Miami Dolphins running back De'Von Achane had been a fantasy football darling for managers early on this season, but those same managers had to suffer with the news that the star rookie picked up a knee injury in the Dolphins Week 5 win over the New York Giants that will miss time according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Achane broke out in Week 3 when the Dolphins dropped 70 points on the Denver Broncos, and he played a major role in that blowout. Achane scored four total touchdowns on the day, two each from the ground and the air, and also rushed for 203 yards on just 18 carries. Achane proved this wasn't a fluke, as he ran for 101 yards and two touchdowns in Week 4 against the Buffalo Bills.
And then in Week 5 against the Giants, where he injured his knee, Achane rushed for 151 yards and another touchdown on 11 carries. The statistics have been so ridiculous that Achane broke the record for most touchdowns as a rookie through his first four games, as he hit paydirt a whopping seven times.
Now that Achane is set to miss some time, how will this impact fantasy football managers moving forward?
Raheem Mostert is easily the Dolphins RB1 after De'Von Achane's injury
While replacing De'Von Achane may not be easy for everyone, if you already had Raheem Mostert on your team alongside Achane, the fix is easy. Fantasy owners can start Mostert with confidence in Achane's absence, as there's no doubt he'll get the workload of carries for Miami moving forward. Immediately looking ahead to Week 6, Mostert has a fantastic matchup against a vulnerable Carolina Panthers run defense.
Mostert was already a very valuable back even when working alongside Achane, as he's scored the second most fantasy points among players at the position, and he should easily continue to produce at a high level moving forward. Compared to Achane's otherworldy production, Mostert's numbers don't look as good, but it's worth remembering how strong he's been to start the season as well.
Jeff Wilson Jr. is returning to the Dolphins backfield as well
Another player that's worth stashing is Jeff Wilson Jr., who's been on the injured reserve since the start of the season. Wilson's window to return from the IR is open, and he will return to practice this upcoming week, with Achane potentially taking his spot on the IR. Wilson has been with head coach Mike McDaniel since his stint with the San Francisco 49ers, and he was picked up in a trade between the two teams last season.
Jeff Wilson Jr. was productive alongside Raheem Mostert last season and could produce in a similar manner once he returns to the field. In eight games played with the Dolphins in 2022, Wilson ran for 392 yards and three touchdowns, while also hauling in 12 passes for 94 yards.
Dolphins RBs to consider in deeper leagues
In deeper leagues, the two options to consider beyond Mostert and Wilson are Salvon Ahmed and Chris Brooks. Ahmed has always shown flashes for the Dolphins, whether it be during preseason action or spurts in regular season play. He could be worth the flier, but again, you probably should only consider adding him if you're in a deep league.
The same goes for Brooks, who is an undrafted rookie coming out of BYU. Like Ahmed, he's shown flashes and the coaching staff has talked highly of the young running back, but even with the injury to Achane, who knows how much time he'll see. He did play in the Dolphins blowout over the Broncos, and while he did play in garbage time, he picked up 66 yards on just nine carries.
In many circumstances, Ahmed and Brooks aren't playable immediately, but given the injury history for Mostert and Wilson, they could end up seeing time if either of these guys get hurt again. There are a lot of different ways McDaniel is going to use these running backs moving forward, and while it may not seem like Ahmed and Brooks have value right away, they could be worth stashing on the bench in case the injuries continue to pile up in the Dolphins running back room.
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