Can Jay Ajayi handle a heavy workload?
- Thread starter DKphin
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I can see Ajayi running for a bit more yardage than last season but it being spread over all the games. I mean having 3 200yd games last year did skew his yards per game average. But with the moves on OL, Tannehill coming back, Parker stepping up (hopefully) and the additions of Thomas and Fasano, I can't see where he wouldn't at least hit what he ran for last season.
Another 90 carries up from his 260 last yr. Couple that with him being more involved in the passing game and that's a significant jump. Ajayi was pretty durable last yr tho. I like the idea of Drake and Williams getting more touches, particularly Drake.
Vector1Dolphins
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Ajayi needs to rush for over 100+ yrd's a game this season...Add in some YAC yards for pass plays and the guy should account for at least 160 yrd's a game..As we make our move for the lead in the AFC East...This team can go far with a high output from Ajayi and other players...Through in some of those 200 yrd rushing games and a Defense that can get off the Dayum field and we got a shot.
I wouldn't choose this as the year you drive Ajayi into the ground, assuming you're fine doing that. If anything, I'd target 2018 as the year it might be worth it to increase his burden. It will be interesting to see how they use Drake. He looks like someone who can ease the workload, but he's probably not someone you should trust to pick up tough yards consistently. Williams is similar, but his issue is vision/decisiveness. I was hoping for Conner to fall to the 5th, because he is a RB who will grind out tough yards when Ajayi needs a break. But, the RB group is pretty good overall, and the staff should be able to preserve Ajayi a little by rotating him out, without losing too much efficiency.
Dajesus
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I'm more excited to see Jay in 2017 than I have been to see any Dolphin player in a long time. 1200 yards. 8tds, and he barely played in the first 5 games, so I can't wait to see what he does with a full season. This season he has the the advantage of playing in the same offense for he 2nd year, another solid weapon to take the pressure off of him, a healthy Poumcey(fingers crossed), and what should be a better defense to help the offense get more snaps.
His knees were the reason he slipped to round 5, so hopefully he can stay on the field, but I'm not worried about it more than any other player. Jay showed great toughness last season playing through a bad shoulder. He could of rested in the Patriots game week 17, but he refused to sit. You have to love that.
His knees were the reason he slipped to round 5, so hopefully he can stay on the field, but I'm not worried about it more than any other player. Jay showed great toughness last season playing through a bad shoulder. He could of rested in the Patriots game week 17, but he refused to sit. You have to love that.
JakeemThe Dream
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Totally agree!! We wouldn't have drafted Drake in the 3rd if we didn't think he was capable of being a starter.
Drake just happened to get unlucky with Jay coming along.
He reminds me of David Johnson tbh
outside knee history he seems like prototypical heavy workload back to me.
Gase has also said he needs to get him going in games to let him find his groove.
Gase has also said he needs to get him going in games to let him find his groove.
I mean he ran for 200 yards in back to back weeks. How much h heavier can workload get?
HE needs to focus on being a complete all-around back. If he continues to improve on his passing game skills (blocking, receiving. routes) he could be a deadly threat for the next 5-8 years. Barring any setback with his knee, which might possibly be a rumor fabricated by the media. We will see
HE needs to focus on being a complete all-around back. If he continues to improve on his passing game skills (blocking, receiving. routes) he could be a deadly threat for the next 5-8 years. Barring any setback with his knee, which might possibly be a rumor fabricated by the media. We will see
claytonduper
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I don't see where he can do more without risking him getting beat up and useless if we make the playoffs. Rather, the trio of running backs should have more carries together, more catches and hopefully more yardage, first downs and sustained drives with running plays.
True, but he did in under 25 carries both games IIRC.
I'd be happy w similar production. I'll take 3, 200 yard games w some clunkers in there. So long as other guys step up and as a team we can average 120 per game on the ground that's a good recipe for success. In this day and age I don't like the idea of a back handling the ball 300+ times a year - they wear out too fast. Run w good committee players w Jay leading the charge as the true no 1.
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I've said this about Gase before and I'll repeat it here ... when he knows he has a mismatch in the run game, he exploits it. Our run game last year was defined by two very telling stats: Yards Before Contact (YBC) and Yards After Contact (YAC).
Our OL had the fewest Yards Before Contact of any OL in the NFL last year.
That means not only did we not open holes, but we also failed to keep run-blitzes out of the backfield. This is the worst possible statistic an OL can have at running the ball ... it simply means they were not doing a decent job on nearly enough plays. Consider that this statistic was also buttressed by the fact that when we did have a mismatch against a poor run defense (like vs. Timmons in Pittsburgh), we pushed it and had higher reps of success boosting our stats. So to have done this badly simply means our OL suuuuuuuuuuuuucks at run blocking. Our YBC was horrendous. The fact that we had success running the ball is a testament to Gase and Ajayi. Let's be clear ... Bushrod was one of the very worst run blocking guards in the league last year. I give him a bit of a pass since he played hurt a lot (something nobody else on the OL seemed to be willing to do) and adjusted to a new position. He did have a few good run blocking games ... but not many.
