Mike McDaniel Humorously Shuts Down Fantasy-Oriented Question About RB’s Workload

Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel spoke to reporters on Wednesday and addressed the recovery of rookie running back De’Von Achane, who was designated to return from IR earlier this week.

When asked about the possibility of Achane returning to play and possibly even seeing his typical workload in Week 11, McDaniel wasn’t fooled by what he perceived as a fantasy football question in disguise.

“What kind of money do you have, in fantasy football? This seems strategic as...” said McDaniel, via Cameron Wolfe of the NFL Network, to a laugh from the media room. 

McDaniel said that Achane is eager to get back out onto the field, but didn’t want to make any indications regarding his workload.

“We have been pragmatic. Monday he was un-tackleable. We feel good about where he’s headed and if he’s ready to roll for this game, he’ll play,” said McDaniel. “If he’s not, we have plenty of very capable players playing on the field and we’ll wait another week and see if he can play then.” 

Achane became a fantasy football darling early on this season after a string of three dominant rushing performances. During that span, Achane racked up 455 rushing yards, five rushing touchdowns, two receiving touchdowns, and a boatload of fantasy points for whoever had him in their lineup at that point.

With his return looming after more than a months-long absence, McDaniel is playing his cards close to his chest regarding the rookie running back’s availability for Sunday’s game against the Raiders.