Ranking the Most Important Dolphins, No. 2: Just How Indispensable Is Achane?

The Miami Dolphins will head into training camp at the end of July with a totally different roster than the one that ended the 2025 season after an offseason overhaul that saw the departure of several significant veterans and the arrival of newcomers young and old.

The Dolphins have 91 players on their roster with the exemption they have for England-born rookie tight end Seydou Traore, a participant of the International Player Pathway Program.

As life goes in the NFL, not every player on the roster is equal, so we decided to rank all of them in terms of their importance to the Dolphins' success in the 2026 season. The list was determined on the basis of not just ability but also expected role and significance to the overall progress of the organization as it continues the rebuilding project that began with the hiring of Jon-Eric Sullivan as GM and Jeff Hafley as head coach.

This is part of a series that will run in the lead-up to start of training camp.

NUMBER 2: RB DE'VON ACHANE

How he joined the Dolphins

The Dolphins selected Achane in the third round of the 2023 NFL draft. He was taken with the 84th overall pick, the 21st in the round.

Contract status

Achane signed this offseason a four-year contract extension through the 2030 season. The extension, which takes effect next year, reportedly was worth $64 million, including $27.4 million guaranteed. Achane's cap number for 2026 remains a very low $3.2 million before jumping to $13.8 million next year. Achane's salary stops being guaranteed in 2028, which makes it a cut-off point if the Dolphins did want to move on from him.

His 2025 season

While Achane didn't earn All-Pro accolades like Jordyn Brooks or Aaron Brewer, he was the choice from the South Florida media as the Dolphins MVP after a spectacular third NFL season. Achane wound up fifth in the NFL in rushing yards with 1,350 and eighth in yards from scrimmage with 1,838 yards. Achane also led the Dolphins in receptions with 67 and totaled 12 touchdowns. The 1,838 yards represented the second-highest total in franchise history behind only Ricky Williams' 2,216 yards in 2002. The rushing total was the third-best, behind Williams' 1,853 in 2002 and 1,372 in 2003.

His projected role

With all the big names gone from the offense — such as Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle and Darren Waller — Achane remains as the one legitimate threat for the Dolphins. That he'll be the focal point of the offense won't be anything new because it's been that way since early in the 2024 season, but defenses now don't have to worry as much about protecting the deep part of the field and that won't make things any easier for him. Despite his immense talent, it's going to be a pretty big task for Achane just to come close to matching what he did last year with a lesser supporting cast at the skill positions, though the hope is that the offensive line really improves and makes things easier for everyone. But the bottom line is that the offense likely will rely a bunch on Achane, and his production could go a long way toward determining what kind of success that unit winds up having.

THE PREVIOUS PLAYERS ON THE COUNTDOWN

90. G James Ester
89. T Kevin Cline
88. QB Mark Gronowski
87. DT Keith Cooper Jr.
86. EDGE Seth Coleman
85. RB Anthony Hankerson
84. WR Donaven McCulley
83. FB D.J. Herman
82. C Jim Bonitas
81. LS Tucker Addington
80. DT Alex Huntley
79. T Marques Cox
78. EDGE Rodney McGraw
77. TE Cole Turner
76. DT Khalil Saunders
75. CB Miles Battle
74. S Major Burns
73. RB Carlos Washington Jr.
72. EDGE Robert Beal Jr.
71. WR A.J. Henning
70. RB Donovan Edwards
69. DB Omar Brown
68. EDGE Cameron Goode
67. WR Jalen Reagor
66. EDGE Max Llewellyn
65. WR Terrace Marshall Jr.
64. CB Ethan Robinson
63. G/T Josh Priebe
62. DT Rene Konga
61. WR Tahj Washington
60. QB Cam Miller
59. CB A.J. Green III
58. EDGE Mason Reiger
57. CB Alex Austin
56. P Bradley Pinion
55. LB Jackson Woodard
54. K Zane Gonzalez
53. S Louis Moore
52. DT Matthew Butler
51. CB Marco Wilson
50. CB Darrell Baker Jr.
49. LB Ronnie Harrison Jr.
48. T Charlie Heck
47. WR Chris Bell
46. CB Storm Duck
45. WR Theo Wease Jr.
44. TE Seydou Traore
43. G DJ Campbell
42. G/C Andrew Meyer
41. K Riley Patterson
40. S Michael Taaffe
39. CB Ethan Bonner
38. TE Ben Sims
37. EDGE David Ojabo
36. S Lonnie Johnson Jr.
35. Zayne Anderson
34. EDGE Josh Uche
33. WR Jalen Tolbert
32. EDGE/LB Trey Moore
31. LB Willie Gay Jr.
30. RB Jaylen Wright
29. WR Kevin Coleman Jr.
28. G Jonah Savaiinaea
27. DT Zeek Biggers
26. LB Kyle Louis
25. RB Ollie Gordon II
24. WR Tutu Atwell
23. G/T Jamaree Salyer
22. WR Malik Washington
21. DT Jordan Phillips
20. WR Caleb Douglas
19. LB Jacob Rodriguez
18. CB Jason Marshall Jr.
17. S Dante Trader Jr.
16. TE Will Kacmarek
15. QB Quinn Ewers
14. LB Tyrel Dodson
13. T Austin Jackson
12. CB JuJu Brents
11. TE Greg Dulcich
10. DT Zach Sieler
9. T Patrick Paul
8. DT Kenneth Grant
7. LB Jordyn Brooks
6. C Aaron Brewer
5. CB Chris Johnson
4. EDGE Chop Robinson
3. OL Kadyn Proctor

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