Jay Ajayi, running back, Miami Dolphins
This third-year running back probably makes for the darkest horse on this list. But, that’s what this story is all about. Ajayi hit the ground running and came alive in his second season.
The former Boise State project tallied 1,272 rushing yards and eight touchdowns throughout 15 games. He did this at a robust pace of 4.9 yards per carry, we might add. As a result, Ajayi finished fourth overall in rushing yards.
The fact that Ajayi had three games in 2016 when he rushed for over 200 yards is also quite noteworthy.
Jay Ajayi became the 4th player in NFL history to have 3 200+ yd games in one season. Earl Campbell, OJ Simpson & Tiki Barber are the others https://t.co/SR7FmYAnWZ
— Eric (@EIizondo) May 16, 2017
As for Ajayi’s team as a whole, the Dolphins are on an upward trend. They finished 10-6 in the AFC East and played in the postseason for the first time since 2008.
Should Ajayi stand out again, and any of his top fellow running backs take a step back, he might just finish as the No. 1 back in the NFL.