RB Kenyan Drake, Retired (2 Viewers)

[Todem]

Gore: 35 rushes for 139 yards... averaging almost 4 yards per carry.

He got some nice garbage time carries last week that inflated it.

Gore is a future HOF.....he will be productive f you give him the ball....not going to argue that.

Drake is a HR hitter though. And the way they used him last season.....in space, was brilliant. All of that has been missing so far. Coaching, QB's lack of awareness to check down to a guy wide open in space.....who the hell knows. Also they have now lost 2/5 of their starting OL for the season. Huge problem as well.

 

[Todem]

I am a dolphins fan who has no shares of Drake in fantasy. Purely from an nfl standpoint with no fantasy bias I am bewildered at his usage and think he should be getting a lot more touches. 

I would be saying the same thing whether I owned him or not. (I have both Drake and Gore BTW). It is mindboggling from a pure NFL strategy point of view.

 

[jm192]

Gore: 35 rushes for 139 yards... averaging almost 4 yards per carry.

I'm not sure what we're getting at here.

We say it's the line's fault Drake isn't doing good, and then say "Well, the line isn't that bad because another running back is doing better than Drake."

We've seen him through 4 games and 33 touches.  He's averaging 3.2 YPC.  I feel like sub 3.5 on a team where old man Gore can average ~4 is...concerning.

 

[voiceofunreason]

I am a dolphins fan who has no shares of Drake in fantasy. Purely from an nfl standpoint with no fantasy bias I am bewildered at his usage and think he should be getting a lot more touches. 

Well when they are 3 and 6 maybe it’ll change. They are a pretty bad team imo. 

 

[jm192]

He got some nice garbage time carries last week that inflated it.

Gore is a future HOF.....he will be productive f you give him the ball....not going to argue that.

Drake is a HR hitter though. And the way they used him last season.....in space, was brilliant. All of that has been missing so far. Coaching, QB's lack of awareness to check down to a guy wide open in space.....who the hell knows. Also they have now lost 2/5 of their starting OL for the season. Huge problem as well.

I think this is the problem.  I think Drake IS a big play back.  But he needs to be used as that.  He isn't a 20 carry per game back.  

If you can't get a home run out of 10-12 touches, you're probably not getting them.  He probably has some better days ahead, but I don't think we're looking at a 250-300 touch guy at this point.

 

[voiceofunreason]

I'm not sure what we're getting at here.

We say it's the line's fault Drake isn't doing good, and then say "Well, the line isn't that bad because another running back is doing better than Drake."

We've seen him through 4 games and 33 touches.  He's averaging 3.2 YPC.  I feel like sub 3.5 on a team where old man Gore can average ~4 is...concerning.

One 30 yard run and he’s over 4 yards. You’re making way too much of the ypc in a tiny sample. 

 

[jm192]

One 30 yard run and he’s over 4 yards. You’re making way too much of the ypc in a tiny sample. 

Usually, it's "If you take away that one big play."  Now we're arguing if you add that one big play.

I can't find the exact stat, but it's something like 24% of his carries have resulted in a loss.  The Dolphins can't give it to him 20 times a game, lose yards on 5 of them, and hope he hits the 30 yard run.

 

[Boone22]

I'm not sure what we're getting at here.

We say it's the line's fault Drake isn't doing good, and then say "Well, the line isn't that bad because another running back is doing better than Drake."

We've seen him through 4 games and 33 touches.  He's averaging 3.2 YPC.  I feel like sub 3.5 on a team where old man Gore can average ~4 is...concerning.

Sorry. I was agreeing with you.  The old man is averaging 4ypc on almost the same number of carries. 

Is it possible that Drake has reverted back to the issues he had previously?  I recall his coaches saying they couldn’t trust him because he was constantly trying to hit the home run rather than just hitting the hole and getting what he could... he was dancing too much.

 

[Biabreakable]

What about all the preseason hype by many experts and his coaches about how great he was going to be this year?

I stopped buying anything Gase says because he has proven to be wrong pretty consistently. 

I have heard Bob Harris gush about what a great value he thought Drake was. Bob has been doing this as long as I have but when I heard him I thought he was steering people wrong and that he should know better.

 

[Biabreakable]

A few good games? Biabreakable......I watched all of them. He was legit last season. He is simply not getting the touches. You can't put up numbers when the gameplan is not focusing on you. 

This is not 15 carries for 20 yards. Nothing like that at all. Going to heavily disagree with you. He was also clogged in a long line of great Alabama backs. Once he got a chance to get some volume last season....he took flight.

