De’Von Achane has been out of practice for two weeks with a calf injury, but Miami is confident its breakout back will be ready for the season opener.
General manager Chris Grier said Wednesday that the team has been cautious with Achane’s workload but expects him to be available when the Dolphins visit the Colts on Sept. 7.
“All indications for us are that Achane will be ready Week 1 to go,” Grier told reporters, via ESPN's Marcel Louis-Jacques.
Achane emerged as one of the NFL’s most dynamic backs in 2024, finishing with 907 rushing yards, 78 receptions for 592 yards, and 12 total touchdowns. His speed and versatility have become central to Mike McDaniel’s offense, especially with Tyreek Hill sidelined in the preseason by a wrist injury and Jaylen Waddle limited. The last two weeks have shown how much his absence changes the offense, and why Miami can’t afford to be without him come Week 1.
However, while Achane has been sidelined, Miami has shifted its focus to its retooled backfield. With Raheem Mostert gone, the competition for carries has turned to the team’s younger options. Jaylen Wright has shown flashes of his trademark speed, though a camp injury recently slowed him. That opened the door for rookie Ollie Gordon II, whose steady preseason work earned him the start in Miami’s finale against Jacksonville and caught the attention of the coaching staff.
Coaches have praised Gordon’s decisiveness and physicality in the zone scheme, and his performance has sparked speculation that he could carve out an immediate role even once Achane returns. McDaniel has long favored a committee approach, and the rookie’s emergence gives Miami a different element to pair with Achane’s explosiveness.
Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp
The result is a backfield that looks less thin than untested. Miami doesn’t have the same veteran depth it leaned on in past seasons, but the emergence of Gordon and the flashes from Wright suggest there are capable pieces behind Achane. His return remains the hinge point, yet the Dolphins believe they can keep the ground game afloat until he’s entirely back in rhythm.
Miami may have found promising depth behind him, but Achane remains the centerpiece of the ground game. His health will determine how aggressive the Dolphins can be and how the backfield rotation ultimately takes shape. The first glimpse of that picture comes Sunday, Sept. 7, when Miami opens the season in Indianapolis at 1 p.m.