Fins’ Achane evaluated for knee injury; status TBD

MIAMI — Dolphins running back De’Von Achane is being evaluated for a knee injury, coach Mike McDaniel said Monday.

The severity is yet to be determined, and McDaniel declined to say whether the rookie would miss time or was undergoing an MRI. Achane suffered the injury during Sunday’s victory against the New York Giants, although the coach declined to specify exactly when it occurred.

“When I don’t know, I literally don’t spend any time forecasting either way,” McDaniel said. “It’s just because we’re getting more information. But I find it trivial to even forecast until I get all the information. So I really don’t know.”

Achane ran for 151 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries against the Giants, his third straight game with at least 100 rushing yards and a TD.

“It’s just something we’re treating that we’ll get more information on,” McDaniel said. “He was in and out of the game, a standard rotation. … He thought he might have something but he’s such a tough kid. It was kind of tough to read, so we needed to evaluate more and that’s what we’re doing today.”

The 2023 third-round pick has been sensational through his first four games with the Dolphins. His 460 rushing yards rank second in the NFL behind Christian McCaffrey and his 12.1 yards per carry is nearly 5 yards more than No. 2 Breece Hall (7.2).

Achane’s per-carry average is the highest in NFL history through a team’s first five games of a season, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

After being a healthy scratch in Week 1 and getting one carry in Week 2, Achane received an expanded role in Week 3 following an injury to Salvon Ahmed. He took advantage of the opportunity, compiling 233 total yards and four total touchdowns in a historic 70-20 win over the Denver Broncos.

His effectiveness and demeanor have caught his teammates’ attention and earned their respect early in his NFL career.

“The coolest thing about someone like him being a rookie is just who he is as a person,” Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa said. “How you see him on the sideline — just chill, relaxed. That’s who he is, and that’s how he is in the huddle. To be able to go in the huddle and see someone like that, it’s very promising to know that … basically if he’s getting the ball, you know it’s going to be a big play more often than not.

“I’ve got a lot of respect for that guy, and I think a lot of guys around the league have a lot of respect for him as well. The cool thing about it is like he doesn’t take heed to listening to any of that. Just a humble guy. Just coming into work, doing what he needs to help the team win.”

If Achane can’t play against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, it will mean a heavier workload for Raheem Mostert, the NFL’s co-leader in rushing touchdowns. It could also accelerate the return of Jeff Wilson Jr., who has spent the past four games on injured reserve with multiple injuries.

McDaniel said the Dolphins are still evaluating whether to activate Wilson’s 21-day practice window.