De’Von Achane gave Miami Dolphins fans a scare when he suffered a calf strain during the team’s joint practices last month.
With the regular season opener against the Indianapolis Colts looming, the question is simple: Will Achane be ready for Week 1? Here’s the latest on the running back and his fantasy outlook for the 2025 NFL season.
Will De’Von Achane Be Ready For Week 1?
Achane missed Miami’s final two preseason games due to the calf strain, and there was initially some concern that he’d miss Week 1 of the season. However, Dolphins general manager Chris Grier recently revealed that Achane is expected to suit up in the season opener, so Dolphins fans and fantasy managers can relax.
Achane returned to practice today, so it’s looking like he’s a lock to play in Miami’s Week 1 clash with the Colts on September 7 (barring a setback).
In 2024, Achane totaled 907 rushing yards and six touchdowns, while also contributing 78 catches for 592 yards and another six scores as a receiver.
Achane’s Fantasy Outlook
It only took two seasons for Achane to make good on the upside many hoped for when he was drafted by the Dolphins in 2023. Achane finished as the RB6 in fantasy points per game (17.6) despite playing in a bad offense with backup quarterbacks for most of the season.
The two biggest developments for Achane in his second season were the increase in his volume (281 touches compared to 130 as a rookie) and involvement in the passing attack (87 targets compared to 37).
While the second-year back struggled to find holes behind a bad offensive line (203 carries for 907 yards and six touchdowns), he made a massive impact as a pass catcher (78 receptions for 592 yards and six touchdowns) to elevate his floor and ceiling in fantasy.
Achane was especially effective in games with Tua Tagovailoa under center. He averaged 22.1 fantasy points per game with Tagovailoa and just 8.6 points per game without him. There is always an injury risk with Tagovailoa (especially behind a bad offensive line), but he’s healthy heading into 2025.
Few running backs have the upside that Achane possesses if he can maintain his role as a pass catcher. He has a good chance to maintain that in 2025 after the team traded Jonnu Smith this offseason.
Achane’s upside is the RB1 overall in fantasy football if the Dolphins can keep Tagovailoa on the field. Even if he doesn’t reach that, we have seen that he can be a top 10 running back due to his skill set.
