ESPN: Jaylen Wright will have fantasy value as a rookie running back with the Miami Dolphins
Jaylen Wright was drafted into a crowded running back room with the Miami Dolphins, but that won’t stop the former Tennessee Football standout from having an impact in fantasy football during his rookie year in the NFL according to ESPN.
Both fantasy football analyst Mike Clay and NFL Draft analyst Jordan Reid picked Wright as the mid-round pick that will have fantasy value in the 2024 season. Wright was selected by the Dolphins in the fourth round, picked at No. 120 overall.
“Last season,” Clay wrote, “the Dolphins’ running back room easily paced the league in scrimmage yards (2,847), TDs (34) and fantasy points (580). Most of that damage was done by Raheem Mostert (now 32 with a substantial history of missed games) and De’Von Achane (undersized at 5-foot-8, 188 pounds and missed five games as a rookie). Enter the speedy Wright, who has a path to a massive role in an extremely fantasy-friendly environment.”
“The Dolphins were aggressive in trading up to get Wright,” Reid added, “which tells me that they have a distinct plan for him. With a limited number of carries while at Tennessee (368 rushes in three seasons), he enters his pro career with minimal wear and tear on his body. Wright is likely to be a focal point in coach Mike McDaniel’s explosive offense.”
Miami Dolphins traded up to draft Jaylen Wright
The Dolphins traded a 2025 third-round pick to move up in the fourth round and pick Wright with the No. 120th pick.
He joins a Dolphins offense that last season finished sixth in total rushing (2,308 yards), led the league in yards per carry (5.1) and tied for the league lead in rushing touchdowns (27).
Mostert carried 209 times for 1,012 yards and 18 touchdowns last season. Achane, who the Dolphins took in the third round last year, had 800 yards and eight touchdowns on 103 carries, averaging 103 yards per carry.
Jaylen Wright last season: 137 rushes, 1,013 yards, 7.4 yards per carry
During his breakout junior season at Tennessee, Wright carried 137 times for 1,013 yards and had four rushing touchdowns, averaging 7.4 yards per carry.
He became just the 19th Tennessee running back to go over 1,000 yards in a season and did it in fewer carries than any other back before him.
Over the last three seasons with the Vols, Wright totaled 2,297 yards and 18 touchdowns on 368 attempts.
He had 409 yards and four touchdowns as a freshman in 2021 and 875 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2022. He averaged 4.8 yards per carry in 2021 and 6.0 yards per carry in 2022.
