Kelly: Could Jaylen Wright have a breakout performance reminiscent of De’Von Achane’s debut?
Before De’Von Achane took the NFL by storm and became the sport’s all-time yards-per-carry leader, he was a rookie buried on the depth chart.
Raheem Mostert was Miami’s starting tailback. Salvon Ahmed’s strong training camp and preseason showing had earned him the No. 2 tailback role early in the 2023 season, and Jeff Wilson Jr. was Miami’s third tailback, but happened to be sidelined by a hand injury sustained suffered in training camp.
That explains why Achane was inactive for Miami’s 2023 season opener, and only got one carry and one reception in game No. 2 that season. Then Ahmed got hurt, and the former Texas A&M standout the Dolphins selected in the third-round of the 2023 NFL draft was unleashed, gaining 203 yards on 18 carries in a 70-20 win over the Denver Broncos, and finished the season with an astonishing, record-setting 7.8 yards per carry on 103 attempts.
My prediction heading into tonight’s AFC East showdown with the Buffalo Bills is that we can expect a similar breakout performance from a young tailback placed in an identical spot as Achane.
With Mostert sidelined by a chest injury and Achane nursing an ankle sprain which hints he might be limited tonight, and that’s if he plays, don’t be surprised if Jaylen Wright gets the call-up, and responds favorably, possibly leading the team in rushing yards.
“Preparation creates opportunity, so just me being prepared and being ready for whenever that moment comes,” said Wright, who was inactive last week. “I’m fully confident that I’m going to take advantage of that opportunity.”
This former University of Tennessee standout Miami selected in the fourth-round of the 2024 NFL Draft — after trading a 2025 third-round pick to move in position to take a player they had rated as a top-100 talent on the team’s draft board — had a phenomenal training camp and preseason.
In fact, he looked significantly better than Achane did at this stage, and even Achane admits Wright understands Miami’s complicated playbook more than he did as a rookie.
Wright rushed for 91 yards and scored a touchdown on 17 carries in his two preseason games. He averaged a healthy 5.3 yards per carry before getting shelved with a lower leg injury he was nursing after the Tampa Bay preseason game.
The injury contributed to Wright not being active for last Sunday’s 20-17 season-opening win against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but with Mostert and Achane nursing more troublesome injuries it appears the Dolphins will unleash the rookie on the NFL with the hopes that he seizes on this opportunity like Achane did.
Wilson, who leads the team in rushing because of the 26 yards he gained on five carries late in the Jaguars games, will also be in the playing rotation. And Wilson, who has gained 2,339 rushing yards on 520 carries through his seven-year career, might even start.
However, Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel has a package for each of his tailbacks, and generally prefers to lean on whoever has the hottest hand.
The Dolphins drafted Wright, who rushed for 2,297 yards, averaging 6.2 yards per carry, and scored 18 rushing touchdowns in his three seasons with the Volunteers, for situations like this.
McDaniel has always prided himself in his ability to find young, talented runners who fit the wide zone scheme perfectly, and that goes back to his tenure as a run game coordinator with the San Francisco 49ers. So it should surprise no one that Wright will be heavily involved in Miami’s game plan tonight, likely filling Mostert’s old role, since he and Achane have different packages, and one of Miami’s major play packages features two tailbacks on the field at the same time.
“He’s done a great job. We’re really excited about him,” offensive coordinator Frank Smith said when asked about Wright this week. “We’re really excited about these guys and how we’re going to play, especially this week versus a division rival in Buffalo.”
