Le’Veon who? RB Myles Gaskin keeps impressing, just days after Dolphins miss out on Bell

On Thursday, the Miami Dolphins almost signed Le’Veon Bell.

The star running back, shockingly released by the New York Jets on Tuesday and the subject of a rare in-season free-agent sweepstakes last week, narrowed his choices down to the Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs before finally signing with the Chiefs. He decided to join a Super Bowl contender, even knowing his touches might be more limited, rather than come to Miami for a clear path to a starting job with a rapidly improving team.

On Sunday, Myles Gaskin made sure the Dolphins didn’t regret missing out on the three-time All-Pro.

The running back ran for a career-high 91 yards on 18 carries in a 24-0 win against the Jets and added another 35 receiving yards on three catches.

Was Gaskin feeling any extra motivation following the Bell saga of the previous days? He had as simple an answer as imaginable.

“No,” was the only word he offered.

Gaskin is in the midst of a breakout second season following a mostly uneventful rookie year in 2019 and Sunday marked another high point. Miami’s win was never particularly close and the Dolphins (3-3) rode Gaskin to an early, ultimately insurmountable lead in Miami Gardens.

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The Dolphins went three and out on their opening drive, then started to feed Gaskin on their second.

The tailback had three carries for 37 yards and two catches for 12 yards on the drive. He touched the ball on seven of Miami’s first nine offensive plays and the Dolphins marched 66 yards on eight plays on their second drive to take a 7-0 lead on a pass from Ryan Fitzpatrick to tight end Adam Shaheen.

As a rookie, Gaskin had just 36 carries for 166 yards and a touchdown, and seven catches for 51 yards. In 2020, it took him just four games to top those totals.

Gaskin has either led or shared the team lead in carries this season and the separation has grown the last two weeks as the halfback has put together the two best games of his career. Last Sunday, Gaskin ran for 57 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries in a blowout win against the San Francisco 49ers — and added 34 yards on five catches — and had seven more carries than anyone else on the team. On Sunday, Gaskin’s 18 carries were 12 more than any of his teammates and the Dolphins even felt comfortable making running back Jordan Howard a healthy scratch, even after missing out on Bell.

“He’s been playing well really these first six weeks,” coach Brian Flores said. “I know the guys on our team. They’re motivated to play, period, so I don’t think we need any extra motivation.”

At least this season, Gaskin has emerged as Miami’s featured running back just 18 months after the Dolphins selected him in the seventh round of the 2019 NFL Draft.

He also has a simple answer when asked about his future. Does he think he can prove this season he can be the running back of the future in South Florida?

One word, again, is all he needs: “Yes.”