Tag: Jaylen Wright

Fantasy Football waiver wire: 15 running backs to target in Week 7

Isaac Guerendo headlines this week’s list of running backs to target on the fantasy football waiver wire.

As we wait for tonight’s Monday Night Football showdown between the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets to wrap up Week 6, fantasy football managers are already considering their waiver wire options for next week.

The top option at wide receiver this week is Josh Downs (49%). Zach Ertz (54%) is a quality tight end option, and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (27%) will be eligible to return from injured reserve next week. 

Today, though, we’re focusing on running back. We’ve put together a quick list of 15 running backs to target on the fantasy football waiver wire ahead of Week 7. If you’re looking for reinforcements at RB, consider these options.

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Running Backs

1. RB Isaac Guerendo (1%): Christian McCaffrey’s status remains murky and fellow running back Jordan Mason has an AC joint sprain. That could leave Guerendo as the next man up for the 49ers and he impressed on Thursday Night Football with 99 yards on 10 carries, including a 76-yard sprint to seal the game.

2. RB Tyler Allgeier (43%): He remains an important handcuff behind Bijan Robinson, and Allgeier has standalone value in Atlanta’s two-back offense. He got 18 carries and scored a touchdown on Sunday.

3. RB Tyrone Tracy (45%): Even if Devin Singletary returns from a groin injury this week, Tracy has played well enough to continue getting carries. Tracy turned 23 touches into 107 yards and a touchdown on Sunday.

4. RB Ty Chandler (34%): Coming out of the Vikings’ bye week, Aaron Jones has an uncertain status due to his hip injury. If Jones misses this week’s game, Chandler will be Minnesota’s top running back.

5. RB Tank Bigsby (44%): Travis Etienne is considered “week-to-week” with a hamstring injury, leaving Bigsby as Jacksonville’s RB1. D’Ernest Johnson (1%) is also worth a look in deep leagues after he got eight touches on Sunday.

6. RB Jaylen Wright (9%): De’Von Achane might be able to return from a concussion this week following Miami’s bye, but Wright should have a role going forward after rushing for 86 yards last week.

7. RB Alexander Mattison (36%): Mattison led Raiders running backs in carries (14), rushing yards (33), targets (five) and catches (five) on Sunday. His efficiency hasn’t been great, but Mattison scored on Sunday and he should remain fantasy-relevant thanks to his volume.

8. RB Sean Tucker (1%): The Bucs had a blowout win over the Saints on Sunday, so Tucker might not get 14 carries on a regular basis, but he’s worth a look after rushing for 136 yards and a touchdown.

9. RB Antonio Gibson (43%): Rhamondre Stevenson remains sidelined with a foot injury and Gibson led New England’s backfield in Week 6 with 13 carries and four targets.

10. RB Braelon Allen (37%): Allen is an important handcuff behind Breece Hall and he has standalone value in a shared backfield.

11. RB Audric Estime (1%): Javonte Williams lost a fumble and dropped a pass on Sunday while Estime led the team’s running backs with a 6.5 yards per carry average. Granted, that was on a very small sample size of two carries, but if Williams continues to struggle, Estime will likely get more work in the coming weeks.

12. RB Kimani Vidal (2%): The rookie rushed twice for 14 yards and hauled in two receptions for 40 yards and a touchdown on Sunday. Consider Vidal in deep leagues.

13. RB Trey Benson (20%): Benson doesn’t have much standalone value, but he’s an important handcuff behind James Conner, who has never played a full season.

14. RB Blake Corum (18%): Corum is another running back worth stashing behind Kyren Williams.

15. RB D’Onta Foreman (4%): Jerome Ford is dealing with a hamstring injury, which could lead to a bigger workload for Foreman.

Bonus: Nick Chubb (79%) and Jonathon Brooks (60%) are already rostered in most leagues, but double check just to make sure they’re not still available in your league. 

Roster percentages for players listed in this article were sourced from ESPN. For more fantasy coverage, check out our fantasy football hub.

[vertical-gallery id=620142]

Raheem Mostert: Dolphins getting ‘back to basics’ without Tua Tagovailoa

The Dolphins ran the ball 41 times against the Patriots, their most rushing attempts in over a year.

