The Miami Dolphins enter Week 1 with a road matchup against the Indianapolis Colts, and all eyes are on the status of RB De'Von Achane, who has been dealing with a calf injury since training camp.
Head coach Mike McDaniel confirmed Monday that Achane will return to practice this week, and he is expected to play in Sunday’s opener. Achane was officially limited in Wednesday's practice and was at Thursday's practice.
After sitting out the preseason as a precaution, the Achane looks on track to handle lead duties in Week 1 and is not expected to be limited
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What Happened to De'Von Achane?
Achane suffered a calf injury in mid-August during training camp, but he was always expected to be ready for Week 1. If reports are true, and the injury is minor, Achane should not be limited by his injury in Week 1.
That said, it'd be good to see Achane get full practices in on Thursday and/or Friday to feel more comfortable using him in NFL DFS and in fantasy football.
Will Dolphins RB De’Von Achane Play in Week 1?
Barring any setbacks, Achane will be active and ready to play in Week 1 against the Colts.
McDaniel called the time off “preventative” and said the Dolphins were aggressive with treatment to ensure there were no lingering issues.
That’s key for a player whose game relies heavily on explosive burst. Achane says he "feels 100 percent" ahead of Week 1 — that's great sign.
Achane missed time as a rookie with a shoulder sprain and MCL sprain but still produced 800 rushing yards in limited action. The Dolphins are hoping a fully healthy version of him can stabilize their backfield after ranking middle of the league in rushing efficiency in 2024.
With Jaylen Wright sidelined (lower body) and rookie Ollie Gordon II the primary backup, Miami will lean on Achane to set the tone in Week 1.
De’Von Achane Fantasy Football Outlook
For fantasy football players, the biggest takeaway is that Achane appears ready to roll as the Dolphins’ RB1. His efficiency numbers were elite last season — he averaged 4.5 yards per carry and ranked top-10 among RBs in explosive runs of 15+ yards.
That kind of upside makes him one of the most dangerous “home run” backs in the league.
The calf injury is worth monitoring, as soft tissue issues can linger, but Miami’s staff clearly feels confident he’s past the worst of it. With Jaylen Wright out and rookie Ollie Gordon still developing, Achane should dominate the backfield touches to start the year.
If healthy, he carries legitimate RB1 upside with week-winning potential in any given matchup.
De’Von AchaneProjections vs. Colts: Week 1
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Here's Achane's stat projections for this week:
- 14 Rushing Attempts
- 60.5 Rushing Yards
- 17.5 Fantasy Score
- 30.5 Receiving Yards
- 4.5 Receptions
- 97.5 Rush+Rec Yards
Achane’s explosiveness makes his projections enticing against a Colts defense that ranked 19th in yards per carry allowed (4.2) last season. If he sees double-digit touches, his ability to break one long run could put him over the top quickly.
For fantasy football and NFL DFS, Achane remains a high-upside play with a boom-or-bust element tied to workload and health.
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While Achane's injury moved him down fantasy football draft boards, he looks to be fully ready to go for Week 1, as expected by McDaniel leading up to this game. That could make him a steal if he can stay healthy.
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