The Miami Dolphins traded up to draft running back Jaylen Wright with a fourth-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. With blazing sub 4.4 speed and one-cut-and-go ability, there wasn't a better prospect fit in this entire draft class at running back for Mike McDaniel's run scheme in Miami. Here's what you need to know about his Fantasy stock in both season-long and Dynasty formats.
Fantasy fit with the Dolphins
Wright is the perfect fit for a Mike McDaniel's outside-zone run scheme. He can one cut and go and might eat into De'Von Achane's role earlier than expected before taking over down the stretch run in an offense that is expected to be one of the NFL's highest-scoring in 2024. With Raheem Mostert no lock to be on the roster beyond 2024, Wright is likely to get worked into the rotation sooner rather than later. He'll be a favorite late-round pick for zero and hero-RB strategy drafters.
Dynasty outlook
Fantasy managers hungry to upgrade their running back depth will push backs up the board depending on landing spot and this is the perfect example. Wright fits the Dolphins run scheme like De'Von Achane a year ago. He'll have so much space to run into with Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle on the outside. Wright has the suddenness, burst and explosive ability to rise up Dynasty boards with a one-cut and go ability. Heath Cummings is bullish on Wright in his pre-draft rookie-only rankings and has him as the 16th overall prospect. Normally, Wright's value would plummet since he received just Day 3 draft capital. This case will be different now that he landed with the Dolphins. Wright could sneak into the early part of Round 2 in SuperFlex/2QB and the back-end of Round 1 in one-QB Dynasty leagues.
What to know about Jaylen Wright
Jaylen Wright didn't take over as the lead back for the Tennessee Volunteers until 2023 despite outproducing the team's lead back in 2022, but he immediately displayed his trump card and it's something that translates to the speed of the NFL game -- his explosiveness. Wright is one of the most exciting running backs and could find immediate Fantasy Football success like we saw from De'Von Achane if he finds the right offense to let him make one cut, hit that second gear and break into the open field.
Wright is not only a straight-line runner and he has displayed high-level ability to make defenders miss with lateral cuts. His lateral agility is a plus in his projection. We'll go into more detail below, but his powerful build allows him to create after contact and it also contributes to his potential as an excellent pass protector. This, combined with his lateral agility, enhances his route-running ability and elevates his profile as he approaches the next stage of his football career. There is a lot to like about Wright's NFL prospects.
However, with limited touches at the college level, there is concern about how Wright projects to the NFL from a volume standpoint. There is also concerns from a mental processing standpoint when it comes to how he runs both in zone and power/gap -- those concerns can be quelled fast at the NFL level with a little more experience. Perhaps the biggest concern for Wright is the offense he played in at Tennessee. It's a system that caters to the college rules. No stat better describes this discrepancy than this: Wright had just four carries when facing eight or more defenders in the box and just five total outside runs during the 2023 season. These questions will be discussed in NFL draft rooms and where he gets drafted will play a major role in projecting his Fantasy Football value in both redraft and Dynasty leagues.
Age as of Week 1: 21 | Height: 5-10 4/10 | Weight: 210
Comparable body-type to: Breece Hall
We're breaking down everything you need to know about Wright from a Fantasy manager perspective, including best fits, Dynasty outlook, measurables, scouting report, key stats and an NFL comparison.
Scouting report
Strengths
- Breaks away from defenders in open field with ease -- has true breakaway ability that will translate to the speed of the NFL game.
- Wright does an excellent job pressing the line of scrimmage with the ability to make defenders at the LOS miss in a phone booth.
- More of a patient runner than he gets credit for.
- Wright's second gear is his calling card, but he also possesses excellent stop-and-start ability.
- Strong build and it shows up in pass protection where he is already more advanced than most backs entering the NFL with upside to become one of the best pass-protecting backs in the class.
- Wright possesses excellent lateral agility and that ability to make those sharp cuts projects him as a potential weapon from a route-running standpoint at the NFL level.
- Lower body strength and contact balance allow Wright to create yards after first contact -- eighth-most in the nation in 2023.
- Freakish athlete who tested at The Combine as the 33rd most athletic RB out of 1765 RBs from 1987 to 2024 in "relative athletic score" -- elite long speed (4.38 40-yard dash), quickness/burst (1.55 10-yard split), and explosion (11-foot, 2-inch broad jump)
Concerns
- Wright may be a poor fit for a power/gap dominant scheme.
- Playing for the Volunteers means Wright faced more light boxes with only six defenders than any back in the class. There was a lot of open space for him to run through that won't be available at the NFL level.
- Despite having upside as a receiver, Wright needs to refine his route running and hands.
Stats breakdown
| G | Ru Att | Ru Yards | Avg | TD | |
| 2023 | 12 | 137 | 1,304 | 7.4 | 4 |
| 2022 | 13 | 145 | 875 | 6.0 | 10 |
| Career | 34 | 368 | 2297 | 5.7 | 18 |
Advanced stats to know
- 4.35 yards after contact per attempt, per PFF -- eighth-best in the nation
- Ran against 8-man "stacked boxes" just four times in 2023.
- 19 carries of 15+ yards, per PFF.
- Just one dropped pass in 2023.
- One fumble in 2023.
NFL Comparison
Wright reminds me of Steelers running back Jaylen Warren in their explosive ability and upside as a receiving option at the NFL level. Wright may have an edge on Warren from a pass protection upside standpoint, but Warren is a bit more advanced as a processor in the run game.