Achane Return Coming Soon, but How Soon?

The Miami Dolphins' rookie sensation returned to practice Monday

The first big step was taken with De'Von Achane on Monday when the Miami Dolphins designated him to return from IR and practiced for the first time in a month.

The big question now becomes when Achane will be activated off IR to the 53-man roster and return to the lineup.

Reading between the lines of head coach Mike McDaniel's pre-practice media session, it sure does sound as though Achane could be back as soon as Sunday when the Dolphins face the Las Vegas at Hard Rock Stadium, though he did stop short of making that declaration.

"I'm so confident that he is going to play today; see what I did there?" McDaniel joked, as "play" was referring to practice. "But everything seems to be ready to go for today's practice. And then you do what you do with every other player, you know, planning to have him for the rest of the season or no games is basically how my life works. And by extension, the rest of the offensive staff. So we'll see how he does today. But I know he's eager to play football, and not observe like he has been."

McDaniel also explained the nature of the injury, which occurred in the second half of the 31-16 victory against the New York Giants in Week 5.

"There wasn't tearing, it was more a sprain type injury," McDaniel said. "The thing that you do if you have to like really, if you really minimize the time off the field, is in those situations with players, you throw a brace on their on their knee and have them go. And just didn't really envision him being one that would really flourish with a brace. So we took the time to make sure that we can play, we could get structurally completely strong. And probably a little we erred on the side of caution with that."

RUNNING GAME ABOUT TO GET REVVED UP AGAIN

Achane was injured after rushing for 151 yards in that game against the Giants, his third consecutive 100-yard game in his three actual game (he had only one carry in his first NFL appearance in Week 2 against New England).

In that game, he had a 76-yard touchdown run, after having a 55-yard run at Buffalo in Week 4, and a 67-yard touchdown run against Denver in Week 3.

Despite playing only four games (really three), Achane is second in the NFL among rookies with his 460 rushing yards, only 16 behind first-round pick Jahmyr Gibbs of the Detroit Lions.

With Achane in the lineup, the Dolphins had the best rushing attack in the NFL because of the electrifying element he brought and the possibilities of what his return could mean for the offense obviously are exciting.

The Dolphins spent several weeks ranked No. 1 in the NFL in rushing offense and now stand tied for second with the Cleveland Browns behind only the Baltimore Ravens.

How the carries get divvied up once Achane does return to the lineup remains to be seen, but it's hard to imagine anything other than Raheem Mostert and the rookie third-round pick getting the bulk of the carries.

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