The record-setting Miami Dolphins offense is set to steamroll the Carolina Panthers in Week 6. This juggernaut has been unstoppable in 2023, especially in the run-game. Meanwhile, the Panthers rank second-to-last in points allowed to RBs.
Indeed, Raheem Mostert will assuredly feast. Still, plenty of fantasy meat will be left over in this bloodbath, especially during garbage, bleed-the-clock-out time (which may hit in Quarter 2). As Mostert and De’Von Achane showed, the Dolphins offense is more than fertile enough to sustain two quality RBs, especially in smash spots like this.
Earlier in the week, Jeff Wilson was looking like the lead mouth for the hearty fantasy leftovers. Yet, he’s been listed as Doubtful, opening the door for another RB2 to be fed.
Enter Salvon Ahmed. At only 14% rostered at the time of this writing, Ahmed has legitimate 15+ Fantasy Point upside, and makes for a phenomenal Week 6 Fantasy Football RB Streamer.
Who is Salvon Ahmed?
As far as athletic measurables go, Ahmed leaves a lot to be desired. In fact, he looks like a downright terrible fit for the speed-obsessed Mike McDaniels.
Via Player Profiler, Ahmed’s 4.62 forty time ranks in just the 40th percentile, while is weight-adjusted speed score is even more damning (19th percentile).
Yet, dating back to his college days, Ahmed plays far faster than his timed numbers suggest. He is light on his feet and hit plenty of home runs in college once he found the runway. Check how he hits the corner against the Texans here:
At the NFL level, Ahmed hasn’t been used much, but has displayed better vision and one-cut ability. He’s made plenty of chunk plays on his limited usage as well, particularly as a pass-catcher. This is why Ahmed ultimately was kept around by McDaniels over Myles Gaskin.
Ahmed has been lightly used across his four-year career, with just 174 career touches (147 carries, 27 catches). However, any time he has gotten extensive burn, Ahmed has typically flashed.
In fact, in the 3 career games he has nine or more carries, Ahmed averages over 16 FPPG. Per RotoViz:
Granted, these games were in a different offense and all the way back in 2020, where Ahmed produced the following stats:
- 24 touches (1 rec), 127 yds, 1 TD
- 17 touches (5 rec), 74 YFS
- 22 touches (1 rec), 90 YFS, 1 TD
Still, as recently as this preseason, Ahmed flashed his huge upside. In Week 2 while getting extended burn (& fighting for a roster spot), Ahmed ripped 16 touches (4 catches) for 131 YFS and 1 TD.
If he receives anything close to 12-15+ looks this week, Ahmed will likely produce similar numbers, simply because he is in:
The Miami Dolphins Juggernaut & Dominant Run Game
Now deemed “The Greatest Show on Surf,” the Dolphins are living up to that name. The team broke an NFL record for most offensive yards through five games (2,568), besting the 2000 Rams’ “Greatest Show on Turf.” This is over 500 more yards than the next closest Eagles.
Obviously, the Dolphins have been scoring at an elite pace, too. They currently average 36.2 points per game, with nearly half of their drives ending in TDs. This currently ranks 5th all-time. Their 70 Point explosion in Week 3 was the second-most of all time, and they could have snared the record with a field goal rather than a knee to close it out.
The reason? Speed. McDaniels is an absolute genius at getting speed into space and letting them fly. The Dolphins have produced 7 of the 10 fastest ball carriers this season, including the entire Top-5 of the list.
Don’t forget, though: McDaniels is a run-game guru at heart. He spent years working under Kyle Shanahan, helping perfect the infamous wide-zone scheme that has allowed RBs to thrive (and once made me buy Jerick McKinnon as an RB1, smdh).
Nobodies like Mike Anderson and Reuben Droughns have rushed for over 1400+ yards in the scheme. Actual talents like Arian Foster have lit the world on fire.
Certainly, in 2023, the McDaniels’ Zone Scheme is firing on all cylinders.
Despite ranking just 12th in total rush attempts (135), the Dolphins rank first in rushing yards (929), YPC (6.88), and rushing TDs (12).
De’Von Achane trails only Christian McCaffrey in rushing yards despite only playing 3 full games, while Raheem Mostert and Achane are both Top-3 RBs in fantasy.
Clearly, this is fertile ground for elite RB Fantasy Production.
Ahmed isn’t even close to Achane as a talent. Still, Mostert had been a career journeyman until the McDaniels Gold Mine zone scheme. You don’t need to be elite to produce serious stats in this Dolphins backfield, you just need volume.
Which brings us to:
Salvon Ahmed’s Week 6 Matchup and Fantasy Outlook
The matchup with the Panthers could not be better for the Dolphins’ dominant run game.
Currently, the Panthers surrender the second-most FPs to RBs. This includes 140.8 rushing yards per game, seventh-worst in the NFL.
Where they are particularly being bludgeoned, however, is for TDs. The Panthers have surrendered a whopping nine rushing touchdowns (1.8 per game). This bodes well for an offense scoring more total TDs and rushing TDs than any other.
Game-flow also has to factor into Ahmed’s Week 6 Fantasy Outlook. The Dolphins should have no trouble pasting points onto this abysmal team (that is without its Top-2 Safeties). Don’t be stunned if they have a 20+ point lead by half-time.
This could lead to Ahmed getting plenty of garbage-time burn to bleed out the clock. While we can’t expect Achane-level production out of a far less explosive Ahmed, truly any RB seeing 10+ touches in this offense is worth noting. Ahmed has the ceiling for 18-20+ if/when this game gets out of hand.
Ahmed has turned in massive fantasy days within lesser offenses on these types of workload. 100 total yards and at least one score are legitimately within reach.
Plus, if he performs well, Ahmed could care out a role for beyond just Week 6. Achane is set to miss the next four weeks. Meanwhile, Raheem Mostert has a sketchy injury history. Indeed, Jeff Wilson should be expected back next week. Nonetheless, Ahmed does carry some near-future handcuff upside should either starter suffer an injury amidst Achane’s absence.
This, at minimum, makes Ahmed (14% rostered) well worth a pick-up. Even if you don’t need to use him, I would pre-emptively add to block my opponents from streaming a potential 18-20 FP boom against me. He currently sits at my RB30 (+27 ECR) in my Week 6 Fantasy Football Rankings, above either Cardinals RB if weighing other streamers.
Salvon Ahmed Week 6 Fantasy Projection: 16 touches (4 rec), 90 YFS, 1 TD
Have a Sit / Start question about Salvon Ahmed, or any other position? The Wolf will take them all LIVE this Sunday @ 10:45 am EST on YouTube (or Facebook Live)
