Countdown to 2021 fantasy football drafts: Myles Gaskin No. 66

The Dolphins running back situation isn’t great, but that leaves a great opportunity for last season’s lead back Myles Gaskin to keep the job and run with it. The Dolphins have a strong defense and should take a step forward offensively in Tua Tagovailoa’s second season, and that should be good for their running game. The question for Gaskins and those who want to draft him this season is is health. Can he stay healthy for the season?

To commemorate the 2021 NFL season, we’ll be counting down the 75 best fantasy football players in the league. Picking a Top 75 is subjective, especially when you are projecting a whole season of accumulated fantasy points, but that’s part of the fun. We’ll assume what I see as an average league, which is 12 teams, .5 PPR scoring and a roster of 1QB, 2RB, 3WR, 1TE, & 1RB/WR/TE. Kickers and defenses need not apply.

Change is the nature of the NFL beast, so trades and injuries will likely impact this list as we go along, but hey, this isn’t rocket science. We’re here to have a little fun and build up some much needed anticipation for a league cast in the shadow by baseball, soccer, hockey, etc. Sarcasm aside, the NFL is addictive and we’re here to give your daily fix as we close in on the season.

The official and often updated fantasy football drafting tiers can be found here.

No. 67, Myles Gaskin, Miami Dolphins, RB

Gaskin saw plenty of work as the starting running back last season as he averaged over 20 looks (rushing attempts and targets) per game in his last eight games.In those games he averaged over 101 total yards per game and scored five touchdowns while catching 3.9 passes per game.

Competition for touches

The Dolphins brought in Malcolm Brown and kept Salvon Ahmed. Those two are his main competition, which isn’t that much. Ahmed did well when Gaskins was injured, but it would appear to be Gaskins’ job to lose under head coach Bryan Flores.

Team offensive expectations

The Dolphins overachieved with 10 wins last season, but there is no doubt they are a well coached team with a solid defense. They’ve added Jaylen Waddle and Will Fuller to DeVante Parker and Mike Gesicki to make for a strong group on paper. Tagovailoa is the biggest question mark as he played unevenly in his rookie campaign. If he is able to settle down as even a game manager kind of quarterback, the offense should be good enough for Gaskins to get his fantasy points.

What’s his upside?

Gaskins upside is staying healthy. If he can stay healthy he should be able to grind out 15-20 touches a game and give steady production due to his receiving abilities. It is difficult to find a running back with that kind of workload on a winning team at his ADP.

What’s his downside?

Gaskin’s downside is big. He doesn’t have the draft capital or consistent great play to give him much leeway. Could Brown or Ahmed start cutting into his touches? The answer is a definite yes. He’s the guy I like to be the lead back in Week 1 and to keep the job if healthy, but the odds of that happening are tough. This is why Zero RB drafting is a thing.

Projection

190 attempts, 950 yards, 6 touchdowns — 40 receptions, 345 yards, 1 touchdown