An injury to Miami Dolphins running back De’Von Achane is causing concern about the rookie’s availability after he was noticed during the team’s Saturday practice.
De'Von Achane is not practicing. He's walking very gingerly. He's doing a rehab assignment on the side.
— Omar Kelly (@OmarKelly) August 5, 2023
Achane was taken by the Dolphins in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft, the 84th player taken overall. Despite being taken during the second day of the selection process, Achane seemingly has a chance to make an impact in the upcoming season.
Exactly when Achane sustained the unknown injury is uncertain. However, the description of his movements is a little worrisome and raises questions about his status moving forward in camp.
During Achane’s 2022 season at Texas A&M University, he missed two games because of a foot injury. Despite his absence from those contests, he was still able to rush for 1,102 yards and eight touchdowns during the campaign.
In addition, Achane showed his versatility by serving as a viable receiving option, catching 36 passes and scoring three touchdowns in the 2022 season. Adding to his repertoire, he also served as a return man on kickoffs.
Achane has notable speed and is someone the Dolphins seem pretty excited about. The team could use an improved run game given its struggles in that department in recent years.
That effort has become even more prominent now that Miami’s passing attack has become such a potent weapon. The threat of Tua Tagovailoa throwing to either Tyreek Hill or Jaylen Waddle would become even more dangerous if the team also thrived when it came to the run.
Exactly how long Achane ends up out of action may help determine if the Dolphins renew their efforts to pursue running backs from elsewhere around the NFL. Most notably, veteran Dalvin Cook’s name could again become prominent.
Cook’s name has been regularly mentioned as a possible Dolphins acquisition, but other teams, including the New York Jets, are reportedly pursuing him.
For now, the Dolphins are likely just focused on returning Achane to the field and tapping into his potential. The team’s first preseason contest comes on Friday night against the Atlanta Falcons, with the Dolphins’ first regular season contest coming on Sept. 10 in a road matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers.
