If you drafted Puka Nacua in the fourth round of your rookie draft in 2023, you know how important it can be to buy low on a young player before they explode. Not every player will turn out to be Puka - after all, he’s statistically the greatest rookie wide receiver of all time. But one of the smartest strategies to be a successful dynasty player is to identify young talent ready to rise in value in the future. This series will suggest ideas for players primed for a breakout later down the line.
The 2024 NFL draft saw a very strange group of running back selections. Whereas teams normally like to form a complementary backfield of different skill sets, many teams decided to go the other way in this draft class. The Rams drafted Blake Corum who is an identical prospect to Kyren Williams, the Buccaneers added pass catcher Bucky Irving to pass catcher Rachaad White, and the Cardinals added the physical bruiser Trey Benson to a backfield led by James Conner. It didn’t seem to make a lot of sense.
However, when the Miami Dolphins drafted Jaylen Wright out of Tennessee in the fourth round, it made a lot more sense than the teams listed above, even though Wright is a similar back to De'Von Achane and Raheem Mostert. That’s because the Dolphins have put together their entire offense around one thing - speed. Wright’s 4.38 40 at 210lbs was one of the quickest at the RB position and he absolutely showed that on tape at college. Wright was a big play machine, creating an explosive play on 25.4% of his carries in 2023! In an offense built around explosivity, timing, and speed, Wright felt a perfect fit.
