Seems like just last week I wrote an article about three Miami Dolphins players I think could help you win your fantasy football leagues. And in typical fashion, in less than a week, that same list is basically obsolete!
Yes, I said you should pick up veteran tight end Darren Waller — who looks like he’s starting to get back to being one of Tua Tagovailoa’s favorite targets. Since his return, Waller has caught 3 of 6 targets for 60 yards and two first downs.
Score one for the good guys!
However, I also
said you should target wide receiver Malik Washington, who will now see fewer targets with Waller/Dulcich’s emergence. He also seems to be losing snaps to a lingering Cedrick Wilson, so I’m not sure whether or not I can take credit for that one.
Unfortunately, that wasn’t my biggest whiff.
No, my biggest whiff came when I assumed Ollie Gordon II was next in line if something tragic happened to De’Von Achane. Our superstar RB left Sunday’s game vs. the New York Jets, and while sitting here with my OG2 “anytime touchdown bet,” I see who in the backfield!?
Not OG2, but Jaylen Wright — the running back who seemed in the doghouse weeks ago. It was so bad that coaches were getting excited about him, checks notes::: almost making plays on special teams. He was even inactive on game day!
And then, when all hope seemed lost — and the Dolphins needed it most — Wright came through in a big way.
(Please Note: The Offensive line has been opening up a can of whoopass as of late. They deserve ALL the flowers!)
It wasn’t all Wright in Miami’s dominant win over the Jets.
The entire run game dominated.
Achane ate before he left the game, carrying the ball 7 times for 92 yards and a touchdown. And OG2 got himself a piece of the pie, rushing for 17 yards on five carries and a touchdown late in the game. Everyone had their day, but Wright broke out in a massive way. A way in which Miami probably envisioned when they traded up to select him in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL draft.
So why not take a chance on Wright to help keep your season alive — or maybe, to even stash for next season if it’s one of those leagues.
As things stand, Wright is owned in just 4% of all Sleeper leagues. That will obviously change overnight when most leagues process waivers, but there’s still a very good chance — if you’re reading this in the morning — that you could still pick up Miami’s top back in Week 14. (Note: I would have dropped this sooner, but #life got in the way, and I think my league mates see my stuff, so I’m posting it now.)
That is, unless your buddy or arch-nemesis has Achane — and a higher waiver claim — in which case, it may be better to wait and pray for OG2 to get red-hot. That said, if everything works out, we’ll have Achane back in the lineup for Monday Night’s matchup vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers. But then again, McDaniel isn’t necessarily the most trustworthy when it comes to injuries. So maybe it will be the following week vs. the Bengals.
But even with a healthy Achane, the San Francisco 49ers’ run-game coordinator-turned-Miami Dolphins head coach seems to have finally figured out what works in 2025, and his team is playing some of the best football of his tenure. A lot of that is because he’s committed to the run game — and utilizing all the assets at his disposal.
I may have been wrong about some of the other guys, but Wright is worth the waiver claim, IMHO.
What are your thoughts on Jaylen Wright’s emergence? Do you agree the Dolphins should continue to morph into a run-heavy offense and lean on McDaniel’s three-headed running back room? How do you feel heading into Monday Night’s PRIMETIME matchup vs. the Steelers? Let us know in the comments section below!
