Two years into the Mike McDaniel regime, NFL fans know how valuable the running attack is for the Miami Dolphins. The head coach has created a high-octane scheme that confuses teams with misdirection runs and can score Miami lots of points.
But the Dolphins will be operating with a depleted running back room ahead of their Week 2 contest against the Buffalo Bills on Thursday. Lead rusher Raheem Mostert is already out with a chest injury, while RB2 De’Von Achane is listed as questionable ahead of the TNF AFC East showdown with an ankle ailment.
Miami may need to set larger roles for these remaining healthy backfield options inside Hard Rock Stadium.
Who Is Jaylen Wright?
Rookie running back Jaylen Wright could end up as the Dolphins’ RB1 in Mostert’s absence, especially if Achane’s ankle has to limit how much he’s utilized.
That’ll also mean Wright could be in for his starting debut in the league.
Wright was taken in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft out of Tennessee. He plastered his name on the radar of NFL teams following his 1,013-yard season with the Volunteers in 2023. He also improved his rushing yardage total in his three seasons in Knoxville, Tee., while scoring 18 career touchdowns on the ground.
Pro Football Network NFL Draft Analyst Ian Cummings described Wright as a back with “quantifiably elite speed and explosiveness” while also calling him “one of the top RBs of this class” in his evaluation of the 5’11”, 209-pound RB.
Miami clearly drafted him for depth by adding one more speed option out of the backfield. Now, Wright may need to be trusted to carry the load with significant injuries in the room.
Who Is Jeff Wilson Jr.?
If McDaniel opts to go the veteran route to ensure less pressure on Wright, he has an option he’s grown awfully familiar with over the years.
McDaniel and Jeff Wilson Jr. first met in the Bay Area with the San Francisco 49ers. Even in rotational duty, Wilson proved to be a trusted option for the Niners’s former run game coordinator, tallying 1,733 rushing yards from 2018 to 2022. Although, 1,265 of those yards came while McDaniel was on Kyle Shanahan’s coaching staff before taking the Dolphins’ job in 2022.
READ MORE: Miami Dolphins Injury Report — Mostert, Achane vs. Buffalo Bills
McDaniel helped orchestrate the trade to nab Wilson in Nov. 2022 to bolster Miami’s running game. That move additionally helped reunite the now-28-year-old with Mostert. Wilson responded with 392 yards and three touchdowns once inserted into the Dolphins’ rushing philosophy.
Wilson has five career 100-yard games but earned his fifth during his second game ever as a Dolphin, a 17-carry, 119-yard performance he delivered against the Cleveland Browns on Nov. 13, 2022.
Considering McDaniel’s offense is built for multiple backs, it’s likely Wilson will see an increase from the five-carry, 26-yard performance to start the 2024 season in Jacksonville, Fla.
Did De’Von Achane Practice?
Wednesday was deemed a walk-through session for the Dolphins. However, Achane was seen participating in stretches with the team. That’s a positive sign that Achane will attempt to give it a go on Thursday.
When he’s on the field, Achane is capable of averaging 7-8 yards per carry — which he did last year. The 2023 rookie was efficiently reliable in road games as he averaged five yards after contact according to TruMedia.
He was just as efficient after breaking his first tackle in home games of the ’23 season, with the analytics site calculating that he averaged 4.58 yards per carry after contact. He ended the year racking up 800 rushing yards and scored eight touchdowns.
But as noted by PFN Dolphins reporter Adam Beasley, Wilson is expected to earn a bigger role in this ground unit ahead of the Bills contest. Wright is going from a healthy scratch in Week 1 to likely earning some of his first career handoffs under McDaniel.