Miami Dolphins Running Back De’Von Achane Could Miss Several Weeks

Posted on: October 10, 2023, 03:14h. 

Last updated on: October 10, 2023, 03:30h.

Pauly McGuire Read More
Expertise: Sports Betting, Sports.

Miami Dolphins rookie running back De’Von Achane sustained a knee injury in Week 5 and the speedster could miss multiple weeks of action.

Dolphins De'Von Achane
Miami Dolphins running back De’Von Achane accelerates toward the end zone for a touchdown against the New York Giants at Hard Rock Stadium in Week 5. (Image: AP)

Achane will seek a second opinion on his injury, which could determine whether or not the Dolphins send him for a four-week stint on the IL.

The powerful Dolphins have multiple weapons on the roster, so losing Achane for several weeks with a knee injury might not have much of an impact on their high-flying offense.

The high-octane Dolphins lead the league in scoring with 36.2 points per game. The Dolphins set an NFL record with the most yards through the first five games of the season with 2,568 total yards. They eclipsed a record set by the 2000 St. Louis Rams, who were known as the “Greatest Show on Turf.”

The Dolphins lead the NFL with 327.8 passing yards per game. Everyone knew that the Dolphins were tough to beat in the air, but they actually lead the NFL in rushing this season with an average of 185.8 yards per game, or nearly 22 more yards per game than the Philadelphia Eagles, who are ranked second.

The Dolphins might activate veteran running back Jeff Wilson off the IR to replace Achane in the lineup. With Achane out, RB #1, Raheem Mostert, will get the lion’s share of the workload going forward.

Achane Almost Faster Than a Cheetah

You know you’re fast when your name is second on a list with someone nicknamed the “Cheetah.” Tyreek “Cheetah” Hill from the Dolphins is widely considered the faster wide receiver in the NFL, but Achane is closing in fast.

According to NextGenStats, the Dolphins accounted for six out of the seven fastest play speeds this season. Hill and Achane posted three each.

Hill is the fastest ball carrier this season with a top speed of 22.01 mph, which occurred on a 64-yard touchdown strike against the New York Giants on Sunday.

Achane, who is the second-faster player this season, reached a maximum speed of 21.76 mph during a 76-yard touchdown sprint against the Giants.

If De’Von gets the ball, you know it’s going to be a big play more often than not,” said quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.

The Dolphins selected Achane with a third-round pick out of Texas A&M. He didn’t see any action in Week 1 and made one carry for five yards in Week 2.

In Week 3, Achane torched the Denver Broncos for four touchdowns in a 70-20 shellacking during the most lopsided victory in the NFL this season. Achane was designated as RB #2 in that game and still unleashed 203 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries. He added four catches for 30 yards and scored two touchdown receptions.

In Week 5, Achane lit up the Giants for 151 yards and one touchdown on 11 carries. The Dolphins are unsure when Ahcane sustained a knee injury because he played the entire game.

Since Week 3, Achane posted three straight 100-plus yard rushing games. So far this season, he averages a whopping 12.1 yards per carry with 460 yards on 38 rushes. He also has five rushing touchdowns and seven total touchdowns.

Public Backing the High-Scoring Dolphins

So long as Tagovailoa remains healthy, the public will continue to back the Dolphins in individual games and on the futures market.

In the preseason, the Dolphins were +2500 odds to win Super Bowl LVIII. Their odds gradually shrunk over the first quarter of the season. Their Super Bowl odds moved to +900 odds last week, and they’re currently fourth overall on DraftKings’ NFL futures board.

The Dolphins are +425 odds to win the AFC Championship, and they’re tied for second on the board with the Buffalo Bills (+425) and trailing the Kansas City Chiefs (+240).

The Dolphins (4-1) are in first place in the AFC East and improved to -150 odds to win the division after the Bills lost a London game in Week 5. The Bills (3-2) are +135 odds, followed by the New York Jets (2-3) at +3500, and the New England Patriots (1-4) at +4500.

The Dolphins have a current win total of 11.5 over/under, which is two wins higher than their initial estimate of 9.5 o/u.

The Dolphins opened as -14.5 favorites against the winless Carolina Panthers in Week 6. The line is currently -13.5 with early money backing the Panthers.

The Dolphins are 4-1 against the point spread (ATS) in 2023. They’re tied with the San Francisco 49ers and Detroit Lions for the best betting record in the NFL this season.

The Panthers are 0-4-1 ATS this season and are tied with the Denver Broncos for the second-worst betting record behind the Giants at 0-5 ATS.