Fantasy Fallout: Ajayi's value soars with trade to Eagles

Running back Jay Ajayi is the most notable player who still hasn't scored a single touchdown in the first half of the season.

While his 532 total yards have still provided an adequate floor and weekly contribution for fantasy managers, the consensus first-round pick has failed to provide the expected matchup-winning upside.

The shocking trade that sent him from the Miami Dolphins to the Philadelphia Eagles on Tuesday will help salvage his fantasy campaign, however. Here's why, and how it will affect the rest of the landscape.

Related: Dolphins trade Ajayi to Eagles for 4th-round pick

Ajayi takes top spot in Eagles' pecking order

Ajayi is averaging a career-worst 3.4 yards per rushing attempt on 128 carries through seven games. He's added 67 receiving yards while catching 14 of 20 targets, but he still hasn't found the end zone in any capacity.

While the Dolphins rank eighth in red-zone touchdown percentage, according to Team Rankings, Ajayi failed to score on any of his 11 red-zone carries, despite being the only Dolphins player to have a rushing attempt inside the opponent's 20-yard line.

Now he joins an Eagles team ranked second in red-zone percentage, and while incumbent goal-line back LeGarrette Blount has received 17 rushes, he's converted just two touchdowns. Both Corey Clement and Wendell Smallwood have also scored red-zone rushing touchdowns on three attempts each.

Ajayi will have much better touchdown chances on the league's fourth-highest scoring team. The Dolphins, meanwhile, rank last in the league in that department by more than a full point per game.

Philadelphia's committee loses value

Blount's current rate of 4.7 yards per carry on the year is his highest since 2013. He scored his two red-zone touchdowns while also adding an unconventional receiving score.

Ajayi's moderate abilities in the passing game will cut into Smallwood's modest role as well. He had 10 receptions on 15 targets for 79 yards with another 143 yards coming on the ground.

Smallwood and Clement can be dropped in all leagues, and fantasy managers should be trying to move a soon-to-decline Blount.

Dolphins' backfield left floundering

One of Damien Williams or Kenyan Drake will emerge with the feature role in Miami, but at this point, fantasy managers are left guessing when deciding which one to attack on the waiver wire ahead of Week 9.

Williams has outsnapped Drake 74 to 33 on offense this season, and has earned the higher Pro Football Focus grade, particularly as a receiver. His stock is bolstered by the fact he'll likely have a role in the passing game for a Dolphins team typically facing large deficits.

There won't be enough red-zone visits for them to split and each provide value. Target Williams for now while waiting to see who emerges with the limited goal-line role.