De’Von Achane is practicing for the first time in three weeks. The Miami Dolphins expect that he will be ready for week 1, as will Tyreek Hill and Darren Waller, per Cameron Wolfe.
De’Von Achane has been a consistent late first/early second-round draft pick in redraft leagues despite dealing with a calf injury for most of training camp. His return to practice is good news for fantasy owners. The 23-year-old will look to build on his RB5 season from last year, though his success seems to be tied to the health of his quarterback. If Tua can stay healthy, I expect Achane to be a top-8 back, at the very least, again in 2025.
Tyreek Hill is being drafted in the third round after a disappointing 2024. He’s dealing with an oblique injury, though it doesn’t seem like it will impact his week 1 status. You could argue that he’s a value in the third, but I have concerns with his durability. The Dolphins could take a step back this year, also. If they start slow out of the gates, Hill could be a trade candidate, as it’s rumored the team is growing tired of his presence in the locker room. I just have a bad feeling about him overall, and so I’m lower on him than ADP. I wouldn’t let him fall into the fourth round, however.
Darren Waller is someone to watch on waivers. The Dolphins demonstrated that they could garner excellent production from their TE1 last season, with Jonnu Smith finishing fourth overall at the position. I like Waller as a sneaky bet to finish inside the top 12, but I currently have him beyond that in my PPR rankings.
–Blake Stachel (@bllakkay)
