The Miami Dolphins have one of the best up-and-coming running backs in the NFL in De'Von Achane. He doesn't carry the same weight as Jahmyr Gibbs or Bijan Robinson because he wasn't drafted in the first round.
Jeff Hafley is learning quite quickly what stopping Achane is like. Calling the defense against the runner will make Hafley better as a defensive coach. It will make him adjust his calls and will make the younger players on that side of the ball better as well. Hafley believes that Achane is underrated, going as far as to say that he lost sleep over game planning for him back in 2024.
De’Von Achane should be talked about more, Dolphins coach Jeff Hafley agrees. He lost sleep preparing for Achane in Green Bay.
— Joe Schad (@schadjoe) August 10, 2026
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Jeff Hafley's opinion of Miami Dolphins star De'Von Achane is a message to the NFL
The Dolphins' offense will fluctuate in 2026. They will have good moments, and they will have plenty of bad ones too, but the one constant will be Achane's ability to make defenses look lost.
Bobby Slowik, the Dolphins' OC, has experience with Achane that will help him formulate and design a game plan that gets his best player involved weekly. The NFL continues to focus on the "big names," but they are about to learn what Achane can really do.
Mike McDaniel did well with Achane, but fans know that while he put up good numbers, McDaniel left a lot of plays on the clipboard. To put it bluntly, the Dolphins could have used the running back more and didn't.
McDaniel was all about the big-play flash. It will be interesting to see if Slowik takes a similar approach or leans heavily on the run game, as he has indicated previously. If the Dolphins lean on the run game, Achane will have a big season in front of him.
Hafley's declaration that Achane gave him fits as he tried to prepare for him as the Packers' DC is interesting. Slowik needs to make sure that teams facing Miami this year will have similar issues.
The best part about training camp so far is the fact that Miami's receiver group is looking much better than what was expected. Add Malik Willis' progression, and the Dolphins' offense could be surprising.
Naturally, winning is the barometer for success for the Dolphins, but Achane should put up good statistical numbers this year as he will be the focus of the offense. The Dolphins have now gone from a downfield speed offense that stretches defenses to an in-your-face physical team.
The offensive line will be the biggest key to their success, but it's clear that Hafley has high expectations for his best running back. Given his feelings on the subject, Dolphins fans should be excited to see how often Miami turns to him.
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