Dolphins want Kenyan Drake to take Jarvis Landry’s touches

Jarvis Landry caught 112 passes for the Dolphins last season.Now that he’s gone, Miami wants Kenyan Drake to step up and take his touches.

Adam Gase knows that the Dolphins need to find several players who can help make up for Jarvis Landry’s departure. Fortunately, the Miami head coach believes running back Kenyan Drake is primed and ready to shoulder a bigger load for the offense this season.

Gase believes that the former Alabama running back is ready to ‘bust out.” Specifically, Gase believes Drake’s versatility can be a huge benefit to Ryan Tannehill and company. He thinks his young running back has the potential to create mismatches in the slot. That would give the Dolphins a very different look in their passing game.

Drake may be called upon to shoulder more of the team’s running load too. Currently, he sits second on the depth chart behind 35-year-old Frank Gore. It’s hard to imagine Gore being an effective ball carrier for a full 16-game season. That means Drake will only need to hold off fourth-round pick Kalen Ballage to become the team’s starter.

Drake’s performance last season does bode well for his potential to take on a larger role this year. He only rushed for 644 yards on the season, but he did average an impressive 4.8 yards per carry. It’s always a challenge for a running back to maintain that type of production while soaking up additional carries, but Drake’s body size should allow him to handle the additional pounding.

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If Drake can step up and become a real feature back, the Dolphins offense could get pretty interesting. Gase already has an excellent offensive line anchored by Laremy Tunsil and Josh Sitton. The receiving group also has some interesting options in the form of Kenny Stills, DeVante Parker and Danny Amendola. A potent running back could be the tipping point that gives Tannehill enough balance to really thrive as a passer.

Drake should be a player for Miami fans and fantasy football experts to watch during the 2018 season. He has the talent and more importantly, the potential opportunity, to put up big numbers for the Dolphins.