Every day and every game that goes by, De'Von Achane is giving the Miami Dolphins more reason to buy into what he is selling. With that comes the reality that Achane is going to get a new contract that will make him a wealthy young man.
Leadership is something you can't learn. Tua Tagovailoa should be a leader, but he isn't. Achane is starting to become one. This week, he sat down to chat with "The Set with Terron Armstead," and said what fans needed to hear, wanted to believe, but couldn't.
"Out of 7 of those losses, two of those games we actually got beat. The other ones? It was us making mistakes."De'Von Achane
De'Von Achane wants fans to know the Dolphins are better than their record
Achane has become one of the best running backs in the NFL. His versatility is approaching the same level as Christian McCaffrey's. With the ball in his hands, he is explosive, and when it is not in his hands, his motor doesn't stop.
The only takeaway from what he said is that this team isn't as bad as we all think. They have not played consistently good football. Beating themselves is worse than getting beaten. If this is the mentality going forward, fans will have a lot more to cheer about, and the Dolphins may actually start to get better.
At the NFL trade deadline, several teams called to gauge the Dolphins' interest in trading him. The price tag was too high for those teams, but Achane continues to make them second-guess themselves.
Statistically, Achane will surpass the 1,000-yard mark this year and could push for more than 1,500 yards if he stays healthy. He currently sits at 900. In 11 games, he has rushed for more than 100 yards three times behind a bad offensive line. In the last two, Achane has run for more than 120 yards.
Mike McDaniel is starting to use him a little less. Instead of wearing him down, he is not relegating snaps to rookie Ollie Gordon and second-year runner Jaylen Wright. Achane is still the primary, and defenses are having a hard time containing him.
Achane ranks third this year in rushing behind only Jonathan Taylor (1,139) and James Cook (1,084). He is ranked fifth in yards from scrimmage with 1,270. If there is an area that he can improve in, it's his touchdowns. He has only nine combined on the season.
If the Dolphins are going to turn this season around and carry it over into 2026, this is the mindset players need to have. Achane is young, but already showing the signs of a leader on and off the field.