The Miami Dolphins offense finally found some rhythm Sunday, even if the scoreboard didn’t reflect that. In Tyler Huntley’s second start since signing with the Dolphins, the team found a way to pick up 372 yards and a season-high 24 first downs.

The formula for success wasn’t too complicated. Miami ran the ball 41 times against the New England Patriots and connected on shallow and intermediate passes that kept moving the chains.

“We’re just trying to get back to the basics and the understanding of the offense and I think this past game definitely showed that,” Dolphins running back Raheem Mostert said Tuesday. “We threatened them so hard [with the run’ and we got them out of the two-shell and they were single-high. That opened up more of the pass game and the pass windows for the receivers. All of that stuff goes hand-in-hand in this offense.”

The last time the Dolphins ran the ball more than 40 times in a game was their 70-20 destruction of the Denver Broncos in Week 3 of the 2023 season.

While the commitment to the run in that game was due mostly to the lopsided score, Miami managed to stick to the ground game Sunday despite trailing for the majority of the day. It paid dividends late, as the New England defense softened up in the fourth quarter, clearing the way for Mostert and Jaylen Wright to bulldoze down the field on a 15-play, game-winning touchdown drive in the final minutes.

“Being able to utilize the run game the way we did, it’s just going to open up more doors for everything else,” Mostert said. “I feel like once you establish the line of scrimmage everything else will take care of itself and that’s what we have to do.”

It’s a plan for success that could come in handy after the Dolphins’ Week 6 bye too. Miami will face the Indianapolis Colts, who have allowed the second most rushing yards in the NFL, and the Arizona Cardinals, who aren’t far behind with the fifth most. Then it’s a rematch against the Buffalo Bills, who have allowed an NFL-most 5.2 yards per carry.

On Sunday, Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said “the running back room was ready to put the team on their back.” That group will probably continue to shoulder the load for a while longer.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Fantasy Football waiver wire: 12 running backs to target in Week 6

These 12 running backs should be waiver wire targets in your fantasy football league this week.

As we wait for tonight’s Monday Night Football showdown between the Chiefs and Saints to wrap up Week 5, fantasy football managers are already considering their waiver wire options for next week.

The top option at wide receiver this week is Josh Downs (35%). Zach Ertz (49%) is a quality tight end option, and quarterback Kirk Cousins (46%) is coming off a huge game on Thursday Night Football last week. 

Today, though, we’re focusing on running back. We’ve put together a quick list of 12 running backs to target on the fantasy football waiver wire ahead of Week 6. If you’re looking for reinforcements at RB, consider these options.

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Running Backs

1. RB Tank Bigsby (10%): Bigsby got more carries (13) than Travis Etienne (six) and he rushed for 101 yards and two touchdowns while Etienne ended the day with just 17 rushing yards. Etienne remains an option in PPR formats after hauling in six catches, but Bigsby played one more snap in Week 5 and he could emerge as the team’s new RB1.

2. RB Tyrone Tracy (19%): Devin Singletary missed Sunday’s game with a groin injury and Tracy stepped up, rushing 18 times for 129 yards. That kind of production should signal more opportunities going forward. 

3. RB Braelon Allen (42%): Allen (and the entire Jets offense) struggled on Sunday, but he’s still taking away touches from Breece Hall. Allen is an important handcuff with standalone flex value when New York has better matchups. 

4. RB Tyler Allgeier (43%): Another important handcuff with standalone value, Allgeier got nine touches this week, eating into the workload of Bijan Robinson (15 touches). 

5. RB Ty Chandler (35%): Aaron Jones left Sunday’s game with a hip injury and Chandler took over RB1 duties after that. The Vikings have a bye this week, but if Jones misses any games, Chandler will be an important pickup. 

6. RB Roschon Johnson (12%): D’Andre Swift (21 carries, two targets) remains Chicago’s top running back, but Johnson got 10 carries this week and he scored twice on the ground. He’s worth flex consideration. 

7. RB Jaylen Wright (8%): De’Von Achane suffered a concussion on Sunday, which led to 13 carries for 86 yards for Wright. Raheem Mostert (63%) seems to be the RB1 when Achane is unavailable (he got 19 carries this week), but Wright could remain fantasy relevant if Achane misses any games. Miami has a bye this week. 

