Dolphins RB De’Von Achane to return Week 1 vs. the Indianapolis Colts
Good news for the Miami Dolphins running back room.
De’Von Achane will be ready to go Week 1 vs. the Indianapolis Colts, according to general manager Chris Grier. The third-year tailback suffered a calf injury that has held him out of practice since Aug. 13.
“All indications for us is that he will be ready Week 1 to go,” Grier said of Achane on Wednesday.
This was the first indication about Achane’s timeline. Previously, Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel had simply prioritized the importance of rest when it came to Achane.
A “calf is the one we have to be super proactive [about], especially with explosive players,” McDaniel said Aug. 18. “We don’t want to have a long strenuous nagging issues. [Resting Achane] is more preventative in nature. All trainers across the league have horror stories with calves if you’re too aggressive.”
The horror stories that McDaniel mentioned extends across all sports — just think about what just happened to Indiana Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton in the NBA Finals. Similar to the Pacers and Haliburton, the Dolphins cannot afford to lose Achane for any amount of time, let alone a season, considering how thin they are at tailback due to Alexander Mattison’s season-ending neck injury and Jaylen Wright’s undisclosed right leg ailment will force him to miss the season opener.
That left just one healthy tailback in rookie Ollie Gordon II when the Dolphins dropped their 53-man roster on Tuesday. And while Gordon certainly showed that he could one day be a bell cow back, Grier confirmed that the team plans to scour the waiver wire for additional help.
“We’ll end up adding a couple guys to the practice squad,” Grier said. “We’ve been talking to people here last night and today, so there will be some veterans here or maybe a younger player.”
Achane’s importance to the Dolphins offense cannot be understated.
As a rookie, he set the single-season NFL record for yards per carry by a running back at 7.8. The following year, he showed his pass-catching ability as he tied star receiver Tyreek Hill in touchdown receptions (six) while ranking third on the team in grabs (78). His 1,531 yards from scrimmage was the 12th-highest in the NFL in 2024.
“I feel like I’m an every down back,” Achane said Aug. 5. “Like I said I can be in first, second, third, fourth. I can do a lot just as far as running the ball. I also can catch the ball. Like I said, I think I had like 70 or something receptions. I feel like I’m a receiver at this point. It’s great to be out there every down.”
This story was originally published August 27, 2025 at 10:52 AM.
