The Miami Dolphins invested a lot of resources in Jaylen Wright. The 2024 fourth-round selection wasn't just a draft pick; Miami traded a 2025 third-round pick to move up. His first year was nothing to write home about, unfortunately
Wright's time with the Dolphins almost ended before the NFL trade deadline. There was speculation that he could be moved if the Dolphins found a trade partner. That didn't happen, and it's a good thing it didn't.
Wright has only played in 8 games this season compared to the 15 he played last year. Part of that reason is the play of De'Von Achane, the rookie Ollie Gordon taking snaps, and, of course, he was banged up early in the year. Now, he is giving the Dolphins a viable backup.
Miami Dolphins running back Jaylen Wright is quietly starting to silence the "bust" narrative
We can't compare Wright to Achane; it's not close. Comparing him to Gordon makes no sense, as they bring a different style to the offense. We can, however, compare Wright to Wright.
In 2024, the running back ran the ball 68 times for 249 yards. He caught three passes on six targets for 8 yards. He did not see the end zone. This year, he has 52 rushing attempts for 209 yards. He improved his yards per game from 16.6 to 26.1. That improved his average yards per attempt from 3.7 to 4.0. He has also added two scores.
Wright has a long way to go if we are to compare him to the draft capital Miami used to take him, but at this point, we need to view him more for who and what he is. He is proving to be a viable solution to Achane's backup. When the Dolphins' starter went out early against the Jets, Wright stepped in and ran 24 times for 107 yards.
Those are great numbers for a backup running back who basically played only two quarters. If the Dolphins' run game is going to continue to be successful, they need to have Wright playing at a high level as well. 2026 could be an ideal situation for Miami.
With Achane, Wright, and Gordon all coming back next season, the Dolphins' RB room doesn't need help and is shaping up to be one of the best units in the NFL.