Fantasy Alert: Don’t sleep on Fins’ Wilson
HOUSTON — The Dolphins recently passed on signing running back Dalvin Cook, who wanted badly to play for his hometown franchise.
“I’m very happy with our running back group,” Miami coach Mike McDaniel said last week after Cook joined the Jets.
“There’s been a ton of development since camp started for already talented guys that I very much believe in.”
McDaniel’s familiarity with Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson, whom he also coached in San Francisco, and the presence of his hand-picked draft choice, De’Von Achane, played a huge role in the decision.
McDaniel wants to run the football more this season and he wants to run it more effectively.
And while Mostert, 31, set a careerhigh with 891 rushing yards last season, it’s Wilson, 27, who may very well lead the team in rushes this season.
This is a fantasy football alert for those of you who choose to participate.
“Obviously, everybody knows the type of player Dalvin is, you know what I mean, that’s the type of player he is,” Wilson said this week.
“We’ve got a group and we believe in them and we feel like we can hold it down and our coaches feel the same. We’re just ready to get this thing started.”
Wilson averaged a career-high 4.9 yards per rush in his fourth NFL season, which was split between San Francisco and Miami.
Consider that Wilson, who is tough, relentless and dogged, had 392 yards on 84 rushes as a Dolphin last season, which is 4.7 yards per carry.
Compare that with traded Chase Edmonds, who had 120 yards on 42 rushes as a Dolphin last season, which is 2.9 yards per carry.
Wilson is the perfect fit for Miami’s outside zone run scheme.
“On a mission,” is how Wilson described the approach of Miami’s running backs room.
The same can be said for Wilson, who was undrafted out of North Texas in 2018.
Off the field, Wilson is joyful, approachable and humble, always with a smile on his face.
On the field, Wilson is assertive, tenacious and unrelenting.
McDaniel says Wilson infectious energy.
McDaniel praises Wilson’s strain and desire to gain every possible yard.
For Wilson, the chip-on-shoulder life plan is more than cliche, it’s real.
Wilson was held out of Miami’s first preseason game, due to his veteran status. But he and Miami’s run game looked improved in joint practices against the Texans.
“There’s a lot of good stuff happening,” guard Robert Hunt said.
Preseason results mean little, but the Dolphins have an opportunity for big rushing numbers on Saturday at 4 p.m. in preseason Game 2 at the Texans.
No NFL team allowed more rushing yards than Houston in 2022.
Only three teams — Chargers, Lions, Giants — allowed more than the 5.1 yards per rush Houston did.
Houston added defensive tackles Sheldon Rankins ($9.8 million) and Hassan Ridgeway ($3.3 million) and drafted linebacker Will Anderson (first round) and linebacker Henry To’oTo’o (fifth round) to help.
But look for Miami to establish a ground game.
“I’m very happy with the crew that we’re going to compete with,” McDaniel said.
Joe Schad is a journalist at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at jschad@pbpost.com and follow him on social media platforms @schadjoe. Sign up for Joe’s free weekly Dolphins Pulse Newsletter. Help support our work by subscribing. brings