Jaylen Wright may be the most valuable Dolphins RB fantasy owners can draft

Fantasy football season has arrived and players are already running through their mock-draft possibilities. Miami Dolphins rookie Jaylen Wright may be the running back you need and didn't know it.

Wright was impressive during a short body of work last in his preseason debut against the Falcons. He ran hard and scored a touchdown. That is hardly a reason to buy into his appeal for your fantasy roster. Running backs, however, no longer hold the same weight as they once did when it comes to drafting. Sure, Christian McCaffrey will be the first RB off the board in Round 1, but a continual shift to wide receiver is still taking place and running backs are now a big part of Round 2 instead.

Jaylen Wright is ready for a breakout year with the Dolphins

Jaylen Wright isn't going to be a player that owners sleep on. He will get drafted well before the final rounds of the draft, but where should he realistically be taken? A lot of that depends on how an owner's draft actually goes. If you are stacked at RB, you may wait a little longer, but if you are in need, Wright may get drafted early. Wright should be a target for you in Rounds 7-8. Yes, that is a bit early for a third running back on an NFL team's depth chart, but there is reason to be optimistic.

The Dolphins have two quality running backs in Raheem Mostert and De'Von Achane. Both of them suffered injuries last year and Achane's kept him out much longer. If that happens again, Wright is the next man up. He is, however, more than a handcuff player.

Mike McDaniel will roll with Mostert most of the time, but he likes to also play the hot hand and he will protect his investment in Mostert by giving carries to the other runners. Given the speed of all three running backs, Wright could see a lot of work in the second half of games given he will be the one with the fresh legs when the defenses are worn down and tired.

If you believe the Dolphins offense will put up a lot more consistent points in 2024 then you also should believe that Miami will be playing ahead in games entering the late third and fourth quarters. Big leads means a lot of runs and that means sitting guys like Mostert. That leaves more time and more carries for Wright.

Wright is intriguing and it would be smart to run through a series of mock drafts to gauge his value, but there are some already thinking he could be gone earlier than most No. 3 runners.