Miami Dolphins running back Raheem Mostert has put on 10 more pounds ahead of the 2023 NFL season, according to NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe.
Raheem Mostert has heard RB trade rumors for months — recently Jonathan Taylor — while bulking up focused on being THE GUY in Dolphins backfield.
🐬 needs a 3rd weapon paired w/ Tyreek 🐆 & Waddle 🐧. That’s Mostert’s music.
From @nflnetwork @NFLTotalAccess w/ @SteveSmithSr89: pic.twitter.com/QkhMFicJxa
— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) September 1, 2023
“I’ll tell you what, Raheem Mostert is a guy you’ve got to look out for this year,” Wolfe said. “He had over 1,000 yards last year, but he wasn’t fully healthy. This year, he tells me he’s put on 10 extra pounds. He’s a guy who is going late in fantasy drafts who probably should be going a lot earlier.”
This could be good news for Mostert’s chances of staying healthy in the 2023 season, something the Dolphins desperately need at the running back spot. Mostert appeared in 16 of the team’s 17 games last season, but he wasn’t 100 percent in all of them, as Wolfe mentioned.
The Dolphins placed running back Jeff Wilson Jr. on injured reserve on Thursday, keeping him out for at least the team’s first four games of the 2023 season. That opens the door for Mostert to really take control of the backfield in the first few weeks of the campaign.
Last season, Mostert ran for 891 yards on 181 carries, an average of 4.9 yards per carry. The speedy running back also added 31 catches on 42 targets for an additional 202 yards.
While the Dolphins have been rumored to be looking to upgrade their running back room, it looks like Mostert will open the season with a pretty major role for the team.
Miami pursued running back Dalvin Cook in free agency before he signed with the New York Jets, and the team reportedly was interested in trading for Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor.
Mostert has bounced around in his NFL career, playing for the Baltimore Ravens, Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers and Dolphins. He seems to have found a home playing for Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel, who also coached him during his time in San Francisco.
That familiarity should allow Mostert to make the most of his chances in the 2023 season. With Wilson out, the Purdue University product should be relied on pretty heavily alongside rookie De’Von Achane.
The Dolphins open the 2023 season on Sunday, Sept. 10 against the Los Angeles Chargers. Both teams are hoping to make the playoffs this season, so that should be a great matchup.
