De'Von Achane Injury Update: Dolphins Running Back Expected to Play Week 1

Miami Dolphins RB De'Von Achane returned to practice and is expected to start Week 1, making him a must-play fantasy RB1 if active.

Miami Dolphins running back De'Von Achane (28) runs with the ball while New York Jets cornerback D.J. Reed (4) attempts to tackle him during the first quarter at MetLife Stadium. | Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images

Fantasy owners have been stressing about the calf injury that Miami Dolphins running back De'Von Achane has been dealing with. We've seen his ADP slip, and we've seen him slip in the rankings over the past few weeks. While calf injuries are serious and easily reaggravated, this could be a bit of a case of Christian McCaffrey trauma as well. Nevertheless, we got some good news today. Adam Schefter tweeted out that, as expected, Achane returned to practice on Monday and is expected to suit up on Sunday. 

Dolphins RB De’Von Achane, who has been dealing with a calf injury, is returning to practice today and is on track to play Sunday vs. the Colts.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 1, 2025

The team has been consistent in saying his absence was precautionary, and the plan was to have him practice in the final week of the offseason to ramp him up to Week 1. Barring any setbacks, he looks like a full go for the opener, and many fantasy owners may have gotten a steal if they drafted in the past week and got him at a discount.

Fantasy Football Impact

Obviously, this is great news for Achane himself. He immediately slides into your lineup as a must-start RB1. If he's active, don't get cute or have any hesitation when it comes to getting him in your lineup. 

This is also a big boost for quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who relied heavily on Achane last season. If teams continue to run a two-high shell against the Dolphins, Tua relies heavily on yards after catch for his fantasy value. There may not be anyone in the league who is more dynamic when it comes to yards after catch than Achane. 

On the other hand, the return of Achane isn't great for any other pass-catchers in Miami, especially Darren Waller. Achane commands a large target share, and taking those targets off the table does drive down everyone else's value at least a little bit. 

Should Fantasy Managers Target Ollie Gordon II?

One last thing. There is a good chance that with this news breaking, the Ollie Gordon II owner in your league will drop him. If he ends up on waivers, pick him up immediately. He's going to have standalone value and be a high-end handcuff.   

---

Just remember, it’s still Monday, and a lot can change between now and Sunday. We fully expect that Achane will be starting on Sunday. Nevertheless, be sure to monitor the situation right up to game time, and look for further updates just to be safe. 

Achane is currently the RB6 in our 2025 PPR Rankings.