In the words of Lightning McQueen: “Speed. I am speed.” And that’s exactly what the Miami Dolphins are: Speed. There’s been fast teams in the NFL before, but nothing like what we are seeing with the Dolphins.
NFL Next Gen Stats say that the seven fastest ball-carriers in the league so far this season are the Miami Dolphins. The list includes Tyreek Hill, De’Von Achane, and Raheem Mostert. If you extend the list out a little more to maybe like top-20, Jaylen Waddle also makes that list.
The Miami Dolphins should just make this their new homepage. Real-time updates of the league’s fastest ball carriers in miles per hour. It is jarring how speedy this team is. https://t.co/suHwwFJycs
— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) October 8, 2023
Tyreek Hill is the fastest Dolphins player
When Tyreek Hill told the media the other day that he was the fastest player on the team, he definitely wasn’t lying. Hill tops the list of fastest ball carriers with his Week 5 performance of a 64-yard reception clocking at 22.01 mph.
Unfortunately, Miami didn’t score off of that speedy drive. It resulted in a tipped pass for a 102-yard interception return touchdown for the Giants, the longest score recorded by an NFL team this season. Hill didn’t let that stop him as he had a 69-yard rushing touchdown to kick off the second half of the game. That run clocked in at 20.95 mph, a top 20 speed, but not the fastest Cheetah can be.
Casual 69-yard @cheetah tuddy to kick off the second half 🐆
📺: #NYGvsMIA on @NFLonFOX pic.twitter.com/bI0ob4QSyu
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) October 8, 2023
De’Von Achane also clocked in speed in the victory over the New York Giants with a 76-yard rushing touchdown at 21.76 mph. Achane averaged 13.7 yards on 11 carries for a total of 151 yards; He’s the first Dolphins player with three straight 100-yard rushing games since Jay Ajayi in 2016, and tallies up a total of 460 yards in his first four career NFL games, the third highest behind Kareem Hunt with 502.
Most rushing yards in a player’s first 4 career NFL games:
539- Billy Sims (1980)
502- Kareem Hunt (2017)
460- @MiamiDolphins De’Von Achane (2023 via 151 vs the Giants today)
447- Cadillac Williams (2005)
446- Eric Dickerson (1983)
445- Julius Jones (2004)
442- Todd Gurley (2015) pic.twitter.com/vkvseKhtTg— StatsCentre (@StatsCentre) October 9, 2023
Mike McDaniel has a very fast team, and it’s even more evident with the recent acquisition of wide receiver Chase Claypool earlier this week. McDaniel was asked by media what stands out to him about Claypool, his response?
“He’s fast. It’s cool.”
Mike McDaniel on what stands out to him about Chase Claypool:
“You guys want me to say it don’t you?
He’s fast, it’s cool.”😂😂 pic.twitter.com/QTsMRjDB5g— King of Phinland🐬👑 (@KingOfPhinland) October 6, 2023
The NFL started tracking ball-carrier speed back in 2018 and since then only one player has crossed the 23 mph threshold, Miami’s very own Raheem Mostert. When he was a member of the San Francisco 49ers in 2020, Mostert recorded a speed of 23.09 mph. I’m sure it won’t take long for his teammates now to catch up to him and reach that marker as well.
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