Running back De’Von Achane was hurt on a run during the first quarter of the Miami Dolphins’ Week 5 game. Achane has struggled with injuries during his short NFL career, but this appeared to be a concussion rather than a recurrence of his previous injury issues.
The Dolphins just got back Raheem Mostert and could now be without Achane for the remainder of Week 5 if not longer. Let’s examine the latest injury update on Achane and what it means for fantasy football managers.
What Happened to De’Von Achane?
Achane was hit hard at the end of the run with what appeared to be a helmet-to-helmet hit near his own sideline. Achane remained on the ground and was taken into the tent. He appeared to be fairly off balance as he got to his feet, and thus, he was always likely to be checked for a concussion.
Dolphins RB De’Von Achane left the game after taking a big hit and landing hard on this play.
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) October 6, 2024
After being checked into the tent, Achane was taken to the locker room with a towel over his head. He was moving extremely slowly as he made his way to the locker room, which is a concerning sign for his potential return.
The Dolphins announced that Achane is being “evaluated pursuant to the concussion protocol and is questionable to return.” He was quickly ruled out for the remainder of the game with a concussion.
The good news for the Dolphins is that Achane will have two weeks to clear the concussion protocol, as the Dolphins have a bye in Week 6. The average time to clear the concussion protocol is 7 to 10 days, but we’ve seen that each situation is independent. Some players can return quicker than that, while others require longer absences.
The Dolphins had Wright, with 85 rushing yards, and Mostert, with 80 rushing yards, step up to replace Achane in Miami’s 15-10 win over the New England Patriots.
Head coach Mike McDaniel did not provide an injury update on Achane postgame. More information should be made available early in Week 6.
McDaniel said, “I think the running back room was ready to put the team on their back, so to speak. I think having Raheem back was awesome. It was unfortunate to lose De’Von for sure. Then you saw a rookie play some snaps where you can feel his confidence just being established.”
Wright said postgame, “I just feel like it all came together in the second half. I felt like we were getting good movement thanks to the offensive line. We were getting good movement you know and getting it up to the second or third level. It opens things up for the run to produce great runs.”
Fantasy Impact of Achane’s Injury
Right when the Dolphins get one running back returning from injury, another goes down. Achane entered the week with a 49.5% carry share for the Dolphins, a role that we all would have taken back in August when we thought this offense would be a dangerous one.
With Tua Tagovailoa injured, this unit is as listless as any in the league, thus negating the impact of that spike in usage. Miami has its bye next week, and the hope is that all protocols can be cleared in time for Week 7. If not, there’s not a running back in Miami’s offense that you’re going to feel good about starting.
Wright is an explosive rookie, but he’s yet to establish himself as a volume earner, and Mostert is past his physical prime. In this instance, Mostert would rank the highest, with Wright more of a flyer. However, neither would grade out as a top-20 play at the position.
