All Dolphins

Ranking the AFC East: Running Back

The Dolphins made the biggest moves at running back in the offseason in the AFC East with the signing of Jordan Howard and the trade for Matt Breida, while Frank Gore switched teams within the division

Alain Poupart

Bill Streicher-USA Today Sports

With the major phase of free agency and the 2020 draft behind us, it's a good time to revisit every team's roster and see where everybody stands.

At the running back position, it was the Dolphins who were the most active team as they signed veteran free agent Jordan Howard and traded for speedy 49ers back Matt Breida.

Let's examine each team's situation before we proceed with our AFC East ranking of the running back position.

BUFFALO BILLS

On the roster: Devin Singletary, T.J. Yeldon, Christian Wade, Antonio Williams, Taiwan Jones, Zack Moss

Offseason moves: Re-signed Christian Wade to a futures contract ... signed Taiwan Jones as an unrestricted free agent (Houston) ... selected Zack Moss in the third round of the 2020 NFL draft ... signed Antonio Williams as an undrafted rookie free agent ... lost Frank Gore as an unrestricted free agent (N.Y. Jets)

Projected opening-day starter: Devin Singletary

2019 stats: Singletary — 775 rushing yards, 2 touchdowns, 5.1 average, 29 catches; Yeldon — 63 rushing yards, 3.7 average, 13 catches; Jones — 40 rushing yards, 4.4 average, 1 catch; Wade — DNP; Moss — (at Utah) 1,416 rushing yards, 15 touchdowns, 6.0 average, 28 catches; Williams — (at North Carolina) 322 rushing yards, 3 touchdowns, 6.7 average; 

Outlook: A third-round pick from Florida Atlantic University, Singletary proved every bit as good as advertised as a rookie for the Bills, and probably even better. The Bills are hoping they'll have the same luck for their 2020 third-round pick, Zack Moss, who put up big numbers at Utah. The Bills lost veteran Frank Gore from last season, but Moss figures to be a more than adequate replacement. 

MIAMI DOLPHINS

On the roster: Jordan Howard, Matt Breida, Patrick Laird, Myles Gaskin, De'Lance Turner, Kalen Ballage, Malcolm Perry, FB Chandler Cox

Offseason moves: Signed Jordan Howard as an unrestricted free agent (Philadelphia) ... released Samaje Perine ... acquired Matt Breida from the San Francisco 49ers for a 2020 fifth-round pick ... selected Perry in the seventh round of the 2020 NFL draft

Projected opening-day starter: Jordan Howard

2019 stats: Howard — 525 rushing yards, 6 touchdowns, 4.4 average, 10 catches; Breida — 623 rushing yards, 5.1 average, 19 catches; Laird — 168 rushing yards, 1 touchdown; 2.7 average, 23 catches; Gaskin — 133 rushing yards, 1 touchdown, 3.7 average, 7 catches; Ballage — 135 rushing yards, 3 touchdowns, 1.8 average, 14 catches; Turner — 6 rushing yards, 1.5 average; Cox — no rushing or receiving attempts; Perry — (as Navy QB) 2,1017 rushing yards, 21 touchdowns, 6.8 average 

Outlook: The Dolphins brought in an interest thunder and lightning combination with Howard and Breida, who should combine to get the bulk of the work at this position. All the young players on the roster at this position will be fighting for playing time and even roster spots, and it's shaping up as a critical year for Ballage after the 2018 fourth-round pick showed flashes as a rookie but really struggled last year. Perry is listed as a running back on the roster, but he'll be more of a utility player who could see time at multiple positions.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

On the roster: James White, Sony Michel, Damien Harris, Rex Burkhead, Brandon Bolden, J.J. Taylor, FB Dan Vitale, FB Jakob Johnson

Offseason moves: Signed Dan Vitale as an unrestricted free agent (Green Bay) ... lost FB James Develin to retirement ... signed J.J. Taylor as an undrafted rookie free agent