8. RB Trey Sermon (50%): Jonathan Taylor missed this week’s game with an ankle injury and Sermon got the nod in his place. Sermon rushed 10 times for 38 yards and a touchdown while adding six catches for 25 yards. If Taylor misses any more games, Sermon is a serviceable fill-in at RB. 

9. RB Alexander Mattison (41%): Zamir White missed Sunday’s game with a groin injury, but even if he hadn’t, coach Antonio Pierce had previously hinted that the Raiders planned to make changes at running back. Mattison led the team with 15 carries in Week 5 and he also drew three targets.

10. RB Ameer Abdullah (1%): Mattison was the Raiders’ starter on Sunday, but Abdullah arguably looked like the team’s best running back. The veteran turned five carries into 42 yards and a touchdown and he also caught all three of his targets. Abdullah is worth a look in deeper leagues. 

11. RB Audric Estime (1%): Estime is eligible to return from injured reserve this week and the Broncos have left a spot open for him on the 53-man roster. Estime could quickly earn a role in Denver’s backfield. 

12. RB Keaton Mitchell (4%): Mitchell (ACL) was eligible to return last week, but Ravens coach John Harbaugh said he’s yet ready to return to practice. Mitchell might still be worth stashing on your IR spot if it’s open.

Bonus: Nick Chubb (79%), Kareem Hunt (72%), Jonathon Brooks (63%) and Bucky Irving (58%) are already rostered in most leagues, but double check just to make sure they’re not still available in your league. 

Roster percentages for players listed in this article were sourced from ESPN. For more fantasy coverage, check out our fantasy football hub.

[vertical-gallery id=620142]

Mike McDaniel: ‘The RB room was ready to put the team on their back’

The Dolphins ground game picked up 193 yards against the Patriots, more than the previous two games combined.

With Tua Tagovailoa sidelined, the logical path to victory for the Miami Dolphins seemed to be the team’s ground game. But in back-to-back losses against the Seattle Seahawks and Tennessee Titans, the Dolphins running backs struggled to find much room.

That changed Sunday in the team’s 15-10 win against the New England Patriots.

Despite losing De’Von Achane to a concussion in the first quarter, the duo of Raheem Mostert, who returned Sunday after missing three games with a chest injury, and fourth-round rookie Jaylen Wright led the way in Miami’s win.

“I think we had been disappointed with what we’ve produced on the ground, just in general” Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said after the game. “I think the running back room was ready to put the team on their back, so to speak.”

Mostert finished his return with 19 carries for 80 yards, his highest total since Week 13 of the 2023 season. He was topped by Wright, who managed to pick up 86 yards on only 13 carries even after a 33-yard gain was negated by a penalty.

“Jaylen Wright definitely stepped up big,” Dolphins fullback Alec Ingold, who scored Miami’s only touchdown, said. “Raheem [Mostert] to come back and be able to play physical … to be able to find those creases, I think both of those guys played really hard, really physical. It was really cool to see them flourish in the fourth quarter like that.”

By the end of the game, the Dolphins had 193 rushing yards — more than their last two games combined, and their biggest output on the ground since Week 5 of 2023.

“I just feel like it all came together in the second half,” Wright said. “I felt like we were getting good movement thanks to the offensive line. We were getting good movement you know and getting it up to the second or third level. It opens things up for the run to produce great runs.”

The Dolphins will be without Tagovailoa for at least one more week, as the quarterback is required to miss four games or more before returning from injured reserve. If Miami can continue to find momentum with its ground game, it would go a long way toward keeping the 2024 season afloat until it once again resembles its Week 1 self.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Dolphins players of the game, Week 5: Raheem Mostert, Jaylen Wright

Dolphins running backs Raheem Mostert and Jaylen Wright dominated on the ground against the Patriots.

While this award normally goes to a single Dolphins player, the performances of both Raheem Mostert and Jaylen Wright stood out enough to deserve the honor.

Miami suffered a huge blow to their offense when De’Von Achane was ruled out with a concussion late in the first quarter. With Jeff Wilson Jr also out of action due to injury, it was up to the veteran Mostert and rookie Wright to pick up the running game for a Dolphins offense that desperately needed it.

