Dolphins RB De’Von Achane 'avoided severe injury' in team's second preseason game

Miami Dolphins rookie running back De’Von Achane received a scare over the weekend after going down with a shoulder injury against the Houston Texas. However, Achane has since received a positive update, according to head coach Mike McDaniel.

McDaniel told reporters on Monday that Achane avoided a serious injury and is considered week-to-week, per Cameron Wolfe of the NFL Network. That is good news as the injury initially looked like it could be severe. The former Texas A&M star was carted off the field on Saturday after going down.

De’Von Achane received an MRI over the weekend, which apparently showed that the injury isn’t as bad as what was initially feared. While it seems unlikely that he will play in the preseason finale against the Jaguars on Saturday, Achane appears unlikely to miss much time in the regular season, if any at all.

The Dolphins open the season on Sept. 10 against the Chargers. The home opener is scheduled for Sept. 24 against the Broncos.

Achane was enjoying a solid performance in the Dolphins’ second preseason game, prior to suffering the injury. At the time he left the field, the former Aggie had recorded six carries for 27 yards, averaging just shy of five yards per carry.

Dolphins may solve running back issues with rookie De’Von Achane

Now that De’Von Achane has avoided a serious injury, he could be in for a big season.

The Dolphins sifted through the free agent market looking for a good running back, before eventually drafting Achane in the third round.

He should have a role in the backfield for the Dolphins this fall.

“I’m very happy with our running back group,” head coach Mike McDaniel recently said. “There’s been a ton of development since camp started for already talented guys that I very much believe in. So overall, I’m really pumped with the running back group. As far as other team’s transactions, really, I haven’t even paid that much attention other than to what is today? Today is practice. The 16th of August. And I’m very happy with the crew that we’re going to compete with and pumped to compete against this unit too.”

Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson could get most of the work on first and second downs this year. Meanwhile, Achane could come in on third down or in other special packages. The goal is to improve upon last year’s anemic numbers. The Dolphins averaged 96 rushing yards a game in 2022. That ranked as only 27th best in the league.