Projected opening-day starters: Sony Michel, FB Dan Vitale

2019 stats: Michel — 912 rushing yards, 7 touchdowns, 3.7 average, 12 catches; White — 263 rushing yards, 1 touchdown, 3.9 average, 72 catches, 645 yards, 5 touchdowns; Burkhead — 302 rushing yards, 3 touchdowns, 4.6 average, 27 catches; Harris — 12 rushing yards, 3.0 average; Bolden — 68 rushing yards, 3 touchdowns, 4.5 average, 9 catches; Taylor — (at Arizona) 721 rushing yards, 5 touchdowns, 4.9 average, 32 catches; Vitale — 7 catches, 97 receiving yards, 3 rushing yards; Johnson — 1 catch, 5 receiving yards

Outlook: The Patriots have a lot of solid veterans here to go along with former first-round pick Sony Michel, who has rushed for more than 900 yards each of his two NFL seasons. White is a dynamic playmaker, particularly in the passing game, and Bolden and Burkhead are solid pros who get the job done whenever their number is called. The wild card in the equation here is Harris, the 2019 third-round pick who played with new Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa at Alabama.

NEW YORK JETS

On the roster: Le'Veon Bell, Frank Gore, Kenneth Dixon, Trenton Cannon, Josh Adams

Offseason moves: Signed Frank Gore as an unrestricted free agent (Buffalo)

Projected opening-day starter: Le'Veon Bell

2019 stats: Bell — 789 rushing yards, 3 touchdowns, 3.2 average, 66 catches; Gore — 599 rushing yards, 2 touchdown, 3.6 average, 13; Dixon — DNP; Adams — 12 rushing yards, 1.5 average; Cannon — no stats

Outlook: The Jets paid big money to get Bell last offseason, but he didn't come anywhere the success he had had during his glory days with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Of course, the Jets offensive line wasn't nearly as good as what Bell was accustomed to playing behind in Pittsburgh, but it still was a massively disappointing season that didn't come close to meeting expectations. Adam Gase decided to reunite with Gore, and he figures to serve as Bell's primary backup. Kenneth Dixon showed flashes with Baltimore in 2016 and 2018, but he sustained significant knee injuries each of the past two years.

THE RANKING

Going by name recognition alone, Le'Veon Bell would have to rank as the best running back in the division, but he didn't play like it last season. The Jets also have to lose points for lack of depth because as much respect as we have for the ageless Gore, he averaged a mere 3.6 yards per carry last year and isn't nearly as effective as he once was.

There are a lot of solid running backs in this division, and there could be a lot of debate as to which team has the best front-line talent at the position.

But no team can match the depth that the Patriots possess, which is why they're a clear number 1 her Where to rank Buffalo depends on what your expectations are for Zack Moss.

1. New England; 2. Buffalo; 3. N.Y. Jets; 4. Miami

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Don't disagree with the ranking? Feel free to post a comment.

Alain Poupart has covered the Miami Dolphins on a full-time basis since 1989. You can follow him on Twitter at @apoupartFins.

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Alain Poupart
ALAIN POUPART

Alain Poupart is the publisher/editor of All Dolphins and co-host of the All Dolphins Podcast. Alain has covered the Miami Dolphins on a full-time basis since 1989 for various publications and media outlets, including Dolphin Digest, The Associated Press, the Dolphins team website, and the Fan Nation Network (part of Sports Illustrated). In addition to being a credentialed member of the Miami Dolphins press corps, Alain has covered three Super Bowls (for NFL.com, Football News and the Montreal Gazette), the annual NFL draft, the Senior Bowl, and the NFL Scouting Combine. During his almost 40 years in journalism, which began at the now-defunct Miami News, Alain has covered practically every sport at one time or another, from tennis to golf, baseball, basketball and everything in between. The career also included time as a copy editor, including work on several books such as "Still Perfect," an inside look at the Miami Dolphins' 1972 perfect season. A native of Montreal, Canada, whose first language is French, Alain grew up a huge hockey fan but soon developed a love for all sports, including NFL football. He has lived in South Florida since the 1980s.

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