The Dolphins are built from idiosyncrasies. When every club projects constructing the roster through the draft as its core philosophy, Miami has mostly traded for its stars or signed them in free agency -- Tyreek Hill, Terron Armstead, Jalen Ramsey, Raheem Mostert and Bradley Chubb.
They have the most eccentric coach in football, Mike McDaniel, who played receiver at Yale, and is one of the most dedicated disciples of the Kyle Shanahan offensive football religion.
They have a uniquely skilled, left-handed starting quarterback who's now shelved for a time period unbeknownst to everyone outside of the Tagovailoa family at this juncture.
In 2022 and 2023 combined, the Dolphins made a grand total of eight draft selections, only six remain with the team, two are currently on IR, one just so happens to be the new starter at quarterback and another is No. 1 in Week 3's Practice Squad Power Rankings.
I'm highlighting the Dolphins not solely for their idiosyncrasies. This is a club, even without Tua, that can remain in the AFC playoff picture. Because what it lacks in pure depth it boasts in star power and, yes, even with some drafted, homegrown talent like Jaylen Waddle, Jevon Holland and Jaelan Phillips.
But I have some suggestions. For as much as I loved rookie receiver Malik Washington, who's been injured and could make his NFL debut this weekend, that room needs a jolt. There's only so much Hill and Waddle can do to anchor the passing offense, especially with loads of defensive attention on every snap.
Which is where 2022 fourth-round selection Erik Ezukanma steps in. We saw the impact Miami's lacking receiver depth can have on the offense at large the first two weeks. Heck, Robbie Chosen is already gone.
Ezukanma isn't necessarily some secret weapon waiting in the wings. But at this point, it's worth it for the powers that be with the Dolphins to give him an opportunity. In three preseasons, he has 23 receptions for 275 yards and forced four missed tackles. And that last point is critical. In college, at Texas Tech, Ezukanma was dynamic after the catch, with 34 career forced missed tackles on 175 receptions.
Of course, the Big 12 isn't the NFL. But we at least know Ezukanma has that speciality in his bag. And if you thought the Dolphins offense was gimmicky before, wait until you see the complex scheming McDaniel is going to cook up with Thompson -- or Tyler Huntley -- at quarterback from here on out. YAC has never before been so crucial to what the Dolphins want to do offensively.
One last thing before I get to this week's rankings too -- Miami's defense also needs a spark. The Bills did whatever they wanted on the ground in Week 2's blowout win, and to begin the season, the Jaguars ran for nearly 130 yards at almost 4.9 yards per pop.
Which is why I'm suggesting a wide-bodied, run-stuffing stalwart to be elevated at defensive tackle, Naquan Jones. The 6-foot-3, 313-pound Jones was such a stud halting the opposition's ground game at Michigan State, and in Arizona this summer, pieced together a strong, three-down preseason. He needs his chance to. Even though Calais Campbell is roaming around down there, without Christian Wilkins, Miami needs more run-game pluggers up front.
I'm pledging to elevate my game each week in what is now YEAR 6 (!) of the Practice Squad Power Rankings. I'm in the best shape of my life. I'm ready for a breakout season. I can feel it approaching.
In Week 2, four (!) Practice Squad Power Ranking players (PSPRs) were elevated to the 53-man roster for game day -- Chargers safety Tony Jefferson, Lions WR Tim Patrick, Steelers WR Ben Skowronek, and Broncos WR Lil'Jordan Humphrey. That brings The Call Up Tracker (CUT) to six after the pair of elevations in Week 1. Oh, and, before we even get to Saturday, when those elevations occur, Huntley was poached off the Ravens practice squad to the Dolphins 53-man roster in the wake of the Tua Tagovailoa IR situation. So Week 3's CUT is already at one. Here's to the The CUT eclipsing 26 elevations from last season or the 32 from the 2022 campaign. Send any/all PSPR tips to me @ChrisTrapasso on X or Twitter or whatever you call it these days.
Now, for some crucial reminders: The 16-man practice squads are about the only good thing to come out of the pandemic, and they're here to stay in the NFL. Because of this, I run the Practice Squad Power Rankings parallel to the league and write about 16 individuals every Friday, 10 officially in the rankings and six honorable mentions.
While the creation of the PSPR was intended to highlight underrated young players, with the league now allowing six veterans on every club's practice squad, that's the approach I'll take. Mostly first, second, and third-year players. A few veterans sprinkled in.
Let's have the best season yet at the Practice Squad Power Rankings and glide on cloud nine into each football weekend this autumn.
10. Luiji Vilain, EDGE, Browns
Vilain has long been one of my favorites for the PSPR, because he was a late watch for me a few years ago before the draft, and I loved his slippery pass-rush ability at Michigan. He flashed in each of the last two preseasons with the Vikings, and generated eight pressures on 44 pass-rushing snaps in Carolina before the Browns signed him before the season.
9. Desmond King, CB, Texans
King has proven himself to be one of the more durable, do-everything slot defenders in football, now in his eighth season. He's one of those fundamentally sound, trustworthy former Iowa Hawkeyes defensive backs who are scattered across the league. Heck, in 2023, on the Steelers and Texans, he defended two passes, had a sack, 47 tackles, five tackles for loss, and did not allow a touchdown in his coverage area. He's got a little left in the tank.
8. Shaka Heyward, LB, Bengals
I had a big draft crush on Heyward out of Duke a few years ago. Long, rangy, athletic, plus coverage instincts. He went undrafted in 2023 and all he's done in two preseasons since is proved to everyone he should've been picked and can undeniably play in this league. He was outstanding this past August with 12 total tackles, three pressures, a pass breakup, and he didn't miss a tackle.
