The Miami Dolphins‘ most dynamic player is done for the season.
De’Von Achane, the superstar running back who got a four-year contract extension this offseason, has a torn ACL. His 2026 campaign is over, and with it goes any hope for the Dolphins of turning around an 0-3 start to the season.
The best the Dolphins can do going forward is try to salvage something out of this campaign. It’ll be an opportunity to get a look at different running backs and see what they might be capable of.
Maybe Miami finds a gem that can help in future years, or maybe they learn they need better depth behind Achane in future seasons.
Either, way, this is a brutal blow to the Dolphins, who really couldn’t afford to lose Achane from this offense.
Other guys are going to get a chance now, and Miami will just have to hope they’re ready.
Dolphins RB Depth Chart
The new running back depth chart for the Dolphins will have two names at the top, although potentially in an interchangeable order.
Miami still has 2024 fourth-round pick Jaylen Wright in the mix. They’ve given him opportunities in the past, although he was doubtful and then out for Week 3 with a foot injury. It’s unclear whether Wright will be healthy in time for Week 4.
The Dolphins also have Ollie Gordon. He got dinged up on Sunday but returned to the game, and he’s a bruising back who once won the Doak Walker Award at Oklahoma State before a rough final season in college made him a sixth-round pick in 2025.
Beyond that, the Dolphins have two RBs on their practice squad.
Jarquez Hunter previously played for the Los Angeles Rams, and they’ve also got Carlos Washington Jr., who has a past with the Atlanta Falcons.
It would certainly make sense for the Dolphins to also consider a free agent signing.
Available Free Agent RBs
The Dolphins missed out on Austin Ekeler, who signed with the Commanders on Monday morning.
The big name that has been floated in other places already this season is Kareem Hunt, but at 31, it’s not clear Hunt brings what the Dolphins need right now.
It would make more sense for Miami to go younger with someone like Michael Carter, Dameon Pierce or Jaret Patterson
Miles Sanders and Alexander Mattison are other available names, although it’s hard to know how healthy some of these free agent RBs are.
The well-traveled Cam Akers is also available, but he’s dealt with a lot of injury troubles of his own.
Maybe the Dolphins will instead look to sign a younger back off the practice squad of another team. That could at least have a little more potential for future production than some of these veteran names — although the likes of Pierce or Patterson would be a bit intriguing if they were healthy.
Dolphins’ RB Depth Chart Might Need Free Agent Signing From Available Veterans