Ajayi had the most Yards After Contact of any RB in the league last year.
This guy had to fight through traffic in the backfield a lot. But his bruising style allowed him to lead the league in this vital statistic ... again. He is extremely adept at minimizing contact. He stays just far enough away that you can get a hand or arm on him but not a shoulder and can't get that elbow wrapped around him. That spacing, coupled with his sheer power, jump-cut ability to create space, exceptionally good downward stiff-arming, and light feet allow him to escape most sloppy tackling and drag most good tackling for extra effort yards. His YAC is the result of being a great back, and is the thing that breaks many of his plays open for chunk yardage. Yes, it also is a big part of the reason he gets 1st downs. Unfortunately, our OL's inability to open holes greatly brings down his yards per carry, leading many people to miss just how effective he has been.
Enter Isaac Asiata.
I'm a bona fide fan of Isaac Asiata. This guy has everything I'm looking for in a guard. He has the power, with enough sand in his pants to withstand bull rushes and enough push to blow open holes. He has good technique to play with leverage and positioning, which is most of the battle. He also happens to have very quick feet to get into position, and enough speed to pull effectively. He's not Mike Pouncey at striking his target on the move, but when Asiata hits 'em, they're shocked and locked at that point of the play. IMHO, if the Dolphins improve the YBC this year, it will be on the back of an Isaac Asiata dominant charge. Like a rhino, he will need to blow open holes and spring Ajayi into the secondary. If he can do that, we'll be half-way to having good guards. If for some unseen and disappointing reason he cannot even win the starting job ... I see our run game falling backwards in 2017. I'm not convinced with Larsen, and while I'm happy to have Bushrod, IMHO, he's not a starter. All of my faith in our interior line improvement rests with Isaac Asiata. We have the skill position people ... we just need the OL to work well as a unit in both the run and pass games.
Our OL had the fewest Yards Before Contact of any OL in the NFL last year.
That means not only did we not open holes, but we also failed to keep run-blitzes out of the backfield. This is the worst possible statistic an OL can have at running the ball ... it simply means they were not doing a decent job on nearly enough plays. Consider that this statistic was also buttressed by the fact that when we did have a mismatch against a poor run defense (like vs. Timmons in Pittsburgh), we pushed it and had higher reps of success boosting our stats. So to have done this badly simply means our OL suuuuuuuuuuuuucks at run blocking. Our YBC was horrendous. The fact that we had success running the ball is a testament to Gase and Ajayi. Let's be clear ... Bushrod was one of the very worst run blocking guards in the league last year. I give him a bit of a pass since he played hurt a lot (something nobody else on the OL seemed to be willing to do) and adjusted to a new position. He did have a few good run blocking games ... but not many.
Ajayi had the most Yards After Contact of any RB in the league last year.
This guy had to fight through traffic in the backfield a lot. But his bruising style allowed him to lead the league in this vital statistic ... again. He is extremely adept at minimizing contact. He stays just far enough away that you can get a hand or arm on him but not a shoulder and can't get that elbow wrapped around him. That spacing, coupled with his sheer power, jump-cut ability to create space, exceptionally good downward stiff-arming, and light feet allow him to escape most sloppy tackling and drag most good tackling for extra effort yards. His YAC is the result of being a great back, and is the thing that breaks many of his plays open for chunk yardage. Yes, it also is a big part of the reason he gets 1st downs. Unfortunately, our OL's inability to open holes greatly brings down his yards per carry, leading many people to miss just how effective he has been.
Enter Isaac Asiata.
I'm a bona fide fan of Isaac Asiata. This guy has everything I'm looking for in a guard. He has the power, with enough sand in his pants to withstand bull rushes and enough push to blow open holes. He has good technique to play with leverage and positioning, which is most of the battle. He also happens to have very quick feet to get into position, and enough speed to pull effectively. He's not Mike Pouncey at striking his target on the move, but when Asiata hits 'em, they're shocked and locked at that point of the play. IMHO, if the Dolphins improve the YBC this year, it will be on the back of an Isaac Asiata dominant charge. Like a rhino, he will need to blow open holes and spring Ajayi into the secondary. If he can do that, we'll be half-way to having good guards. If for some unseen and disappointing reason he cannot even win the starting job ... I see our run game falling backwards in 2017. I'm not convinced with Larsen, and while I'm happy to have Bushrod, IMHO, he's not a starter. All of my faith in our interior line improvement rests with Isaac Asiata. We have the skill position people ... we just need the OL to work well as a unit in both the run and pass games.