphins Starting Running Back Job?
How should fantasy owners treat the Dolphins backfield? Myles Gaskin enters the season as the assumed starter, but he did not exactly light the world on fire. Salvon Ahmed also got some playing time, but he failed to make the 49ers roster. Will Malcolm Brown end up as the guy here?
Miami appears to be sticking with their current running backs, as they did not draft one in 2021, although they may have if Denver did not jump them for Javonte Williams. Miami nearly secured a playoff berth last year, and the team only got better, so this backfield is a must-watch. Running backs on teams with good defenses that hold leads have immense fantasy value.
Malcolm Brown is not a world-beater by any means. He has been in the NFL for six seasons, beginning his career by signing with the Rams as an undrafted free agent out of Texas in 2015. He is dependable, durable, and trustworthy, and those traits have allowed him to stick around as long as he has.
The former Longhorn ended the 2020 season with 101 carries for 419 yards and five touchdowns. The Rams started Brown out of the gates over Cam Akers and Darrell Henderson. Of course, Akers’ talent was too much to ignore, and he eventually took over the starting role, but Brown was nevertheless clearly trusted by the Rams organization.
Brown may have only signed a one-year deal with Miami, but whether nor not the Dolphins fully trust either Ahmed or Gaskin remains unclear, and Jordan Scarlett and Patrick Laird are the only other options on the roster. In fact, not too long ago, Gaskin was asked if he was the starter entering the season. This was his response:
“Above my pay grade,” Gaskin said via the Miami Herald. “To be honest with you, obviously whatever they do upstairs is what they do upstairs. Whoever we bring in, I know it’s going to be the best for the team.
If Miami fully trusted Gaskin to be the guy, he would have answered that question very differently. he has a much different answer to that question. Gaskin had the exact same yards per carry average (4.1) that Brown did a year ago, and Brown appears to have a real opportunity to win the job.
Just keep an eye on Malcolm Brown as a sleeper fantasy back. Whoever wins the job in Miami has immediate value, and it would be crazy to rule Brown out of the running.
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