South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Sunday)
Run game takes hit — Gaskin on COVID list
The Miami Dolphins’ running back situation has endured another hardship. And unfortunately, the latest comes a day before their biggest game of the season.
The Dolphins (8-4) placed leading rusher Myles Gaskin on the NFL’s
reserve/COVID-19 list Saturday. He will be out for Sunday’s big game against the Kansas City Chiefs
(11-1) at Hard Rock Stadium, leaving another void in the team’s abysmal running attack.
The Dolphins, who are one of the worst rushing teams in the NFL, will now turn to three players to support rookie starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and the offense against the defending Super Bowl champions.
Veteran DeAndre Washington, who was acquired from the Chiefs at the trade deadline, will play his second game for Miami this season. He led the Dolphins with 49 yards in a win over the New York Jets on Nov.
29 but was dealing with a hamstring injury last week.
Second-year running back Patrick Laird has had some success in limited opportunities, but he has only seven carries for 33 yards and a fumble while catching seven passes for
52 yards.
The Dolphins also elevated practice squad running back Elijah McGuire to their roster for Sunday’s game, three days after he officially joined the team.
McGuire was a former sixth-round pick by the Jets in 2017. He has 180 carries for 591 yards (3.3 avg.) and four career touchdowns, with 36 catches for 370 yards and two receiving touchdowns.
If necessary, the Dolphins could also use rookie receivers Lynn Bowden Jr. and Malcolm Perry in some running back sets or wildcat offensive formations.
The team also elevated tight end Chris Myarick and defensive end Tyshun Render from the practice squad as COVID-19 replacements.
Along with Gaskin, running back Matt Breida has been on the COVID19 list since Dec. 4, while defensive back Jamal Perry was placed on the list Wednesday.
Rookie running back Salvon Ahmed, who has made two starts this season, was already ruled out of Sunday’s game with a shoulder injury.
While the Chiefs may have the seventh-worst rushing defense, allowing
132.4 yards per game, the Dolphins’ rushing offense is one of seven in the NFL averaging less than 100 yards at 96.5 yards per game.