De’Von Achane is one of the NFL’s most talented running backs, and the Miami Dolphins are certainly well aware of that.
Achane’s ceiling this season might be capped, though, by something that is mostly out of his control.
For those who’ve already tried to put it out of mind, Achane had 11 carries for 36 yards along with four catches for 30 yards in Week 1, a 27-13 Dolphins loss to the Raiders.
And as Week 2 gets rolling, there’s a discussion taking place online about one issue facing Achane: Malik Willis.
No, it’s not about Willis as a whole. He’s a talented QB who should have better days than he did in his Dolphins debut.
It’s about Willis’ tendencies when plays break down.
For non-mobile quarterbacks, the obvious answer is often to check the ball down to a good pass-catching back like Achane.
For Willis, though, he often looks to run.
De’Von Achane’s Receiving in Danger
In some ways, this question takes on more of a fantasy football tilt than anything else, but the basic premise is this — will Achane get less yards and catches this season because of Willis?
The answer is honestly and probably yes.
Achane averaged 4.6 receptions per game two seasons ago. He averaged 4.2 receptions per game last season.
On Sunday, it took a bit of a late surge to get him to his four catches, and that was while being efficient in needing just five targets to get there.
Achane is not as exciting if his QB absolutely refuses to check the ball down.
Just painful to watch Willis look at him and then scramble to nowhere land
— ivy (@ivyman_NFL) September 14, 2026
This feels a bit like two high-end basketball scorers joining the same team and needing to figure out how, in simple terms, to take turns.
Willis’ scrambling ability is valuable, and it’s part of why the Dolphins got him. But considering how explosive Achane is, Willis has to choose his spots correctly.
If he runs when it’s the better option and passes to Achane when that’s the better option, Miami can have a decent offense.
If not, it could be rough.
If Malik Willis is too stupid to throw a check down to Achane he has no business being the QB.
— T (@TjayK) September 13, 2026
One Other Malik Willis Concern
Achane has one other reason to worry about how Willis will impact his stats.
Willis will also take away some rushing touchdowns. He’s much more likely to run down near the goal line than a guy like Tua Tagovailoa.
On Sunday, Willis ran in a 14-yard touchdown, which isn’t necessarily as much of a vulture move as it would’ve been from in closer, but it still prevented Achane from having a similar run.
This can still be a dynamic combo and one that puts pressure on opposing defenses. It just isn’t as clear in the early going if it might end up detracting from Achane’s overall offensive output.
De’Von Achane Might Have a Problem