MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) \u2014 Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel has worked with several dynamic playmakers during his career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Robert Griffin III in Washington. Deebo Samuel in San Francisco.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He’s never had a player quite like Miami running back De’Von Achane.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The third-year running back has been key to the Dolphins’ success this season, powering their rushing attack and providing a spark in the passing game. He has six rushing touchdowns and four receiving scores and rushed for 134 yards last week against the New Orleans Saints, putting him over 1,000 yards rushing for the first time in his career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou\u2019re not seeing a player just with skill,\u201d McDaniel said Wednesday. \u201cWhat you learn about him over time is that he\u2019s trying to be great. So I think the work ethic tied to the skill set, it\u2019s exciting because he\u2019s very confident but some of the stuff he\u2019s capable of doing, he hasn\u2019t got to see himself do it yet, I think, in an NFL game.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Achane’s 1,034 yards rushing makes him the fourth player in Dolphins history to reach 1,000 yards in the first 12 games of a season and the fourth player in the league this season to reach the mark.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt means a lot,\u201d Achane said. \u201cIt just shows the hard work that I put in, that me and my team put in. It\u2019s just a stepping stone of mine, and we\u2019ve got to keep moving forward.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Achane’s breakout season isn’t a surprise to his teammates, who have praised his growth this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tight end Julian Hill, who had a block that helped Achane score on a 29-yard run against the Saints, said he takes pride in blocking for him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIf we just give De\u2019Von some space, man, he can do a lot of things with it,\u201d Hill said. \u201cSo you just try to make sure you do what you need to do to give him that little crease or give him that little space. And we can see some magical things.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of the first things that impressed McDaniel about Achane was his playmaking skills despite his small stature \u2014 he’s listed on Miami’s roster as 5-foot-9, 191 pounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat I noticed from his college days was that he was never taking hits on directly,\u201d McDaniel said, \u201cwhich when players do that, it means the game is really slow for them. It means that he can see a lot, so there\u2019s some natural football talent. That\u2019s a skill. Not just being fast or having good hands, but that\u2019s a skill of avoiding direct tackles that is very impactful when your job is to move the ball forward.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That has allowed him to be one of the most productive players in the NFL since he entered the league.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Achane’s 5.6 yards-per-carry average is tied for the best mark in the NFL among running backs since 2023, when the Dolphins drafted him in the third round out of Texas A&M. He also leads the league in receiving touchdowns among running backs since being drafted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAt this point, I feel it\u2019s second nature to De\u2019Von,\u201d said quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. \u201cIt\u2019s not something that\u2019s too much for him, regardless of where we put him, regardless of the alignments that he hears in the huddle … You can see what he does when the ball is in his hands. It looks like it\u2019s about to be a negative two-yard loss. And then he makes it up to be an eight-yard gain.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There has been a noticeable shift in the Dolphins’ offensive philosophy over the past few weeks, as they’ve gone from utilizing a high-flying passing attack to leaning on their run game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That has worked. Miami has won four of its last five games and three straight, averaging 176.7 yards on the ground during that span, which is the best mark in the NFL since Week 10.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That has been needed as Miami\u2019s passing game has faltered. On Sunday, the Dolphins recorded fewer than 200 passing yards for the third straight game and went 0-for-2 in the red zone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
McDaniel credited the improved run game in part to the physicality and execution of the offensive line, but he has also pointed to Achane’s ability to navigate tight windows and get yards after contact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c(It) really changes how we\u2019re able to play football,\u201d McDaniel said, \u201cbut it also enables him to stay healthy while doing it. Because he\u2019s able to avoid a lot of the big shots. Guys get pretty mad when a fast guy is making them miss. People intend to hit him pretty hard.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"