Miami Dolphins RB De’Von Achane has dealt with his fair share of injuries in his rookie season. He missed four weeks with a knee injury, then another game with another knee injury. Now, he’s dealing with a toe injury that kept him out of Wednesday’s practice.
What is the latest on Achane’s status? Is he likely to play in Week 16, and how should fantasy football managers prepare?
Latest Injury Update on De’Von Achane
Editor’s note: Per head coach Mike McDaniel, Achane is expected to play in Week 16.
It’s never good when a player is dealing with an injury, but Achane played through the toe issue last week. It doesn’t appear as if this is a new injury, so it is my belief that his absence from Wednesday’s practice was simply maintenance on the existing injury.
Achane returned to a limited practice on Thursday, essentially confirming my suspicions. It would be nice to see him get in a full practice on Friday, but even another limited session would all but guarantee Achane plays this week.
Will Achane Play in Week 16?
Last week, Achane drew a questionable tag after battling this toe injury. He ultimately played despite logging just a single limited practice on Friday.
With Achane able to practice on Thursday and no report of a new injury or an aggravation, this is a clear improvement from last week. It suggests Achane is healthier now than he was a week ago, which is a great sign for his availability this weekend.
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Fantasy managers relying on Achane in their playoff semifinals should feel confident that the explosive rookie will be on the field against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday.
What Does This Mean for Achane’s Fantasy Ranking?
Currently, the PFN Consensus Rankings are operating as if Achane will play. However, fantasy managers should be more concerned about the fact that he only touched the ball 12 times last week.
It’s clear that the Dolphins care about what Raheem Mostert is doing in terms of touchdowns. With 20 already, Miami wants to give him a chance to rack up as many as possible. When they get near the goal line, it’s Mostert time.
This caps Achane’s upside, as it makes him reliant on splash plays for touchdowns.
Fortunately, as we saw last week, the Cowboys can be beaten on the ground. James Cook ate them alive with 179 yards on 25 carries.
While still technically an unfavorable matchup for running backs, the Buffalo Bills proved that it’s possible to run on Dallas. A big reason they’re viewed as such a strong run defense is due to how often they beat up on bad teams, forcing them to abandon the run early.
Mostert remains the lead back, but Achane should be a safe bet for 10-12 touches. Still averaging 8.5 yards per carry, barring a massive improvement by the Cowboys defensively, Achane should be able to be reasonably efficient with his touches.
Fantasy managers should trust Achane as an RB2 this week, even with Mostert being an RB1.
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