One overlooked reason why Miami Dolphins RB De’Von Achane could have an even BIGGER 2026 season
Among the NFL’s leading rushers last season, Miami Dolphins running back De’Von Achane actually ranks near the bottom in this stat.
What if I told you that Miami Dolphins running back De’Von Achane could be even better in 2026?
And not just in the general phrasing that every player always has room for improvement. But that, statistically speaking, De’Von Achane could very easily find more yards on the same number of carries in 2026? It’s true. Allow me to explain — Achane was prolific last season despite missing the team’s 17th game of the regular season. He finished fifth in rushing yardage and was one of the most prolific home-run hitters in all of football. But the percentage of yards he logged over “expectation” was among the lowest of the league’s top producing running backs last season.
One overlooked reason why Miami Dolphins RB De’Von Achane could have an even BIGGER 2026 season
There were 17 1,000 yard rushers last season in the NFL. 11 rushed for over 1,100 yards and nine of those rushed for more than 1,200. It was a great year to be a running back — but some were able to “overproduce” more than others. Next Gen Stats tracks rushing yards over expectation (RYOE) on every carry for every player. Here’s how one of the founders of the analysis defined the measure:
“”If we focus on the rusher and remove other [offensive] team players, it looks like a simple game where one player tries to run away and 11 others try to catch him. We assume that as soon as the rushing play starts, every defender, regardless of the position, will focus on stopping the rusher ASAP, and every defender has a chance to do it. The chances of a defender to tackle the rusher (as well as estimated location of the tackle) depend on their relative location, speed and direction of movements.”
Achane ranked 5th in the NFL in rushing yards. But among the 17 1,000 yard rushers last season, he ranked 12th in the percentage of his rushing yards that came “over expectation” (37.9%). Chicago’s D’Andre Swift led the league in RYOE% with 48.6% of his yards coming as “surplus” yards. Buffalo’s James Cook (46.9% RYOE), Derrick Henry (42.1% RYOE) and Bijan Robinson (44.2% RYOE) make up three of the four players to rush for more yardage than De’Von Achane in 2025. And all have significantly higher yields of yardage that came “over expectation” based on player tracking data.
Time will tell how Miami’s new-look offense will (or won’t) make Achane’s job easier. But finding a few more pops as a runner seems like the key to Achane potentially claiming a rushing title down the line. He led the NFL in rushes of 10+ yards last season (40). But he had four less runs of 20+ yards than Derrick Henry (17 to 13). Those yards almost certainly would have needed to come “over expectation”.
So with Miami’s offense riding clearly on his shoulders in 2026, this is one area for De’Von Achane to watch. Because believe it or not, there’s room for a better outcome in this measure in 2026.
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