Mostert returned to the Dolphins lineup after missing the last three games with a chest injury. He didn’t look limited at all as he carried the ball 19 times in his return for 80 yards. He also caught two passes for 18 yards.

Wright carried the ball 13 times and totaled 86 yards (6.6 yards per carry). It was his first chance to earn double digit carries in his young NFL career, and he impressed with the opportunity. Wright produced runs of 12, 16, and 17 yards in this game (a 33-yard gain was negated by a penalty).

Mostert and Wright were key on the Dolphins only touchdown drive of the game. The long drive began at the Miami 20-yard line with exactly 12 minutes left. By the time Alec Ingold finished the drive off with his first touchdown of the season that put the Dolphins up 15-10, there was only 4:27 left in the game.

During the drive, a pass interference penalty on New England afforded the Dolphins a fresh set of downs and Miami took advantage by running the ball six straight plays for 49 yards with a combination of Mostert and Wright. That streak of rushing calls took the Dolphins from their own 48-yard line to New England’s 3. That’s when Ingold punched it in on the Dolphins’ seventh consecutive run.

Miami decisively won the time of possession battle, controlling the ball on offense almost 10 minutes longer than the Patriots. The Dolphins also ran 75 plays to the Patriots’ 55. Neither team’s passing attack was going to take over the game, so it was up to the ground games to control the momentum.

The Dolphins running game needed to get going if they wanted a chance of winning. Without their starting quarterback, the duo of Mostert and Wright got the job done Sunday.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Dolphins RB De’Von Achane active, 3 rookies inactive vs. Bills

Dolphins running back De’Von Achane, who was questionable with an ankle injury, is officially in the lineup Thursday.

Miami Dolphins running back De’Von Achane is officially active and will play Thursday night against the Buffalo Bills.

With the second-year running back in the lineup, there weren’t any surprises in the Dolphins’ list of inactives. The only change from last week is that running back Raheem Mostert is now out with a chest injury and rookie running back Jaylen Wright, who was inactive in Week 1, is set to make his NFL debut.

https://www.twitter.com/MiamiDolphins/status/1834362688207475061/

Rookie wide receiver Malik Washington was ruled out Wednesday as he continues to work his way back from a quad injury that kept him out in Week 1 too.

There’s no surprises on the Bills’ side either, as the team already ruled out defensive back Taron Johnson and pass rusher Dawuane Smooth. Defensive end Javon Solomon, who was listed as doubtful, is also among Buffalo’s inactives.

https://www.twitter.com/BuffaloBills/status/1834362640186916920/

Kickoff is set for 8:15 p.m. ET with coverage of the game on Amazon Prime.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Dolphins list Jalen Ramsey as active, rule out Ethan Bonner vs. Jaguars

Jalen Ramsey is in the lineup and Ethan Bonner is out, the Dolphins announced Sunday.

The Miami Dolphins ruled out Jaylen Wright and Ethan Bonner as two of six inactives for their Week 1 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The notable name omitted from the list was cornerback Jalen Ramsey, who was questionable for the game due to a hamstring injury that kept him out of practice Wednesday and Thursday.

https://www.twitter.com/MiamiDolphins/status/1832803839671414982/

Earlier in the week, it seemed Bonner was in line to start in Ramsey’s place. Not only did that not come to fruition, undrafted rookie Storm Duck got the nod on the active roster over Bonner on Sunday.

The exclusion of Wright is also a bit surprising. While the Dolphins have a dynamic duo of running backs in Raheem Mostert and De’Von Achane, Wright showed plenty in preseason and appeared in line to make a regular season impact.

The Jaguars’ list of inactives didn’t include any surprises.

https://www.twitter.com/Jaguars/status/1832803598423527765/

Jacksonville listed safety and special teamer Daniel Thomas as questionable Friday before downgrading him to out Saturday.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

25 sleeper prospects to target in fantasy football

These 25 players are being undervalued in fantasy football this summer.

The 2024 NFL season begins tonight, as does the fantasy football season. For anyone with last-minute drafts, we’ve put together a list of 25 sleeper prospects to target this season.

