Ollie Gordon II trending up: rookie’s touches rise as Week 9 test arrives

Rookie running back Ollie Gordon II is earning a larger slice of the Miami backfield just in time for a spotlight matchup in Week 9. After a quiet September, Gordon has nudged his way into meaningful snaps, punched in his first NFL touchdown, and posted his most efficient stretch to date. The question for fantasy players and Dolphins watchers alike: does the usage bump stick against a physical opponent with top-tier speed at the second level?

Ollie Gordon workload: the recent pattern

Over the last two games, Ollie Gordon has moved from change-of-pace cameos to a defined role. The staff has trusted him with early-down carries and a handful of schemed touches in the screen game, a notable shift from the September script that leaned almost exclusively on veterans. He followed a red-zone score with his season-high in combined touches, showing sharper reads on inside zone and better pad level through first contact.

Two subtle tells suggest the growth is real:

• Drive starts: More of Gordon’s carries are opening series rather than cleaning up late-game snaps.

• Call sheet variety: Miami has mixed in duo, split-zone, and quick swing passes to let him build downhill before contact.

What Miami needs from Ollie Gordon II in Week 9

This matchup demands decisiveness. The opposing front rallies quickly and punishes lateral hesitation, so Gordon’s best path is straight-line urgency with one cut and go. Expect Miami to:

• Condense formations on early downs to create double-teams and widen B-gaps for Gordon’s one-cut style.

• Use motion to stress the edges, then hit quick-hitters inside once linebackers overrun.

• Sprinkle in designed screens as a counter to an aggressive pass rush.

If Miami sustains drives, Gordon’s snap share should hold because his pass protection has improved—enough to keep him on the field for play-action and outlet work.

Fantasy snapshot: Ollie Gordon II

• Trend: Arrow up. Back-to-back weeks with increased touches and a red-zone role.

• Floor/Ceiling: Flex flier in deeper leagues; touchdown-dependent RB3 in standard formats.

• Matchup fit: Better if Miami controls tempo—his value spikes with 14–16 touches rather than 7–9.

• Tiebreaker note: If your roster leans on safe volume, Gordon is still volatile. If you need upside, his chunk-play profile and goal-line chances are live.

Scouting notes that pop on film

Contact balance: Gordon keeps his feet through glancing blows and rolls his hips on second effort, turning twos into fours. That matters against fronts that rarely miss the first tackler.

Vision on duo/inside zone: When the double-team displaces a down lineman, Gordon hits the crease without bounce-hunting. It’s a good fit for Miami’s interior concepts.

Finishing mindset: He falls forward, which shows up in short-yardage success—an area Miami has looked to stabilize.

How defenses are adjusting—and the counter

Defenses have begun squeezing Miami’s perimeter speed by pinching safeties and daring the offense to win with interior grit. Gordon is part of the counter: sturdy between the tackles, quick enough to punish overplays with cutbacks, and serviceable on checkdowns. If Miami strings together efficient first downs, look for play-action slants and deep crossers to open—hidden value that keeps Gordon on the field even when he’s not the touch recipient.

What will determine Gordon’s Week 9 box score

1. Red-zone trips: Miami’s ability to finish drives decides whether Gordon’s touchdown equity shows up again.

2. Third-down trust: If his protections hold up, he avoids the rotation squeeze that can cap touches.

3. Game script: Positive or neutral script favors a 12+ carry path; a quick deficit tilts snaps elsewhere.

Big-picture outlook for Ollie Gordon

The rookie has already cleared the first hurdle—earning the staff’s trust. Next up is consistency: stacking clean reads, protecting the quarterback, and squeezing every yard out of light boxes. Do that, and Ollie Gordon II becomes more than a package player; he turns into a weekly lever for an offense that needs balance to unlock its speed outside.

 the arrows are pointing the right way. Gordon’s role is growing, his red-zone involvement is real, and the tape matches the stat-line nudge. For Week 9, he’s a viable upside play in deeper formats and a name to circle as Miami searches for a sustainable between-the-tackles identity.