For a brief three-week stretch at the beginning of the 2023 NFL season, De’Von Achane looked like a league-winner for your fantasy football team.
Unfortunately, the rest of his rookie campaign was met with mixed results due to injuries and some lackluster performances from the Miami Dolphins‘ high-powered offense to finish the year.
After the Dolphins added another dynamic playmaker to the backfield in the 2024 NFL Draft, what can fantasy managers expect from Achane in his second season in the league?
Should You Select De’Von Achane at His Current ADP?
PPR Industry Consensus ADP: 20th Overall (RB7)
- Explosive Rookie Season: Achane flashed elite potential in his rookie year, posting 455 rushing yards on just 37 carries (12.3 YPC) and seven total touchdowns in his first few games. His speed, acceleration, and contact balance made him a perfect fit for Miami’s offense.
- Injury Concerns: Achane’s breakout was cut short by a knee injury that sent him to IR in Week 6. Upon his return, he was solid but not spectacular, finishing as the RB25 from Week 11 onward with 470 total yards and four touchdowns.
- Competition in the Backfield: Raheem Mostert, who finished as the RB5 in 2023, will continue to be involved, though his age (32) and injury history could limit his role. Rookie Jaylen Wright, with his impressive athletic profile, adds another layer of competition, though he may not immediately threaten Achane’s workload.
- Potential for Increased Role: Despite the competition, Achane’s dynamic playmaking ability makes it likely that his role could expand in 2024. He averaged 11 touches and 90 total yards per game in his rookie year, and there’s reason to believe he could see even more opportunities in his second season.
- ADP Analysis: Achane’s current ADP of No. 20 overall (RB7) places him in the second round of fantasy drafts. While his ceiling in Miami’s offense is high, this price point requires drafting him ahead of established backs like Josh Jacobs, Travis Etienne, and Isiah Pacheco, which carries significant risk.
- Final Verdict: Achane offers elite upside in an explosive Dolphins offense, but the second-round price tag is steep given the presence of Mostert, Wright, and his injury history. If you’re looking for a high-risk, high-reward pick with the potential to become a fantasy star, Achane is worth considering, but be prepared for the volatility that comes with this selection.
PFN Consensus PPR Fantasy Ranking for De’Von Achane
Note that these rankings are the PFN Consensus Rankings and may not fully match my analysis.
17) Travis Etienne Jr., RB | Jacksonville Jaguars
18) Chris Olave, WR | New Orleans Saints
19) Derrick Henry, RB | Baltimore Ravens
20) Brandon Aiyuk, WR | San Francisco 49ers
21) Drake London, WR | Atlanta Falcons
22) De’Von Achane, RB | Miami Dolphins
23) Isiah Pacheco, RB | Kansas City Chiefs
24) Michael Pittman Jr., WR | Indianapolis Colts
25) Josh Jacobs, RB | Green Bay Packers
26) Rachaad White, RB | Tampa Bay Buccaneers
27) Mike Evans, WR | Tampa Bay Buccaneers
De’Von Achane’s Fantasy Profile for the 2024 NFL Season
No matter what type of outlier performances are included in small fantasy sample sizes, 455 rushing yards on just 37 carries, 12.3 yards per carry (YPC), with an additional eight receptions for 63 yards and seven total TDs proves Achane can be elite fantasy producer in this offense.
Achane’s exceptional acceleration, elite top speed, and surprising contact balance made him a perfect scheme fit for this Dolphins’ rushing attack that loves to utilize wide zone concepts and punish soft seven-man fronts who are preoccupied with containing the vertical threat of both Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle on the perimeter.
#Dolphins rookie De’Von Achane is blink-of-an-eye FAST! 💨#FinsUp
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) October 8, 2023
This exceptional run of fantasy production quickly hit a wall when Achane went to injured reserve with a knee injury in Week 6 and wasn’t quite the same player once he returned to the lineup.
After jumping back into the mix in Week 11 through the rest of his rookie year, Achane was the RB25 in full-PPR formats with 470 total yards and four scores, which is solid but still a far cry from his elite numbers earlier in the year.
He still has a great situation in the Dolphins’ high-powered offense this year, but he does have some competition in the backfield, which could limit his ceiling, assuming he doesn’t revert back to averaging 12.3 YPC. Backfield mate Raheem Mostert was the RB5 overall in 2023 with 1,187 yards and 21 total TDs over his 234 total touches.
Mostert will certainly be involved in this backfield this season, but he is 32 years old and has only played a full season’s worth of games on one occasion over his nine years in the NFL.
Achane proved he could be a reliable fantasy option alongside Mostert during his rookie year, and there is no reason to suggest the latter will see a bigger role than he did in 2024. In fact, the opposite of that line of thinking could be the outcome, with the dynamic second-year player potentially seeing his role expand while the veteran sees his role slightly reduced.
The real wild card in this equation is rookie RB Jaylen Wright, who boasts an exciting athletic profile. Wright ran an impressive 4.38 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine and validated his fast time by testing very well in the other explosive testing metrics with a 38” vertical jump and 11’2” broad jump.
Wright, being this explosive of a mover at 5’10” and 210 pounds, could make him a candidate to slide into Mostert’s role down the line or even factor into this backfield in certain personnel packages his rookie year.
Ultimately, Achane averaged 11 touches and 90 total yards per game in his rookie year. He is simply too dynamic of a weapon, and I saw too much success to project him for a smaller workload in 2024.
Is Achane a Good Value in Fantasy Drafts?
If you believe in Achane, you will probably have to spend a second-round pick to get him on your fantasy squad in 2024. His current ADP is No. 20 overall, and he is the RB7 off the board.
Look, I love Achane’s fantasy ceiling in this Miami offense, but you would be drafting him ahead of guys like Josh Jacobs, Travis Etienne, and Isiah Pacheco at the RB position if you select him at that price point.
Not to mention, he is probably your RB1 on your fantasy team unless you go RB-RB, which means your team depends on his production to sustain an ideal weekly point total output.
De’Von Achane was a fantasy superstar this year when he was healthy.
Is he a top-10 lock at the RB position going into 2024 fantasy drafts? @KyleSoppePFN shared his thoughts on a recent episode of The PFN Fantasy Football Podcast⤵️⤵️ pic.twitter.com/TFNdU7PF2R
— PFN Fantasy (@PFNFantasy) January 19, 2024
If you want to swing for the fences, then Achane is a great candidate to emerge as a fantasy star in 2024. Yet, the presence of Mostert and Wright doesn’t exactly project him as a featureback in this offense, and his durability concerns also make him a risky pick at this price point.
Personally, the second round is probably a bit too expensive for me, but the upside is certainly present if you would prefer to build your roster with players who have elite upside.