Note that by “sleeper,” we mean a player we expect to outperform their average draft position in 2024. They’re not necessarily “unknown” players, but undervalued players going into the season.

Let’s get to it.

1. QB Jayden Daniels (ADP 102): Daniels (QB12) is not being drafted as a starter in 10-QB leagues, yet it’s extremely easy to imagine a top-10 (or better) finish for the rookie this season. After rushing for 2,019 yards and 21 touchdowns in two years at LSU, Daniels should continue making plays with his legs in the NFL.

2. QB Justin Herbert (ADP 123): Herbert’s stock tanked this summer following a foot injury, but he’s been practicing since mid-August. Herbert averaged 18.5 points per game last season, which ranked 11th among QBs. Yet he’s being drafted as QB17 this summer. Herbert’s injury might cause a slow early start, but getting him as QB17 should be a good value.

3. QB Kirk Cousins (ADP 135): Yes, he’s coming off an Achilles injury, but Cousins has never been much of a threat to run and he was cleared to play again in July. Cousins will be surrounded by talent in Atlanta and he should easily top his QB19 ADP. With a small sample size of eight games, Cousins ranked seventh among QBs with 19.3 PPG last fall. Before that, he ranked 13th in 2022 (18 PPG) and 12th in 2021 (19.2 PPG). Cousins seems unlikely to drop from QB13 to QB19 this season, but that’s where fantasy managers are drafting him.

4. QB Bo Nix (APD 186): Nix is a late-round flyer to serve as a QB2 in re-draft leagues and an intriguing dynasty option. Nix was tailor-made for Sean Payton’s offense and he rushed for 20 TDs in two seasons at Oregon. Denver ran read-option plays with Nix in preseason and while Payton obviously won’t want to run Nix into the ground, the QB’s speed will be utilized in 2024. He might not finish in the top 12 as a rookie, but it’s easy to imagine Nix finishing much higher than his QB23 ADP thanks to his rushing ability.

5. QB Justin Fields (ADP 194): Fields is an extremely deep sleeper because he won’t begin the year as Pittsburgh’s starter. Fields could get special packages early in the season near the goal line and if Russell Wilson struggles, it’s easy to imagine Fields eventually taking over as QB1. Fields is being drafted as QB27 so you obviously shouldn’t reach for him, but he could offer great value later in the year.

6. TE Dalton Schultz (ADP 125): Schultz finished as TE11 last season so his being drafted as TE13 isn’t a huge discrepancy, but he should prove to be a good value pick for fantasy managers who opt to wait to draft a TE.

7. TE T.J. Hockenson (ADP 126): Please understand that this is not a recommendation to overdraft Hockenson, who will miss at least the first four games of the season. Hockenson will eventually return from an ACL injury, though, and when he does, he could rank among the top fantasy TEs to close out the season. Drafting Hockenson late and stashing him on IR could pay dividends later in the year.

8. TE Pat Freiermuth (ADP 129): Freiermuth still hasn’t returned to the seven-touchdown production of his rookie season, and a five-game injury hurt his 2023 campaign. Now healthy again, he’ll look to outperform his TE15 ADP in 2024.

9. TE Taysom Hill (APD 151): Hill is a feast-or-famine fantasy prospect because a three-touchdown game could be followed up by a 12-yard game. Despite his up-and-down nature, Hill averaged 9.1 points per game last fall, which ranked ninth among TEs. He’s being drafted as TE21.

10. TE Greg Dulcich (ADP 239): It’s now or never for Denver’s former third-round pick. He missed seven games due to injuries as a rookie in 2022 and was unavailable for 15 games last fall. Now finally healthy, Dulcich will look to utilize his speed to make plays in Sean Payton’s offense that has been friendly to TEs in the past. Dulcich is being drafted as TE29 (undrafted in most leagues), so there’s no need to reach for him, but he could be an early-season waiver-wire target.

11. WR Cooper Kupp (ADP 34): It feels insane to list Kupp among “sleepers,” but he’s being drafted much later than his ceiling due to last season’s injuries. If he stays healthy — even with Puka Nacua added to the mix — Kupp should finish much higher than his WR17 ADP this season.

