Kelly: The necessary evolution of De’Von Achane | Opinion
What is he, and who is he?
Is De’Von Achane a 1,000-yard rusher in the NFL?
He was not in his first two seasons, but the Miami Dolphins’ tailback is averaging 65 rushing yards per game, which would make him a 1,100-yard rusher if he continues on his current pace for 17 games.
But since Tyreek Hill sustained his season-ending knee injury two weeks ago Achane’s role and usage has changed.
The scatback — which is how small, fast, agile tailbacks are usually described — has always been involved in the passing game, but most of his catches the previous two seasons were as the check-down outlet.
These days he’s one of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s two primary targets, and pushing for recognition as one of the best pass-catching backs in the NFL, a talent that lines up out wide as a receiver on multiple plays a game.
“It’s not as hard as you think,” Achane said. “I’ve been playing receiver and running back before I even got to the league. Now people actually get to see it, a running back going out and playing receiver….I work on it so much that when I go out there I feel like I’m a receiver.”
Only one other tailback — San Francisco’s Christian McCaffrey with 46 — has more receptions than Achane — who has produced 195 receiving yards and three touchdowns in Miami’s six games.
Achane, who is tied with Jaylen Waddle for the team lead with 29 receptions, averages just less than four receptions per game throughout his career, and has produced 7.3 yards per catch.
This season he’s averaging 4.8 receptions and 32.5 receiving yards per game.
His utilization recently — 128 rushing yards, four catches for 22 yards and two rushing touchdowns in Miami’s 29-27 loss to the Los Angeles last Sunday — hints that teams will begin keying on him more often.
That means the Dolphins will likely be forced to get more creative.
“It’s similar problem-solving, reverse engineered as Deebo [Samuel],” coach Mike McDaniel said Wednesday when asked about the pass-game utilization of Achane, which the Dolphins worked on all offseason while Hill was sidelined with a wrist injury.
“That’s the only person I can really think of that we were putting in the backfield and being a receiver. [Deebo] was just the opposite starting point,” McDaniel said, comparing the receiver he worked with during his days as an assistant with the San Francisco 49ers.
But is Achane durable enough to keep this type of production up for 17 games, for multiple seasons?
We will learn more about who the former Texas A&M standout is based on how he produces, and finishes this season, especially as opposing teams pinpoint their focus on him with Hill out of Miami’s offense.
Other NFL scatbacks have carried an offense before, and one of them happened to do it in Miami, and was Achane’s favorite player growing up.
Reggie Bush, who rushed for 1,000 yards two times in his 11 seasons (once for the Dolphins in 2011), did it.
Alvin Kamara, a five-time Pro Bowler who has produced 7,093 rushing yards, 4,884 receiving yards and scored 86 touchdowns in his nine seasons with the New Orleans Saints, continues to do it.
Maybe they’re the blueprint?
This is an important period for Achane and the Dolphins because it’s the last season he will likely be forced to play on his rookie contract, which is paying him $1.2 million this season. He’s slated to be paid just less than $1.5 million next season, before playing time escalators kick in based on the final season of his rookie deal.
However, NFL players and their agents are able to negotiate contract extensions after a player’s third season. That means Achane’s short window to get paid is approaching.
Considering the lifespan of tailbacks are shorter than most other positions, it’s hard to imagine Achane playing in 2025 for $1.5 million considering Buffalo just gave James Cook, a comparable tailback, a four-year, $46 million extension this offseason, which guaranteed the South Florida native $30 million.
But in Cook’s defense, he ran for 1,000-yards twice previously, and is on pace to do so again this season considering he’s produced 537 rushing yards on 107 attempts and has scored five rushing touchdowns.
However, Cook has averaged less than two receptions a game.
Achane does plenty more in the passing game. But can he become the type of talent that carries the offense for a winning franchise?
Only time, and the rest of his career, will tell us.
