Miami Dolphins running back De’Von Achane has been one of the most reliable players in fantasy football since entering the league, but fourth-round pick Jaylen Wright may steal his role for at least a portion of the fantasy playoffs. Achane suffered a rib injury against the New York Jets, and Wright rose to the challenge, recording 107 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries in his absence.
Achane claimed he could’ve returned to the Jets game, but recent reports indicate the running back could miss Week 15’s action with his rib injury. If De’Von Achane cannot play, what can fantasy football managers expect from Jaylen Wright?
Jaylen Wright Fantasy Football Outlook If De’Von Achane Cannot Play
Let’s start with a disclaimer: if De’Von Achane is active, you should play him and keep Jaylen Wright far away from your lineup. While the running back may be playing through something, Miami isn’t going to limit his touches if they don’t have to. At 6-7, the team is still in the playoff hunt, but their only conceivable path to the playoffs involves winning out. Achane gives Miami a better chance to win, so if he’s good enough to play, he’ll get as many carries as physically possible.
With that out of the way, we have a pretty good idea of how the Dolphins will utilize their backfield if Achane cannot suit up against the Pittsburgh Steelers. While rookie Ollie Gordon has been Achane’s primary backup throughout the season as Wright battled a lower leg injury, it’s safe to assume Wright is fully healthy and the preferred starter for this team if Achane is sidelined. As mentioned above, Wright finished Week 14 with 107 rushing yards and a touchdown on 24 carries. Outside of Achane, no other running back recorded more than five carries.
Jaylen Wright probably won’t receive that elite workload in two consecutive weeks, but this usage shows he’s clearly the preferred backup to De’Von Achane. Head coach Mike McDaniel is one of the better offensive minds in the league, and his starting running back will always carry fantasy football value. However, can Wright take advantage of this matchup?
The Steelers Defense
Historically speaking, the Pittsburgh Steelers usually have one of the league’s best defenses. However, that hasn’t been the case in 2025, as the right team can take advantage of this matchup. As of this posting, Pittsburgh’s defense ranks 19th in EPA/play allowed and 27th in EPA/rush allowed. Interestingly, the team allows the 10th-fewest fantasy points to running backs, but even with that piece of information, this isn’t the type of matchup you run away from.
In short, Jaylen Wright is a decent player who proved last week that he will receive a large workload if De’Von Achane cannot play. He fits well in Mike McDaniels’ running back-friendly offense, and is facing a decent matchup against an unremarkable Pittsburgh Steelers defense. This all adds up to create a running back who should finish as a decent RB2, which is a lot better than what you usually find on waivers at this point in the season.
Main Photo: Julian Leshay Guadal – Imagn Images
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