Mike McDaniel says rookie De'Von Achane will play Sunday vs Commanders

The Miami Dolphins will have rookie running back De’Von Achane active on Sunday for the game against the Commanders, according to head coach Mike McDaniel. Miami (8-3) has a 1 p.m. ET kickoff against Washington on Sunday.

Achane initially suffered a knee injury in the Week 5 game against the Giants. The injury was severe enough to require a move to IR but he returned right on schedule after four missed games.

Playing in his first game back from IR on Nov. 19 against the Raiders, he suffered another knee injury in the first quarter and had to exit early. It was his first time on the active roster since Week 5, but alas, it was short-lived.

Prior to going out with the injury, Achane ran for 151 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries in the win over New York. At the time of his injury, he had 460 rushing yards, which was second in the NFL behind only Christian McCaffrey of the San Francisco 49ers in rushing yards through five games (510). The 21-year-old has just 38 carries so far this season. However, he also has seven touchdowns, including two receiving touchdowns.

Fellow Dolphins running back Raheem Mostert has 151 carries with 785 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns. He leads the league in rushing touchdowns through Week 13. Unfortunately for Miami, although Achane will play Sunday, Mostert is questionable with ankle/knee issues.

Achane shone in Week 3 prior to injury

The rookie third-rounder missed the first week of NFL games due to a shoulder injury that he sustained during the preseason. He worked his way back into the rotation by Week 2, carrying the ball just once for a five-yard game against the Patriots. The former Aggie had a breakout game in Week 3, posting two touchdowns on 18 carries, plus another two touchdowns on four receptions.

The rapid ascension of Achane stood out to his teammates, specifically quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.

“The coolest thing about someone like him being a rookie is just who he is as a person,” Tagovailoa said earlier this season. “How you see him on the sideline — just chill, relaxed. That’s who he is, and that’s how he is in the huddle. To be able to go in the huddle and see someone like that, it’s very promising to know that … basically, if he’s getting the ball, you know it’s going to be a big play more often than not.

“I’ve got a lot of respect for that guy, and I think a lot of guys around the league have a lot of respect for him as well. The cool thing about it is like he doesn’t take heed to listening to any of that. Just a humble guy. Just coming into work, doing what he needs to help the team win.”

The Dolphins selected Achane with the No. 84 overall pick (third round) in the 2023 NFL Draft.