New RB Jeff Wilson Jr. to make significant impact on Dolphins’ offense

At Tuesday’s trade deadline, the Miami Dolphins acquired Denver Broncos edge rusher Bradley Chubb, who is regarded as one of the top players in the NFL. Running back Jeff Wilson Jr., however, should not be overlooked for what he can do for the offense.

Miami are 28th in rushing yards per game (88.1), 27th in yards per carry (3.9), and 25th in attempts (179). Wilson could make a significant impact in all of these areas, as he has 468 yards rushing on 92 carries (5.1 yards per carry) with two touchdowns. As well as providing the presence on the field to complement Raheem Mostert’s speed, the fifth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft added the ability to lead the offense.

“I’m downhill,” Wilson said of his running style. “I don’t like to play too many games. I like to get to where I’m going and get there as fast as I can.”

Wilson was traded by the Dolphins from the San Francisco 49ers. It has been confirmed by coach Mike McDaniel that Chubb and Wilson will play against the Chicago Bears on Sunday. However, McDaniel is not sure how much each player will play.

Even with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, and a good running game, the offense is having trouble scoring touchdowns consistently.

A strong run game not only adds another threat to the offense but also raises the effectiveness of play action in the passing game. An effective run game puts the defense into a difficult decision between dropping the safety deep as an extra tool to defend against Hill’s lightning speed or dropping the safety in the box to stop the run.

Wilson also previously played for McDaniel in San Francisco. In 2018, the coach gave him a pre-draft workout at the University of North Texas. In four years with McDaniel in San Francisco, Wilson ran for 1,265 yards on 298 carries (4.2 yards per carry) and posted 35 receptions for 296 yards and four touchdowns.