12. WR Malik Nabers (ADP 45): Marvin Harrison Jr.’s hype is through the roof, understandably so. But MHJR is being drafted as WR9 while Nabers is going off the board as WR24. MHJR should obviously be ranked higher than Nabers, but the sixth overall pick is also headed for a big year.

13. WR Rashee Rice (ADP 65): Eventually, Rice could face discipline from the NFL, but he’s set to play in the season opener and he’s a top receiver in KC’s high-flying offense. Landing him as WR30 could be a steal.

14. WR Xavier Worthy (ADP 82): Two Chiefs receivers make the list as Patrick Mahomes looks to have a bounce-back season. Worthy isn’t “the next Tyreek Hill,” but his speed could make him a great value as WR37 this fall.

15. Ladd McConkey (ADP 97): The Chargers lost Keenan Allen and Mike Williams this offseason, and Quentin Johnston has struggled to make an impact. That could leave McConkey as a PPR gem playing in the slot. He’s going off the board as WR42.

16. RB Alvin Kamara (ADP 46): He’s not the fantasy monster he once was, but Kamara could prove to be a big steal at RB17 after finishing as RB3 in PPR points per game (17.9) last year.

17. RB Javonte Williams (ADP 77): Getting a clear-cut starter at RB27 is a steal. Williams lost 11 pounds this offseason and coach Sean Payton has said he looks like “a completely different player.” Now another year removed from his 2022 knee injury, Williams is healthy and the clear RB1 in Denver.

18. RB Jonathon Brooks (APD 93): Understand that Brooks will miss at least the first four games of the season on the PUP list as he continues to recover from his ACL injury. He might not pay dividends until the second half of the season, but he would be the perfect use of an IR spot early in the season. Brooks is being drafted as RB34.

19. RB Jerome Ford (ADP 105): He will start at least the first four games of the season while Nick Chubb is on the PUP list. Chubb is recovering from a serious knee injury, but he’s being drafted as RB30 while Ford is going off the board as RB35. That should be flipped. Ford averaged 12.4 PPG last season, a serviceable number for RB3/flex, and depending on your roster, perhaps even an RB2. Getting him at RB35 should be a good value.

20. RB Chase Brown (ADP 104): Following the Joe Mixon departure, Brown might be the next man up in Cincinnati’s backfield. Zack Moss hurts his value, but a potential starter being drafted as RB37 is an intriguing option.

21. RB Trey Benson (ADP 113): If James Conner is ever sidelined, Benson will be the next man up. Conner has never played a full 16- or 17-game season and Arizona just used a third-round pick on Benson. He’s being drafted as RB39.

22. RB Blake Corum (ADP 111): Corum is arguably the most important sleeper and handcuff running back in fantasy football this year. He should have standalone value in L.A.’s offense and if Kyren Williams misses time like he did in each of his first two seasons, Corum’s stock will skyrocket. He’s currently being drafted as RB40.

23. RB J.K. Dobbins (ADP 120): Dobbins will likely be the lead running back for the Chargers this fall and if he stays healthy, Dobbins should easily finish higher than his RB41 ADP.

24. RB Tyler Allgeier (ADP 141): Similar to Corum, Allgeier already has standalone value, and if anything happens to Bijan Robinson, Allgeier’s stock will skyrocket. He’s a value at RB48 even as a rotational option.

25. RB Jaylen Wright (ADP 139): He’s currently behind De’Von Achane and Raheem Mostert on the depth chart, but Wright’s speed should lead to him getting opportunities sooner than later. And once again, if there are injuries ahead of him, Wright’s stock will increase. He’s a flyer at RB48 with big upside.

For more fantasy football coverage, check out our fantasy football hub.

[vertical-gallery id=620142]

10 sleeper running backs for 2024 fantasy football season

Blake Corum headlines this list of fantasy football sleeper running backs for the 2024 NFL season.

Welcome back, football!

The 2024 NFL season will kick off on Thursday night, which also marks the start of the fantasy football season. To help you win your league, we’ve put together a list of 10 sleeper running backs to target in your fantasy football drafts.

Keep in mind that we’re using the term “sleeper” to mean a player we expect to outperform their average draft position this fall. That doesn’t mean these players are necessarily unknown, just drafted lower than they should be. That represents great value for managers who pick them at the right spot.

