De’Von Achane could be one of the best RBs in the NFL right now. Let’s enjoy it
There’s an argument to be made that the Miami Dolphins have a top-five running back.
Through his first 11 games, De’Von Achane ranks fourth in scrimmage yards, third in rushing yards and second in yards per carry. He has produced more yards from scrimmage than Saquon Barkley, has more rushing yards than the San Francisco 49ers’ Christian McCaffery and averages more yards per carry than the Detroit Lions’ Jahmyr Gibbs. But any time there’s a discussion of top running backs, Achane’s name rarely — if ever — gets mentioned.
That, however, doesn’t really matter to the former Texas A&M standout.
“I don’t care for all the attention,” Achane said Tuesday. “As long as I know I’m helpful to my team, I’m cool with that. I don’t care about being the topic of discussion.”
As former Dolphins teammate Terron Armstead recently described, the lack of recognition puts Achane in a rare class as one of the most underrated players in the NFL. Maybe that has more to do with team success than anything, yet it’s important not to discount what the third-year tailback has done (900 yards rushing, 370 yards receiving) in 2025. And by his own admission, he’s more than just the average running back.
“We got to finish it off,” Achane said, explaining that his focus more so is on winning the next six games. Still, 1,000 yards has always been a goal of his — it’s something he’s not shy to admit. Ask Achane if he’s a top-five running back, and he simultaneously evades the question like an opposing defender on Sunday yet somehow gives an answer that leaves the topic open for discussion.
“If I can get 100 yards in six games, I don’t know what to tell you,” Achane said, letting out a slight chuckle. “And I don’t even be playing the position.”
Similar to Achane, coach Mike McDaniel doesn’t get into labels like “underrated” or “overrated.” Instead, McDaniel has another way to express his faith in Achane.
“My feelings are best shown through the amount of touches he gets,” McDaniel said. “There’s a lot of belief there. Whether the populous is seeing it yet or not, I think the biggest thing is you just go back to work and earn your stripes. I think those things come, and where his game is at, as long as he continues to produce and constantly improve his game and exceed his previous self, those things will come. I’m fairly certain of that.”
That much has been clear since the gruesome, left knee injury that has sidelined star wide receiver Tyreek Hill since Week 4. For most of the time during his absence, the Dolphins’ offense has relied heavily on Jaylen Waddle but also Achane whose duality as both a rushing and pass-catching threat has him near the top of the league in many categories. Case in point: Achane leads the Dolphins in catches with 54, five more than the second-place Waddle, and second to only McCaffery among all running backs.
“We’re relying very heavily on him to kind of touch the ball a lot, to move the chains, keep us all on schedule,” fullback Alec Ingold said. “So to see him kind of take that responsibility and own it and the way that he carries himself around the offense is very impressive.”
Turn on any Dolphins game, and it becomes immediately clear that Achane has certainly taken a step forward. Initially, it came in the form of the way he finished runs; try to tackle the diminutive running back, and he would go through defenders for an extra 2 to 3 yards.
“Last year, I think I left some yards on the field as far as me seeing different things,” Achane said. “So this year I tried to take advantage of every opportunity.”
By Week 11, that run style mixed with his speed and the chemistry formed along the offensive line had become a deadly combination. His rushing numbers during the past two games – 174 yards and two touchdowns against the Buffalo Bills as well as 120 yards vs. the Washington Commanders – certainly speak to that.
“He had a different level of focus, and he put a bigger burden on his own shoulders to execute and make guys miss in critical moments,” McDaniel said. “I think he’s also learned how to get a lot of leaky yardage, I’d call it, a lot of post-contact 2 to 3 yards on edges of defenders which drastically affects the next play call, the next down-and-distance. I think he’s doing a great job getting his game to a spot that the team needs and was extremely confident in making even more plays, and he’s always been a playmaker.”
With six games left on the schedule, it’s quite possible that a Pro Bowl could be in Achane’s future. The team, however, learned a valuable lesson in 2024 that while a player might deserve that honor, success and awards in the NFL are linked. So for Achane to truly get the respect that he certainly deserves, the Dolphins, collectively, will have to step and do something that has evaded the team for most of 2025: win.