They need to let him loose again and commit to Drake. Not trying to constantly throw the ball downfield. 

Yes. I also believe you went to the games.

We disagree. We disagreed about Ajayi too.

 

[Ilov80s]

Usually, it's "If you take away that one big play."  Now we're arguing if you add that one big play.

I can't find the exact stat, but it's something like 24% of his carries have resulted in a loss.  The Dolphins can't give it to him 20 times a game, lose yards on 5 of them, and hope he hits the 30 yard run.

The point is the sample size is too small to have any significance. 33 carries is nothing and will be wildly influenced by 1 big run or a couple short yardage carries. The YPC metric really isn't statistically significant almost ever, but especially not now. 

 

[jm192]

The point is the sample size is too small to have any significance. 33 carries is nothing and will be wildly influenced by 1 big run of a couple short yardage carries. The YPC metric really isn't statistically significant almost ever, but especially not now. 

He's played 1/4th of his season.  I guess, at what point do we say it's time to worry?  

 

[Ilov80s]

I am a dolphins fan who has no shares of Drake in fantasy. Purely from an nfl standpoint with no fantasy bias I am bewildered at his usage and think he should be getting a lot more touches. 

Yeah I kind of got suckered into him. He was a guy I wanted nothing to do with but as preason went on, he looked good and the market still had him as one of the last RBs getting taken. So to me it was pretty safe. No way could I have seen this usage coming. It really makes zero sense. The Dolphins are a team desperately in need of a young playmaker on offense and yet they are content not to play Drake ever. They tried to do the same with Ajayi. 

 

[Ilov80s]

He's played 1/4th of his season.  I guess, at what point do we say it's time to worry?  

It is time to worry for fantasy because of usage, not his YPC. 

 

[Deamon]

This situation reminds me of the Spiller/Fred Jackson days or the Powell/Forte days more recently.  Where there is clearly a younger, more talented back that just needs to get in a rhythm and the coach refuses to let him do that.  It's equally as frustrating owning the better back this year.  Jesus Gase, just give this guy 15 carries this week and see what he can do.  If he goes 15 for 30 then fine, but I highly doubt that's going to happen. 

 

[Todem]

He's played 1/4th of his season.  I guess, at what point do we say it's time to worry?  

I think we are all worried now and it is getting to the critical point with week 5 looming. If he is not involved this week.....I don't think any of us can start him. Most are bailing now. I am going to give him one more week here and then we watch it from the bench and hope it changes. But with this team...hard to tell right now.

 

[SCT]

I think he's been in some really weird games so far and have been happy with his snap percentage, it's just his touches that are the problem and you gotta think that will come.  At this point though you gotta bench him till you see touches or at least get a coachspeak as to wanting him more involved.

 

[Biabreakable]

Sorry. I was agreeing with you.  The old man is averaging 4ypc on almost the same number of carries. 

Is it possible that Drake has reverted back to the issues he had previously?  I recall his coaches saying they couldn’t trust him because he was constantly trying to hit the home run rather than just hitting the hole and getting what he could... he was dancing too much.

Gase was saying this right before they traded Jay Ajayi to the Eagles. So I assumed Gase was talking about Jay, but maybe he was talking about Drake?

Wasnt it some time after this that Drake got a lot of opportunity to close out the season?

 

[SCT]

That was about Ajayi....then they went with Damien Williams more so than Drake, then he got hurt and Drake got the bulk and went off.

 

[trader jake]

This situation reminds me of the Spiller/Fred Jackson days or the Powell/Forte days more recently.  Where there is clearly a younger, more talented back that just needs to get in a rhythm and the coach refuses to let him do that.  It's equally as frustrating owning the better back this year.  Jesus Gase, just give this guy 15 carries this week and see what he can do.  If he goes 15 for 30 then fine, but I highly doubt that's going to happen. 

There's also an argument one could make that Drake isn't the best young (or non-Gore at least) RB in that backfield that should be seeing more playing time.  May seem like a 'hot take' right now, but Kalen Ballage will eventually get a shot.  :dunno:

 

[Biabreakable]

Damien William's is a good utility Rb who is a better blocker and receiver than Drake is.

Drake is more elusive than William's but neither is that good between the tackles.

At first Gase trusted William's more. Then this offseason they signed Gore.

These are tea leaves that speak about Gase not trusting Drake, despite what he may say publicly.

