Should De’Von Achane be the Miami Dolphins RB1 moving forward?

On Sunday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Dolphins rookie running back De’Von Achane would earn a more significant role moving forward. That may not have been evident in Sunday’s 48-20 loss to the Bills, but Mike McDaniel said after the game that the 2023 third-round pick out of Texas A&M deserved more opportunities moving forward — but did make it loud and clear that it was too early to ‘crown’ anyone.

“Yeah, I’ll take a look at the tape before I hesitate to crown anybody. You’re looking at each individual play. I know he made some plays; the game is not too big for him. He’ll continue to have a role, for sure, for our offense moving forward. What does that look like in terms of ratios and touches? That will be something that I would be remiss if I didn’t wait to see the tape before making judgments like that.”

McDaniel can hesitate to speak in absolutes, but it’s clear that Achane will be a pivotal piece to Miami’s offense moving forward. Through four weeks (three games), the 21-year-old running back is 6th in the NFL with 309 rushing yards on only 27 carries. More impressive is that Achane is only the 4th player in NFL history to score six touchdowns in the first three games of their career. And when you remember that he only had one carry for five yards in his NFL debut, those numbers are even more jaw-dropping.

Here’s a look at De’Von Achane’s performance vs. the Buffalo Bills in Week 4. ENJOY!

On the road in Buffalo, Achane carried the ball eight times for 101 yards and two touchdowns. He was one of the lone bright spots in Miami’s disappointing division loss to the Bills. Yes, Raheem Mostert has been sensational early on this season with a league-leading six touchdowns on the ground, but based on his prior injury history — and the current state of Miami’s running back room — it may be in his best interest to drop into that RB2 roll. He also coughed up the football twice on Sunday (losing one).

But we’re not here to nitpick over Miami’s running back room. I’ve been impressed with what they’ve done early on and still can’t help but wonder what Chris Grier was thinking when he reportedly had a trade in place that would make Jonathan Taylor the HIGHEST PAID running back in football. Especially when you have De’Von Achane

Miami’s offense will continue to be multifaceted. Still, with how impressive Achane has looked every time he touches the football, I expect his role to get bigger as the season progresses. For now, I can’t help but assume he’s Miami’s starting running back moving forward.

The De’Von Achane Era is Upon Us.