The Miami Dolphins might end up having one of the most predictable offenses in the NFL this year, and they're completely fine with that. When it comes to their game plan, it seems Miami will be looking to get the ball into De'Von Achane's hands as often as possible.
Of course, that shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone. When it comes to the offense, the Dolphins basically decided to blow things up and start over this offseason. Not only did they cut Tyreek Hill and Tua Tagovailoa, but they also traded Jaylen Waddle to the Broncos. They have a new quarterback (Malik Willis), and he'll be throwing the ball to a group of pass-catchers that includes two rookie receivers (Caleb Douglas, Chris Bell) and two rookie tight ends (Will Kacmarek, Seydou Traore).
There are so many new pass-catchers that Achane is the only returning player from last season who finished with more than 350 receiving yards. Based on how things are shaking out, Achane, who ranked fifth in the NFL with 1,350 rushing yards last year, might be the team's best receiving weapon going into 2026. Because of that, he's expected to get a lot of touches.
So how many touches is a lot? New Dolphins coach Jeff Hafley has been throwing out some big numbers.
Jeff Hafley hints at a huge season for De'Von Achane
During a Monday interview with Rich Eisen, Hafley was asked what Achane's workload would look like this year, and based on his answer, it's pretty clear the Dolphins offense will rely heavily on the 24-year-old speedster.
"I just gave Achane a heads-up this morning and I told him, 'You better be in good shape,'" Hafley said. "I told him there might be some games when I have to pick him up and carry him back to the locker room because he's going to be so tired."
The reason Achane has to be in good shape is that Hafley doesn't want his star running back asking for a breather if they need him on the field.
"I told him I don't ever want to see one of these head taps all year, and he looked me right in the eye and he said, 'You'll never get that head tap from me,'" Hafley said. "I said, 'Don't worry buddy. After you touch the ball 40-45 times, I might have to pick you up and carry you back into the locker room.'"
If Achane does get the ball 40 to 45 times in a game, that would put him in record-setting territory. Over the past 10 years, there have only been FOUR instances where a player touched the ball at least 40 times in a game:
- 2016: Steelers RB Le'Veon Bell -- 42 touches in Week 14 vs. Bills (38 carries, 4 catches)
- 2016: Cardinals RB David Johnson -- 41 touches in Week 7 vs. Seahawks (33 carries, 8 catches)
- 2018: Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott -- 40 touches in Week 14 vs. Eagles (28 carries, 12 catches)
- 2021: Titans RB Derrick Henry -- 41 touches in Week 2 vs. Seahawks (35 carries, 6 catches)
Almost every NFL team has moved to a running back-by-committee approach, which is why getting to 40 touches is now so rare. As you can see, Henry is the only player in the NFL who has hit the 40-touch mark over the past five seasons, but Achane could certainly get there at some point this year with the Dolphins offense expected to revolve around him.
"He's really a smart football player and it's fun to go back and forth with him and he's got this fun energy about him," Hafley said. "I think he's a stud."
If Hafley is serious about the possibility of Achane getting 40 to 45 touches in a game or two, that could put the running back in line to break the single-game record for touches. James Wilder (1983) and LaDainian Tomlinson (2002) are currently tied for the all-time mark in that category, with each recording 48 touches in one game.
De'Von Achane could be in line for a record-setting season
During the 2025 season, Achane had eight games with at least 20 touches, and it wouldn't be surprising at all if that number goes up. Hafley arrived in Miami from Green Bay, which is notable because the Packers were one of five teams in the NFL last season that had more rushing attempts than passing attempts. It wouldn't be surprising if Hafley decides to embrace that philosophy now that he's in Miami.
New offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik will bring his own philosophy, and Hafley will likely tell him to make sure it involves giving the ball to Achane.
The most touches Achane has ever had in a game is 29, which came in 2024. If Achane can average 29 touches per game this year, he would end up with 493, which would be the NFL record for most touches in a season, a mark that has stood since 1984.
As you can see below, only five players in NFL history have ever recorded at least 450 touches in a single season.
| Player | Touches | Year | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| James Wilder | 492 | 1984 | Buccaneers |
| Larry Johnson | 457 | 2006 | Chiefs |
| Eddie George | 453 | 2000 | Titans |
| LaDainian Tomlinson | 451 | 2002 | Chargers |
| Edgerrin James | 450 | 2000 | Colts |
If Achane averages just 27 touches per game, he'd shoot up to No. 2 on this list, behind only Wilder. Over the past 10 years, only one player has even hit 410 touches in a season, and that came last year when Christian McCaffrey had 413 for the 49ers.
If you want to have a serious shot at the record for most touches, you have to stay healthy and effective, which could be tough for Achane because most opposing defenses will likely look to slow him down since he's Miami's best [and possibly only] offensive weapon.
That being said, no one could really stop Achane last year, so he could be in line for another big season, and Hafley seems to have all the confidence in the world that that's going to happen.
"I love the guy," Hafley said of his running back. "You want to talk about a guy with some juice, a guy whose personality is starting to come out, a guy who's starting to become a leader. I just like those guys who can kind of give it back to you a little bit and have some fun."
The Dolphins gave Achane a four-year, $64 million extension in May, so they clearly have high hopes for him. And let's not forget that new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan wants Achane to be a foundational building block for the offense.
"Achane is a very, very, very important piece of what we're going to do moving forward," Sullivan said earlier this offseason. "He's a building block for us."
Everyone in the organization seems to agree that Achane needs to get the ball a lot this year, which is something you'll probably want to take note of if you have a fantasy draft coming up. Of course, with all the changes in Miami, drafting Achane will come with some risk because the offense could struggle, but the Dolphins seem ready to ride Achane as far as he'll take them.