Both Gase and Christensen were saying Drake needs to learn how to be a pro. They are talking about film work, blocking, understanding his reads, knowing defenses.

They do not say it specifically, but these are all things that Drake needs improvement on to earn their trust.

 

[The Dude]

So is it give up time or try to get him for a song

 

[zamboni]

There's also an argument one could make that Drake isn't the best young (or non-Gore at least) RB in that backfield that should be seeing more playing time.  May seem like a 'hot take' right now, but Kalen Ballage will eventually get a shot.  :dunno:

Ballage is starting to intrigue me as well. 

 

[Ilov80s]

Anything could happen but Ballage is not a good NFL prospect. He has some of the same flaws as Drake but at least Drake had some legit excuses why he struggled to get touches in college. 

 

[Otis]

He's talented, and when the touches come, so will the fantasy points.  I'm holding and waiting. 

 

[Binky The Doormat]

So is it give up time or try to get him for a song

As a barometer - I got him today for Jordy Nelson (.5ppr).  

 

[Galileo]

I am trying to decide whether to cut bait on this guy.   I need a roster spot and it is him or B. Powell that are the chopping block candidates...

 

[steelwind]

A good perspective.  Tannehill has to make this throw to Drake.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bob_wY6hxLB/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again

 

[gianmarco]

Week 1 rushes and targets

Week 2 -- TD

Week 2 -- nice run

So after an "ok" week 1 with 14/48 and 3/18, followed up by a decent 11/53/1 and 4/17 (on 4 targets), he has since had a total of 8 carries over 2 games.  No fumbles.  No obvious problems that I can tell.

Gore had 6 carries for 12 yards in week 3 and thus got rewarded with 11 carries this past week as a result (while Drake got 3). 

I don't get it.

 

[BigSteelThrill]

 but Ballage is not a good NFL prospect.

I disagree. I like'd em the most out of the Mia backfield coming into training camp. *don't own him or any Dolphin backs.

 

[BigSteelThrill]

I don't get it.

Yeah, there has to be something "in house" to be so under used with his production.

 

[The Dude]

I am trying to decide whether to cut bait on this guy.   I need a roster spot and it is him or B. Powell that are the chopping block candidates...

Drake still has a chance to be a difference maker - Bilal will not be one

 

[Man In The Box]

I don’t want to make excuses for Drake. I expected big things from him this year. But the reality is their offense has been flat out bad despite their 3-1 record. They’ve run the second least offensive plays per game so far this year at 50/game. This includes a 13 play garbage time drive in Sunday’s game. Only the putrid Cardinals are fewer at 49.5. 

I’m holding (and benching) in the only league I have him in. Gase needs to get this offense going, but it may not happen. They have some gritty skill players that are decent for real football, but it may prove to be a fantasy wasteland. My biggest gripe as a fan isn’t Drake. It’s Grant. Guy is electric with the ball and just doesn’t get enough touches for whatever reason. Drives me mad. 

ETA: Their offensive line wasn’t great to begin with, and they just lost their second starter this season already. There’s a lot going against Drake right now. 

 

[SameSongNDance]

There's also an argument one could make that Drake isn't the best young (or non-Gore at least) RB in that backfield that should be seeing more playing time. May seem like a 'hot take' right now, but Kalen Ballage will eventually get a shot. :dunno:

He was active for the first time last week. It got an eye brow raise out of me.

 

[Biabreakable]

Yeah, there has to be something "in house" to be so under used with his production.

His production isnt so good that I think it is that hard to understand.

Its faux confusion or you are seeing something I don't from those clips that in my view were not impressive.

There may be something in house as you say but Drakes play isnt so good that this is the only reason he isnt getting the ball more.

 

[avina1]

I don’t want to make excuses for Drake. I expected big things from him this year. But the reality is their offense has been flat out bad despite their 3-1 record. They’ve run the second least offensive plays per game so far this year at 50/game. This includes a 13 play garbage time drive in Sunday’s game. Only the putrid Cardinals are fewer at 49.5. 

I’m holding (and benching) in the only league I have him in. Gase needs to get this offense going, but it may not happen. They have some gritty skill players that are decent for real football, but it may prove to be a fantasy wasteland. My biggest gripe as a fan isn’t Drake. It’s Grant. Guy is electric with the ball and just doesn’t get enough touches for whatever reason. Drives me mad. 

ETA: Their offensive line wasn’t great to begin with, and they just lost their second starter this season already. There’s a lot going against Drake right now. 

there also running out of a lot of trick plays to get them wins.

