Miami Dolphins star rookie running back De’Von Achane has lit up the NFL at times this season with explosive plays and highlight-reel-worthy touchdowns. However, since landing on injured reserve earlier in the season, he has been struggling to recreate that early-season form.
Achane finds himself on the injury report again in Week 15 with a toe injury. Will this hamper the incredible progress he has shown this season and hurt fantasy football managers in the fantasy playoffs?
Will Achane play today against the New York Jets? What is the latest news regarding his injury? And, if Achane does play today against the Jets, what is his fantasy outlook against one of the toughest defenses in the NFL?
Is De’Von Achane Going To Play Week 15?
Editor’s note: Achane is active for Week 15 against the Jets.
Achane is currently dealing with a toe injury that puts him at risk of missing the seventh game of his brilliant rookie season. This toe injury has hampered him this week, with Achane not being able to practice in any capacity on Wednesday or Thursday.
He did return to practice on Friday, albeit in a limited capacity. And the Dolphins hinted that not all is well with Achane by activating running back Darrynton Evans from their practice squad to their active roster.
However, other than this roster transaction, the Dolphins have been incredibly tight-lipped when it comes to the status of their star rookie. It seems that Achane appears to be heading towards a pregame workout to determine if he can go.
From experience with running back injuries, the fact he was able to practice on Friday and the fact that this is a must-win game for the Dolphins, would lead me to believe that Achane will suit up today and make an appearance against the Jets. However, how much will this injury hinder him? What is his fantasy outlook for today?
What Is Achane’s Potential Fantasy Outlook for Today?
Achane comes into the fantasy playoffs as the RB25 despite missing six games through injury so far this season. When looking at fantasy points per game, he is the RB3 overall, behind only Christian McCaffrey of the San Francisco 49ers and Kyren Williams of the Los Angeles Rams.
Achane is currently ranked as the RB19 in our PFN Consensus Rankings this week. This is in part due to his questionable status with the injury. However, it also has to do with his matchup this week, against the formidable Jets defense.
MORE: PFN’s FREE NFL Playoff Predictor
While the Jets allow 21.2 fantasy points per game to opposing running backs, the 11th-most allowed of teams in the NFL, a lot of this is due to the sheer volume of rushing attempts they face. Teams are rushing against the Jets 32.15 times a game on average, which is the highest amount of rushing attempts allowed per game in the NFL so far this season.
On those 32+ attempts per game, they are only allowing 4.1 yards per carry, which is tied for the eighth-fewest in the NFL. The Jets have only allowed eight rushing touchdowns, which is tied for the fewest in the NFL so far this season.
However, despite all this, the Dolphins ran the ball rather well against the Jets in Week 12. Dolphins running backs managed 33 rushing attempts against the Jets, managing 166 yards and two touchdowns.
Achane will likely be considered a low-end RB2 this week, playing a support role to Raheem Mostert this week, while he tries to recover from his toe injury. However, Achane can break off a big play or two. Not to mention, there are few alternatives you can start with confidence over Achane this week due to injuries at the position and the fact four games have already been played so far this week at the time of writing.
Therefore, fantasy managers might be better off risking Achane in their lineups this week, due to the lack of genuine alternatives. However, if fantasy managers have a top-20 option on their bench, they should consider playing him over Achane instead. I would not risk Achane in your Flex unless fantasy managers are short of genuine alternatives.
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