Dolphins running back De'Von Achane left Sunday's game against the Chiefs in the first quarter after an 11-yard run on Miami's opening drive. Achane was tackled awkwardly, with a Kansas City defender grabbing his facemask and twisting his head in the process, and stood still for a moment flanked by teammates before walking off under his own power, favoring his left leg. He was evaluated in the medical tent before heading to the locker room and has been officially designated questionable to return, with the knee as the specific injury. It's a notable detail given how the play looked in real time, since the visible part of the hit was his head and neck getting wrenched, not obviously his leg.

De'Von Achane Injury History

The knee has been a recurring problem for Achane going back to his rookie season. He suffered a knee injury in Week 5 of 2023 against the Giants that landed him on injured reserve for four games, and in his very first game back, against the Raiders in Week 11, he aggravated the same knee again, though the team characterized it at the time as more of a sprain than a structural tear. He's also dealt with an ankle injury in 2024 that limited his practice time ahead of a Thursday night game, though he tested it out in pregame warmups and ended up playing.

More recently, Achane battled a calf injury through parts of this year's training camp, a soft-tissue issue the team described as day-to-day to weeks rather than anything requiring a procedure, and he did clear it in time for Week 1. He also had shoulder surgery this offseason to clean up an injury that cost him the 2025 season finale, though that's an upper-body issue separate from today's concern. Taken together, his history shows a player who has generally been able to play through nagging lower-body issues, but who also has a real track record of knee trouble specifically.

Miami Dolphins Running Back Options

With Achane out for now, Ollie Gordon becomes Miami's lead back, since Jaylen Wright is already inactive for this game with a foot injury, leaving the Dolphins thin at the position. There's no further word yet on the severity of the knee injury, and given his rookie-year history with the same joint, how he looks if and when he tries to warm up on the sideline will be worth watching closely.

Check back for more details.