What the Experts Are Saying

In the running game, Jeff Wilson led the Dolphins with 26 yards on 5 carries, averaging 5.2 yards per carry, including a long run of 14 yards. De’Von Achane saw more action with 10 carries but managed only 24 yards, averaging 2.4 yards per carry. Despite the modest rushing total, Achane found the end zone on the ground, scoring a rushing touchdown. Raheem Mostert struggled to gain much ground, rushing for just 9 yards on 6 carries. Mostert had zero red-zone opportunities. Seemed like the coaching staff went to Wilson to spark the ground game late in the 4th quarter. But more importantly, Achane was super involved as a receiver. Achane made a significant impact in the passing game as well, catching all 7 of his targets for 76 yards (twice in the red zone), with an eye-popping 103 YAC, proving his versatility as a dual-threat back. Essentially he operated as the Dolphins’ 3rd WR with a 32% target rate. He did take a big hit toward the end of the game so monitor his injury status.
– Andrew Erickson

Waiver Wire Replacements to Consider

Jaylen Wright (MIA): 21% rostered

• Next Opponents: BUF, @SEA, TEN
• True value: $9
• Desperate Need: $15
• Budget-minded: $4

Analysis: The Miami RB situation is hard to get a read on this week. De’Von Achane and Raheem Mostert were both banged up on Sunday, and it’s hard to discern their status for Week 2 with the Dolphins having a quick turnaround for a Thursday-night game against the Bills. If one or both of Achane and Mostert are out, Wright and Jeff Wilson will have to take up some of the slack. In Week 1, Wilson played and had meaningful touches for the Dolphins in a close game, and Wright was a healthy scratch. So why does Wright rank higher on our waiver wish list? Because the explosive University of Tennessee product is a high-ceiling prospect with 4.38 speed and freaky athleticism. Wilson is more of a known commodity — competent but unspectacular. It’s entirely possible Wilson out-snaps and out-touches Wright this week. But Wright has dreamy upside, whereas Wilson is more of a duct-tape type of solution. It’s possible Wilson is the savvier waiver add. But Wright is the roll of the dice that could lead to Yahtzee.

Jeff Wilson (MIA): 0% rostered

• Next Opponents: BUF, @SEA, TEN
• True value: $6
• Desperate Need: $9
• Budget-minded: $3

Analysis: As noted above in the Jaylen Wright analysis, Wilson is currently No. 3 on Miami’s RB depth chart, while Wright is No. 4. Wilson is a dependable veteran, and it’s possible he could shoulder a heavy workload Thursday night against the Bills if De’Von Achane and/or Raheem Mostert are sidelined by injuries. Just realize that Wright, a fourth-round pick from the University of Tennessee, is a high-upside RB prospect with the sort of speed that Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel loves, and it’s possible Wright could zip past Wright on the depth chart in short order.

Justice Hill (BAL): 4% rostered

• Next Opponents: LV, @DAL, BUF
• True value: $6
• Desperate Need: $9
• Budget-minded: $3

Analysis: We are back, jiggling for Justice. Derrick Henry was unfathomably only given eight more carries after getting five on Baltimore’s opening touchdown drive. Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken abandoned the run against Kansas City … again. Baltimore’s Week 1 loss included quite a bit more passing-down work than expected from Hill, who caught six passes on eight targets for 52 yards. He only had one rushing attempt in the game. It could be deduced that John Harbaugh will have some words for Monken in team meetings about offensive identity. Hill is an explosive playmaker when healthy, so he’s not a bad guy to pick up.

Alexander Mattison (LV): 4% rostered

• Next Opponents: @BAL, CAR, CLE
• True value: $3
• Desperate Need: $6
• Budget-minded: $1

Analysis: It was surprising to see Mattison outperform presumed Raiders starter and bell cow Zamir White on Sunday. White lost a fumble early on, and Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce let Mattison loose with five carries and four receptions. On one of those catches, Mattison broke two Charger arm tackles and cruised in for a 31-yard score. Mattison is among the least exciting players in the league, not really excelling at any discipline, but he has a role, and you can roster him for a lot less FAAB than the other RBs who rise from free agency this week.

Emanuel Wilson (GB): 2% rostered

• Next Opponents: IND, @TEN, MIN
• True value: $2
• Desperate Need: $4
• Budget-minded: $1

Analysis: Reports out of training camp indicated that the Packers would not have rookie MarShawn Lloyd until Week 3, so I was not surprised at all to see Lloyd inactive last Friday. Wilson looked pretty decent in Lloyd’s stead behind starter Josh Jacobs, earning six touches, including two receptions, and producing 48 yards. This earned praise from Packers head coach Matt LaFleur in his postgame interview. While I do think Lloyd will assume the RB2 role in Green Bay once he is healthy, you can plug in Wilson as a one-week rental against a Colts defense that was gashed by Joe Mixon and the Texans in Week 1.

Tank Bigsby (JAC): 5% rostered

• Next Opponents: CLE, @BUF, @HOU
• True value: $2
• Desperate Need: $4
• Budget-minded: $1

Analysis: We’re not all that bullish on Bigsby despite his surprisingly productive Week 1. Bigsby played only 17 snaps but got carries on 12 of them. It’s pretty rare for any running back to get carries on 71% of his snaps. Bigsby certainly has handcuff value, but it seems unlikely that he’ll steal a significant amount of work from the more talented Travis Etienne — although it’s probably fair to say that Etienne can’t afford too many more fumbles near the end zone after his costly turnover helped spark Miami’s come-from-behind win over Jacksonville in Week 1.

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