So, keep an eye on these ten sleeper running backs as they approach their ADP places in your fantasy football drafts this summer.

1. RB Alvin Kamara (ADP 46): He’s not the fantasy monster he once was, but Kamara could prove to be a big steal at RB17 after finishing as RB3 in PPR points per game (17.9) last year.

2. RB Javonte Williams (ADP 77): Getting a clear-cut starter at RB27 is a steal. Williams lost 11 pounds this offseason and coach Sean Payton has said he looks like “a completely different player.” Now another year removed from his 2022 knee injury, Williams is healthy and the clear RB1 in Denver.

3. RB Jonathon Brooks (APD 93): Understand that Brooks will miss at least the first four games of the season on the PUP list as he continues to recover from his ACL injury. He might not pay dividends until the second half of the season, but he would be the perfect use of an IR spot early in the season. Brooks is being drafted as RB34.

4. RB Jerome Ford (ADP 105): He will start at least the first four games of the season while Nick Chubb is on the PUP list. Chubb is recovering from a serious knee injury, but he’s being drafted as RB30 while Ford is going off the board as RB35. That should be flipped. Ford averaged 12.4 PPG last season, a serviceable number for RB3/flex, and depending on your roster, perhaps even an RB2. Getting him at RB35 should be a good value.

5. RB Chase Brown (ADP 104): Following the Joe Mixon departure, Brown might be the next man up in Cincinnati’s backfield. Zack Moss hurts his value, but a potential starter being drafted as RB37 is an intriguing option.

6. RB Trey Benson (ADP 113): If James Conner is ever sidelined, Benson will be the next man up. Conner has never played a full 16- or 17-game season and Arizona just used a third-round pick on Benson. He’s being drafted as RB39.

7. RB Blake Corum (ADP 111): Corum is arguably the most important sleeper and handcuff running back in fantasy football this year. He should have standalone value in L.A.’s offense and if Kyren Williams misses time like he did in each of his first two seasons, Corum’s stock will skyrocket. He’s currently being drafted as RB40.

8. RB J.K. Dobbins (ADP 120): Dobbins will likely be the lead running back for the Chargers this fall and if he stays healthy, Dobbins should easily finish higher than his RB41 ADP.

9. RB Tyler Allgeier (ADP 141): Similar to Corum, Allgeier already has standalone value, and if anything happens to Bijan Robinson, Allgeier’s stock will skyrocket. He’s a value at RB48 even as a rotational option.

10. RB Jaylen Wright (ADP 139): He’s currently behind De’Von Achane and Raheem Mostert on the depth chart, but Wright’s speed should lead to him getting opportunities sooner than later. And once again, if there are injuries ahead of him, Wright’s stock will increase. He’s a flyer at RB48 with big upside.

For more fantasy football coverage, check out our fantasy football hub.

[vertical-gallery id=620142]

Dolphins find yet another dynamo RB in rookie Jaylen Wright

The Miami Dolphins find yet another dynamo RB in rookie Jaylen Wright

Talk about the rich getting richer. The Miami Dolphins went into this offseason already having one of the most loaded backfields in the entire NFL following the breakout of now second year pro De’Von Achane and the consistent dominance of long time veteran Raheem Mostert. Behind those elite players was also two other backs that have had success in NFL like Jeff Wilson Jr. and Salvon Ahmed. Now it appears that Mike McDaniel and the Dolphins have found yet another capable back that is looking as good as any of them in fourth round rookie Jaylen Wright.

Wright impressed in his first preseason action, showing the explosiveness and vision that made him one of the highest ranked running backs of the 2024 NFL Draft. On only ten touches Wright managed to wrack up 55 yards, averaging an impressive 5.5 yards per carry, and he looked even more electric than the stats showed.

If Wright continues to put on a show in the preseason, it’s going to be an embarrassment of riches in Miami and McDaniel may have trouble finding ways to feed to ball to all his different playmakers. A definitively good problem to have. It’s clear that the Dolphins have the most explosive offense in the entire league, and they are going to maintain that status so long as they keep finding apparent gems like Wright.