De'Von Achane Named Jersey Sales Rising Star, And Who Could Be Next

Miami Dolphins running back De’Von Achane led the NFL in yards per carry and explosive runs in 2025, a season that firmly positioned him as one of the league’s premier young talents. The league’s Players Association recognizes this, and sees it as an opportunity to capitalize on from a marketing standpoint.

The NFLPA released Tuesday their Rising Stars list: 10 rookies and 10 veterans who are “projected to debut on future NFLPA Top 50 Player Sales rankings.” Achane was placed on the veterans list, along with some familiar AFC East faces in Buffalo Bills running back James Cook and New England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez.

Why Achane?

Achane’s placement seems like a no-brainer. Entering his fourth season, he’s off to the greatest start to a career of any Dolphins rusher ever, ranking number 1 all time in rushing yards per game, above the likes of Larry Csonka and Ricky Williams. Combining elite statistics with a new contract extension, and a void where Tyreek Hill and Tua Tagovailoa’s sales were in previous years, it makes plenty of sense why Achane, playing in the Miami market, would crack the top 10.

This placement is another sign of the times for the Dolphins. With the departure of the aforementioned Hill and Tagovailoa (along with Jaylen Waddle), there is a vacuum that needs to be filled in terms of players who will ascend to the popularity level to be Miami’s top jersey sellers. So who could those players be?

Potential Top Sellers

Quarterback Malik Willis is the obvious answer. There is a level of skepticism around the newcomer, but his three-year, $67.5 million contract gives the runway for him to at least get this season as the full-time starter. If he can showcase enough promise to warrant the confidence of the fan base, it’s likely that the playmaking Willis will be a face of the team.

The wide receiver spot is an interesting one with plenty of potential, but a long way to go in order to reach it. A lack of veteran depth among that unit means that rookies Chris Bell and Caleb Douglas could be contributors right away, and with the electrifying big-play ability that the former showcased at Louisville, he could become a fan favorite in a hurry.

As for the defense, it’s easy to see how a rookie becomes immediately popular there as well. Jacob Rodriguez was among the most popular players in college football, forcing seven fumbles and leading a Texas Tech defense that finished number 1 in ESPN’s stop rate in 2025. That highlight potential means plenty of potential exposure, along with an opportunity to carry on the lineage of great Red Raiders to play linebacker for the Dolphins, following Zach Thomas and the newly extended Jordyn Brooks.

Brooks highlights the rest of my veteran names. The NFL’s tackle leader in 2025 highlights the spine of Miami’s defense, alongside former first-round picks Kenneth Grant and Chop Robinson, each of whom has the potential to gain favor among the fan base under a new coaching staff.

As for now, however, Achane is the only player to make the list. His 2025 season has granted him all kinds of recognition, and the assurance that he is one of the team’s cornerstones moving forward.

Add us as a preferred source on Google