Cincinnati boasts one of the better, reasonably young linebacker tandems in the AFC, yet if either battle an injury, Heyward is a three-down plug-and-play insurance option.
7. Tony Jefferson, S, Chargers
Did you witness the Tony Jefferson Game, which to some may have been the Trey Lance Five Interception Game? In it, Jefferson came off the couch to register double-digit tackles, force a fumble and snag two picks in the Chargers' exhibition outing against the Cowboys.
In 2023, Jefferson was a scouting intern for the Ravens. Now he's waiting patiently for another opportunity well into his 30s on a Chargers defense that already boasts Derwin James.
6. Andre Carter, LB, Vikings
I can't quit Carter. Back in 2021, he essentially matched Aidan Hutchinson in pass-rushing efficiency while at Army. In the 2022 season, he saw nothing but double teams and that efficiency dipped -- from 20.1% pressure-creation to 14.1% -- which led to Carter going undrafted. That, and a lowly combine performance.
But Minnesota scooped him up on the undrafted free agent market, and he's rocked the past two preseasons. This past August, Carter generated nine quarterback pressures on a mere 49 pass-rushing opportunities. Danielle Hunter is gone, but the Vikings added Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel in free agency before drafting Dallas Turner in Round 1. Not much opportunity for Carter. He's ready and waiting, though.
5. Frank Gore Jr., RB, Bills
Gore is completely capable of operating as an efficient complementary back in Buffalo's high-powered offense. He won't get the chance to be that type right away, however, with James Cook, Ty Johnson and fourth-round rookie Ray Davis ahead of him on the depth chart.
Yet what Gore lacks in size and pure speed, he counters with his dad-like vision, cutting skill and balance through contact. In the preseason, as the clear exhibition workhorse for the Bills, Gore averaged 4.9 yards per pop en route to leading the NFL with 163 rushing yards. And his average of 3.09 yards after contact per rush was impressive, too.
4. Jalen Coker, WR, Panthers
Coker is a win-through-physical boundary wideout with deceptive deep-ball capabilities because of his strong hands, extraordinarily leaping skills, and body control at the catch point.
I know there's Xavier Legette on this offense. They want to start incorporating him after trading up to select him. But it absolutely wouldn't hurt to have more offensive weaponry to help get this offense out of the magnificently large hole it's currently in. And Coker is another wideout who represents the future at the position in Carolina.
3. Naquan Jones, DT, Dolphins
At Michigan State, Jones registered a whopping 43 stops -- tackles that constitute a "loss" for the offense based on down and distance -- on 78 career tackles. Insane. In short, he was routinely making impact tackles near the line of scrimmage. That's precisely what the Dolphins defense needs now.
2. Tim Patrick, WR, Lions
Patrick being cut by the Broncos was one of the surprises of the summer in the NFL. He battled back from two before-the-season injuries -- to his ACL in 2022 and Achilles in 2023 -- and legitimately looked like one of the better depth options at receiver this preseason.
He caught five passes for 44 yards in the preseason before the release, and the Lions were smart to snatch him immediately. Sure, Patrick hasn't caught a pass in a regular-season game since 2021. That year, though? He went for over 700 yards for second-straight season. He's the type of possession target on the boundary Detroit could use ... right now!
1. Erik Ezukanma, WR, Dolphins
Is Ezukanma the savior of the Dolphins offense? Probably not. But could he spring a quick screen or shallow cross for 20-plus, breaking a tackle or two along the way? Absolutely. With defenses likely converging on Hill and Waddle, the Dolphins need to spread around the football starting in Week 3.
Honorable Mention
Lil'Jordan Humphrey, WR, Broncos
Humphrey has always been a contested-catch winner, dating to his time at the University of Texas. He may not separate vertically often. That's fine. His vertical and natural ball skills have kept him in the league for a while now after going undrafted.
Parris Campbell, WR, Eagles
The Eagles may get A.J. Brown back this week, which of course would be a monstrous boost to the offense that struggled to move the ball through the air when it mattered most against the Falcons. I still think they need a vertical seam-stretcher or someone who can flip on the jets and go after a schemed-up toss underneath. Campbell at least provides serious, low 4.3 speed.
Joe Giles-Harris, LB, Patriots
Giles-Harris may not be quite athletic enough to satisfy what NFL coaches want in terms of range from their linebackers today. He makes up for said lack of physical gifts with instincts and reliability on three downs. He had 10 tackles and an interception for the Patriots this preseason.
Jowon Briggs, DT, Browns
Briggs looks like an oversized linebacker at defensive tackle and has the type of upfield juice to threaten the quarterback. Only one pressure in the preseason from the Cincinnati alum, yet plenty of near misses based on his burst and surprisingly powerful jolt at the point of attack for a sub-300 pounder.
Chigozie Anusiem, CB, Commanders
Anusiem is a gifted athlete, who ran 4.40 with a 37.5-inch vertical at his pro day after not being invited to the combine, a development I'm still surprised didn't happen after his two seasons at Colorado State. Combined, he had 93 tackles, 11 pass breakups, 3.5 tackles for loss and one interception. He's 6-1 and 200 pounds with 32.5-inch arms too. With Emmanuel Forbes dealing with an injury, Anusiem would be a sensible elevation in Washington.
Matt Landers, WR, Panthers
Landers can be a clearing-route, go-ball specialist in this regular season. After all, the dude is a 6-foot-4, 200-pounder with 4.37 speed. He rocked at Toledo and then Arkansas, averaging a combined 21.1 yards per catch. In minimal opportunities over the past two preseasons, Landers made six grabs for 86 yards with a touchdown.
Is he the most squeaky clean route-runner in football? Of course not. But "explosives" are everything in today's NFL, and Landers absolutely can provide those to an offense, particularly one like the Patriots without many established pass-catching options at receiver.
