CHARLOTTE — Miami Dolphins second-year running back Jaylen Wright is a surprise healthy scratch for Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers.
Wright was listed among five inactive players announced by the team 90 minutes prior to the 1 p.m. kickoff at Bank of America Stadium.
The Dolphins traded into the fourth round of the 2024 draft to select Wright, which was a heavily scrutinized pick then as Miami went with the running back out of Tennessee despite returning the talented 2023 tandem of De’Von Achane and Raheem Mostert that year.
A year later, Mostert is gone, but rookie power rusher Ollie Gordon II has surpassed Wright on the Dolphins’ depth chart, spelling Achane.
Wright dealt with a preseason knee injury that sidelined him the first two games of the regular season. He recovered from it to be active each of the previous two games, but he did not play in last Monday night’s win over the New York Jets or the Sept. 18 loss to the Buffalo Bills.
The Dolphins go into Sunday’s game against the Panthers with two active running backs, Achane and Gordon.
As a rookie in 2024, Wright ran for 249 yards on 68 carries.
The Dolphins had already ruled cornerback Storm Duck (ankle) and newly brought-back wide receiver Cedrick Wilson Jr. (knee) out Friday. Other Miami inactives Sunday were defensive tackle Zeek Biggers and quarterback Quinn Ewers, who is available as an emergency third quarterback.
Wide receiver Tahj Washington is active for the first time in his NFL career.
With Tyreek Hill out for the season and Wilson unable to play coming off a knee procedure while previously with the New Orleans Saints, Washington gets his first chance in a regular season game since being drafted in the seventh round of the 2024 draft. He missed his rookie season with a preseason injury.
As Miami did not elevate a receiver from the practice squad ahead of the game, it has five players up on game day at the position: Jaylen Waddle, Malik Washington, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Dee Eskridge and Tahj Washington.
This story will be updated.