De’Von Achane Is Carrying the Dolphins-And Making History While He’s At It
In a season where the Miami Dolphins have been searching for consistency, De’Von Achane has become the heartbeat of their offense-and, frankly, the team’s MVP. That’s not hyperbole. That’s just what happens when a second-year back not only breaks the 1,000-yard mark in 12 games, but does it while the rest of the offense has been searching for answers.
Let’s start with the numbers: 22 carries, 134 yards, and a touchdown in Miami’s 21-17 win over the Saints. That performance pushed Achane over the 1,000-yard milestone for the season-1,034 to be exact. That puts him in elite company in Dolphins history, joining Larry Csonka, Delvin Williams, and Ricky Williams as the only backs in franchise history to hit 1,000 rushing yards through the first 12 games of a season.
That’s not just a nice stat. That’s legacy stuff. And Achane, who just missed the mark last year due to injury, knows it.
“It means a lot,” he said. “It just shows the hard work that I put in, that me and my team put in. It’s just a stepping stone of mine.”
The Offense Runs Through Achane-Literally
Right now, the Dolphins aren’t winning games because of their passing game. Tua Tagovailoa, the franchise quarterback with the $50 million contract, is in the middle of a rough stretch.
Against New Orleans, he completed just 12 passes and posted a passer rating of 55.9. That’s not an outlier-it’s been a trend.
Over the past seven games, Tagovailoa hasn’t topped 250 passing yards, and he’s thrown more interceptions (10) than touchdowns (7).
So, head coach Mike McDaniel had to pivot. And that pivot has been Achane.
“I can't say enough great things about ‘Von,’” McDaniel said.
That’s not coach-speak. That’s a coach recognizing that his most reliable offensive weapon is a 5-foot-9 back who’s doing everything-running inside, breaking outside, catching passes, lining up all over the formation, and even running decoy routes to open things up for others. Achane’s usage has skyrocketed, and his versatility has become the engine of Miami’s offense.
“We were relying upon him to not just be a good player, but to take a step in being a leader,” McDaniel said. “He’s much more vocal. We align him everywhere and ask him to do a ton of jobs, and he takes pride in being on top of all his assignments.”
That includes the stuff that doesn’t show up in the box score-like fake jet sweeps that pull defenders out of position, or the attention he draws just by being on the field. Defenses are keying on him, and he’s still producing.
A Fast Start, a Historic Pace
The Saints got a taste of what Achane brings early. Six plays into the game, Tagovailoa handed him the ball, and Achane followed a convoy of blockers-Austin Jackson, Alec Ingold, and Julian Hill-for a 29-yard touchdown run. It looked easy, but that’s because Achane made it look that way.
“It kind of made my job easy,” he said. But let’s be real-what he’s doing is anything but easy.
He’s averaging 5.6 yards per carry, and the Dolphins have now rushed for over 160 yards in three straight games-the first time they’ve done that since 2022. That’s not just a hot streak. That’s an identity shift.
“It’s something that we’ve always wanted to be able to execute,” McDaniel said. “But there’s a difference in want and being able to execute it.”
And the Dolphins are executing it even when everyone knows what’s coming.
“We come to the line and everyone knows we are going to run the ball,” Achane said. “And I feel like we’ve been running the ball great these past 3-4 weeks.”
On Pace for 1,465-and Maybe More
If he keeps up this pace, Achane is tracking to finish the season with 1,465 rushing yards. That’s not just Pro Bowl territory-that’s All-Pro conversation.
And when you factor in his 370 receiving yards (second on the team), it becomes clear: Achane isn’t just one of the Dolphins’ best players. He’s one of the league’s most complete backs.
He’s doing it all-and he’s doing it with style. After his touchdown, he celebrated with a dance inspired by TikTok. Not exactly his thing, but he’s a team guy.
“I’m not really into dancing,” he said. “So I asked my teammates what’s the celebration this week.”
A Wild Finish, But a Steady Star
The Dolphins nearly let this one slip away. They scored just five points in the second half, and a chaotic fourth quarter included a two-point conversion attempt by the Saints that was intercepted and returned the other way by Minkah Fitzpatrick for two points. Then came an onside kick recovery by New Orleans, and some communication issues on defense that had Miami scrambling.
But through it all, the one constant was Achane.
The Dolphins have benefited from a soft stretch in their schedule, but that’s about to change. What won’t change is their reliance on No.
- He’s not just a spark anymore-he’s the foundation.
And he’s not done yet.
“If I can get 2,000, that’s the thing,” Achane said.
If he does, he won’t just be in the conversation with Dolphins legends. He’ll be writing his own chapter.