The Miami Dolphins are hoping to rebound from an abysmal 2024 campaign. That mostly starts with keeping Tua Tagovailoa well protected and healthy, but there is also room for personnel upgrades around the quarterback. The Jonnu Smith trade makes it feel like Miami is moving in the wrong direction, but getting Darren Waller out of retirement is at least interesting. Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle are Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.
Perhaps the most fascinating positional battle with training camp on the horizon is running back. We know De'Von Achane is that dude, but what about his backup? Miami has a few options to sort through — an intriguing blend of youth and experience.
Alexander Mattison is the most recognizable name behind Achane. He arrived this summer on a one-year, $1.3 million contract, all guaranteed. That is a small price to pay for a potential RB2, but we aren't even to training camp and it's starting to feel like Mattison might be RB-unemployed when the season arrives.
That's not to say he can't get a job elsewhere, but the Dolphins don't really need him. Chris Grier and the front office may end up flushing that $1.3 million down the toilet and embracing a youth movement at RB.
Dolphins running out of space for Alexander Mattison in RB room
Mattison was the No. 1 handcuff in fantasy football a few years ago — the premiere backup running back, an ideal pinch-hitter. A proper three-down workhorse. Mattison spent the majority of his career behind Dalvin Cook in Minnesota, which limited his exposure to a few productive starts per season. But he still has five seasons of 400-plus yards in six NFL seasons, including 700 yards in 16 appearances (13 starts) for the Vikings in 2023.
After five years in Minnesota, Mattison migrated to Las Vegas in 2024. It was tough sledding. He appeared in 14 games (seven starts), logging 132 carries for 420 yards and four touchdowns. That was a career-worst 3.2 yards per carry. While Mattison doesn't have absurd mileage on his knees, he's at that age where running backs start to fall off. The 27-year-old has been on a steadfast decline for years now.
That brings us to the Miami RB room. While Mattison has experience and a certain brute-force physicality that stands in stark contrast to De'Von Achane, it's unclear if he's really the best option for a roster spot. Second-year RB Jaylen Wright is widely expected to command RB2 duties. Meanwhile, the Fins selected Oklahoma State's Ollie Gordon in the sixth round of April's NFL Draft. He was limited as a junior, but Gordon's sophomore campaign saw him put up a Big 12-leading 1,732 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns. He's a major talent.
Miami's scheme is a natural elevator for everyone on the roster, but it also moves at a breakneck pace and tends to favor youth as a result. Achane was a third-round pick who climbed the ladder in no time because he's a blur in the open field. The Dolphins offense prioritizes finesse at running back; Mattison is a more classical downhill, grind-it-out runner. He feels out of place in South Beach.
The Dolphins did spend the money to bring Mattison in, and he still has training camp to make his impression. But we shouldn't be shocked if, when Week 1 rolls around, Mattison is a free agent or wearing new threads.