There are few teams in the NFL who have gone through as much transformation on offense than the Miami Dolphins this offseason. The team let go of offensive mastermind Mike McDaniel, parted ways with QB Tua Tagovailoa and most recently traded away top wide receiver Jaylen Waddle to the Denver Broncos.
That has left the team with plenty of question marks as to how the offense will look in 2026. QB Malik Willis was brought in, but we know he’s less of a passing threat and more of a threat on the ground. The wide receiver room is barren for now as we await the 2026 NFL Draft.
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The one constant? RB De’Von Achane.
Yahoo analysts Matt Harmon and Justin Boone talked about Achane’s outlook on the Dolphins for next season and if he can turn in a fantasy football MVP-type performance.
While the lack of receiving options would scream, “Get the ball to Achane!” there is some cause for concern, per Boone. For one, Achane could regress with McDaniel not calling plays. Second, Tua isn’t there to give Achane easy dump-offs, making the back a PPR scam.
Last season, Achane finished top-five in RB scoring on a point-per-game basis in fantasy. He led the NFL in yards per attempt at 5.7, rushing for 1,350 yards on 238 carries and eight touchdowns. He added 67 catches for 488 yards and four scores.
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If that type of passing volume comes down with Willis under center and Bobby Slowik calling plays, it’s going to be tough for Achane to finish in that elite group of fantasy backs, Boone says. He could fall into that mid-to-low end RB1 range. Still not bad, but also not worth risking a first-round pick potentially in 2026 drafts.
Right now, Boone has Achane as his RB8 in his early rankings post-NFL Free Agency for the 2026 season. Boon admits that feels a bit low with a couple of intriguing second-year backs possibly making the jump next season. The one thing that could boost Achane back into the top fantasy RB conversation would be a trade out of Miami — which isn’t out of the question.