Week 10 Player Spotlight
RB Jay Ajayi – Miami Dolphins
By the numbers
Age: 23
Height: 6’0”
Weight: 229
2nd Season out of Boise State
4.57 seconds 40 meter
39.0 inch vertical jump
121.0 inch broad jump
Adapting and overcoming
The Miami Dolphins offensive line was one of the worst units in the league for the first 5 weeks of the season. Miami running backs averaged 15.2 attempts for 61 yards per game with 4.01 yards per carry. From week 6 on, their running backs have averaged 33 attempts for 198 rushing yards per game while averaging 6 yards per carry. The drastic turn in the stat line is due to the Dolphins getting two starting lineman back from injury. Miami’s offensive line is ranked fifth in the NFL in run blocking performance for the season. Take away the first 5 weeks and the Dolphins offensive line has been the second best run blocking unit in the NFL, behind only the Dallas Cowboys.
Commitment to the run game
Following the loss in week 5, head coach Adam Gase voiced his commitment to playing one running back as opposed to the ineffective committee approach his team had been deploying. Since then Jay Ajayi has posted back to back 200 yard games in weeks 7 and 8 and in week 9 he carried the ball 24 times for 111 yards against a tough Jets defense. Over the last 3 games Jay Ajayi has averaged 25.6 rush attempts for 176.3 yards per game with 6.87 yards per carry, entrenching himself as the starter.
Moving forward
Jay Ajayi is getting a lot of volume and we expect that trend to continue. Gase is committed to the running game and Miami’s mid-season line shift has created one of the best run blocking offensive lines in the NFL. Ajayi is proving himself to be virtually matchup proof. This week Ajayi has a plus matchup with the San Diego Chargers who are currently giving up the 6th most points to the running back position. Followed by the Los Angeles Rams who rank 28th against the run and the San Francisco 49ers who currently give up the most points to running backs. Ajayi is not a flash in the pan and the Miami running game is here to stay.
Jared Warner
DKL Contributor
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