The Miami Dolphins’ win against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday was far from pretty, but it did feature a major milestone for the team’s best player.
Running back De’Von Achane eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards on the season after rushing for 134 yards on 22 carries against New Orleans. Achane has been an all-purpose yards workhorse since entering the league in 2023, but this is the first time he’s eclipsed 1,000 on the ground.
“It means a lot,” Achane said about hitting 1,000 yards. “It just shows the hard work me and my team have put in. It’s just a stepping stone of mine, and we just need to keep moving forward.”
The Texas A&M product became the first Dolphins’ running back to eclipse 1,000 yards since Raheem Mostert had 1,012 yards in 2023.
Achane hitting that mark in Week 13 makes him the fourth running back to go over 1,000 yards this season. He’s now third in the league in rushing yards, behind just Jonathan Taylor of the Indianapolis Colts and James Cook of the Buffalo Bills.
What’s perhaps even more impressive is that Achane reached this milestone on just 156 carries. Last year, Achane had 907 rushing yards on 203 total carries.
“We were relying on him, not just to be a good player, but to take a step and be a leader,” coach Mike McDaniel said. “…I think he’s taken a huge step forward in his game. He was already a dynamic player, but I think you’re seeing a lot of confidence in him. He’s making players miss a ton, but he’s also getting dirty yards.”
McDaniel is right. The third-year running back has gone from an inconsistent home run hitter to an efficient, reliable running back.
Achane Stepping Up at the Right Time
It’s a good thing Achane — and the Dolphins’ running game as a whole — has stepped up because the passing offense has fallen off a cliff in recent weeks.
The Dolphins have won four of their last five games, but the passing offense has only had more than 200 yards in one of those games — the team’s loss to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 9.
Tua Tagovailoa and the passing game have had some efficient outings in that stretch, but it’s pretty clear that Achane has become the engine of the offense.
Achane recorded 174 rushing yards against the Bills, including two late touchdowns that sealed the game. The next week against Washington, he was the offense’s best player by far, racking up 120 yards on 21 carries.
Perhaps the biggest improvement Achane has made this season is his contact balance.
This season, he’s averaging 3.91 yards after contact per rush, compared to just 2.91 yards post contact per rush last season. At 5-9, 191, Achane has an uncanny ability to run through contact and turn negatives into positives.
Of course, Achane’s calling card is still his elite speed and burst. Both of those things were on display when he scored on the Dolphins’ opening possession on Sunday.
There goes De’Von Achane for six!
NOvsMIA on FOX/FOX Onehttps://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/Tj2LUxgCqU
— NFL (@NFL) November 30, 2025
Achane has six touchdowns this season, and four of them have been at least 29 yards. His first two were nine and four yards, and then he followed that up with 45, 35, 59, and 29-yard touchdowns for his next four.
Explosive plays were a problem for the Dolphins last season, but Achane has created them consistently in 2025. His 10 runs of 20 yards or more are tied for the league lead with Jahmyr Gibbs (Detroit Lions).
Of course, Achane is also a productive receiver. He’s caught 54 of 72 targets for 370 yards and four touchdowns.
That’s all great, but it’s clear that Achane has become one of the league’s most effective runners, and the Dolphins will need to keep playing that way if they’re going to make any noise in the AFC.
More Miami Dolphins Coverage
