De'Von Achane's fantasy resurgence is in full swing, but there's a catch

De'Von Achane entered the NFL scene with a bang, displaying explosive speed and a knack for finding open space almost immediately upon making his debut.

In Week 3 of the 2023 season alone, Achane rushed for 203 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries (11.28 yards/carry average) and caught four passes for 30 yards and two receiving touchdowns. That otherworldly performance at the beginning of his career showed just how rare of a talent that Achane truly is.

However, when Achane lost his starting quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa, for a four-game stretch beginning in Week 3 of the 2024 NFL campaign, his fantasy stock took a significant downturn.

Tagovailoa suffered his third concussion since Week 4 of the 2022 NFL season, and many feared that he might be done for 2024 or worse, he might even be forced to retire. Over the course of the four games that Tagovailoa missed, Achane averaged 3.94 yards per touch on 39 carries for a total of 140 rushing yards as well as 49 receiving yards on nine catches.

Achane's struggles turned out to be a byproduct of weak quarterback play, as Miami's offense struggled mightily behind the combination of Skylar Thompson and Tyler Huntley, only accumulating 39 points in that four-week span.

Tua Tagovailoa's return is great news for De'Von Achane fantasy owners

In Week 8, to the apprehensive cheers of Dolphins fans, Tagovailoa made his return triumphantly and seemingly unlocked all the abilities of Achane against the Arizona Cardinals. Achane saw ample open space against a defensive front that was forced to respect the arm of Tagovailoa rather than stack the box against the running game of Miami.

The second-year running back had an explosive performance, totaling 97 rushing yards on 10 carries along with six receptions on eight targets for 50 yards and a touchdown.

Through eight weeks of the NFL season, it is clear that Miami's season as well as the fantasy viability of Achane depend on the health and availability of Tagovailoa moving forward. In three games with the former Alabama star at quarterback, Achane has amassed 217 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown on 42 carries as well as 195 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns on 20 receptions.

In total, those numbers work out to an average of 6.65 yards per touch for Achane compared to the 3.94 yards-per-touch average posted in the games missed by Tagovailoa.

As long as Tagovailoa can stay healthy, look for Miami's offensive weapons, especially Achane, to thrive in fantasy football as the season rolls on.