De’Von Achane only got 130 touches as a rookie in 2023, but he certainly maximized those opportunities. His 7.8 yards per carry was easily the highest mark in the NFL among players with at least 20 carries and Achane added 197 receiving yards and 11 total touchdowns to boot.
Earlier in the offseason, Achane warned opponents that they hadn’t seen anything yet and they “better be worried” about what was coming in 2024 and beyond. The running back looked noticeably bigger during the offseason program, but Dolphins offensive coordinator Frank Smith says it’s a mental leap that could make Achane especially dangerous.
“You can really see a growth of his understanding of the offense, where he fits in, just overall in the run game, where he’s trying to affect his aiming points, affect the defense, working together with the linemen, how it all fits together and then in the passing game as well,” Smith told reporters Thursday. “You can tell it’s year two for him. He’s really made substantial growth and I think this camp will really be good these next couple weeks for him to continue to grow upon everything he’s done.”
It’s a crowded backfield in Miami with Raheem Mostert, the NFL’s leader in rushing touchdowns during the 2023 season, set to return as the starter. In addition to Achane, there’s fourth-round rookie Jaylen Wright and veteran Jeff Wilson Jr. who will be battling for touches in relief of Mostert.
It seems for now that Achane is doing all the right things to position himself for a more significant role in the Dolphins offense in 2024.