 

[The Frankman]

Coach Adam Gase said Kenyan Drake and Frank Gore will "continue splitting that stuff" in the Dolphins' backfield.

This is why bad teams stay bad. Sure, the Dolphins are 3-1, but they're not nearly as good as their record and got straight up embarrassed by the Patriots in Week 4. Drake had three carries that day, and Gore is out-carrying Drake 35-33 on the season. In the offseason, Gase said he wanted Drake to average 15-20 carries and 6-8 targets and the offense to run 70-75 plays per game. The Dolphins are averaging a laughably-bad 50.0 plays per game, 31st in the league ahead of only the Cardinals. Gase is laying blame there. "We're just not getting enough plays," he said. Perhaps Miami would "get enough plays" if the coach started featuring his best player -- Drake.

...

 

[Ilov80s]

I almost wonder if he is a good candidate for a poison pill drop. Better time to do that would have been Monday before waivers but I am seriously considering it.

 

[The Frankman]

I am watching game tape of him and I;'m trying to find the run/failed assignment/something that made him go from "15-20 and 6-8" to the 2nd RB in a committee. I'm up to Week 2 so far and I'm not seeing anything so far. Did something happen that I missed about Drake?

 

[Ilov80s]

I am watching game tape of him and I;'m trying to find the run/failed assignment/something that made him go from "15-20 and 6-8" to the 2nd RB in a committee. I'm up to Week 2 so far and I'm not seeing anything so far. Did something happen that I missed about Drake?

Not sure really. Week 3 they hit HRs on a few huge trick plays. Week 4 they might have gotten 1 first down with the first team. 4th quarter it was Gore mostly playing with Brock. Maybe it was just some weird game scripts but I do find it odd that they aren't even using him much as a receiver when down big. Unless usage normalizes, he is too scary to start even at flex in anything but the deepest leagues. 

 

[Buck Bradcanon]

I mean the back half of 2017 did happen right?  Ugh..

 

[Ilov80s]

I mean the back half of 2017 did happen right?  Ugh..

It makes you wonder if maybe Adam Gase wasn't some kind of offensive genius but just had  the good fortune of being OC with Peyton Manning and Demaryius Thomas, Julius Thomas, Wes Welker and Eric Decker. I want to root for him, he's a local Michigan guy but he's making it a challenge. 

 

[Elevencents]

I mean the back half of 2017 did happen right?  Ugh..

I keep looking at his game logs and hovering over the add button. Henry is my only viable drop for him tho and some idiot part of me wants to wait and see how this weekend against Buffalo goes. 

 

[Weebs210]

I keep looking at his game logs and hovering over the add button. Henry is my only viable drop for him tho and some idiot part of me wants to wait and see how this weekend against Buffalo goes. 

You should wait to see how this weekend plays out.

 

[SCT]

I was very disappointed in today's news/coach speak where Gase basically says "we're fine and Drake and Gore will continue to split".  Been waiting for the blurb where he says something more like "Drake's our best weapon and we need to get the ball in his hands more."

At this point I think he is a hold but not start and hope that something changes that forces Gase to give him the majority of the touches.  Notice I didn't say I was praying for a Gore injury.

 

[rickyg]

I think better days are ahead for sure.  And I would take drake over Henry still.  He’s a superior talent to Henry.  There’s no way he is this bad all year.  

 

[ponchsox]

He’s borderline droppable for me in a 10 teamer. I can’t envision a scenario that I’d use him.

 

[Biabreakable]

...

I have heard this before about Gase saying they need to run more plays.

I stopped listening to him when he threw Ajayi under the bus instead of taking responsibility for his job.

 

[IheartGuinness]

Is anyone stuck starting him? I wound up with a variety of disappointing RB2 guys that I had high hopes for in PPR...Drake, Barber, Duke Johnson, Alf. And aside from Derrick Henry (who's in the same boat as these other guys) there's nothing on the WW. Anyone else starting on a wing and a prayer?

 

[Shrugs]

Is anyone stuck starting him? I wound up with a variety of disappointing RB2 guys that I had high hopes for in PPR...Drake, Barber, Duke Johnson, Alf. And aside from Derrick Henry (who's in the same boat as these other guys) there's nothing on the WW. Anyone else starting on a wing and a prayer?

I do have to start him in one league with Howard on bye. In another, it's him or Henry and I'm going Henry with his OL healthy and what should be a favorable game script vs the Bills.