The range of opinions of Mike McDaniel is about as widespread as they come. Some believe he is treating the Dolphins like a created team on Madden, while others think McDaniel is revolutionizing the way an offense should be constructed and operated.
Regardless of what you think of McDaniel's overarching philosophy, there was one common critique of his offense after his first season as Miami's head coach in 2022: he didn't run the ball enough. Over the course of the 2022 season, the Dolphins ranked 31st in total rushing attempts and 26th in overall rush rate. Many felt that McDaniel needed to have more run-pass balance in his offense to find success.
McDaniel did just this in 2023, leaning on the rushing attack to develop a truly frightening offense. Not only did McDaniel run the ball at a higher rate, but he also developed one of the league's most efficient rushing attacks. The Dolphins jumped to 18th in total attempts while ranking 6th in rushing yards and 1st in yards per carry.
DOMINATE YOUR DRAFT: 2024 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet
As a result, the Dolphins backfield was the most valuable in all of fantasy football. The Dolphins running backs scored 576.7 PPR points last season, the most of any backfield. Raheem Mostert was the RB3, averaging 17.8 PPG. Rookie De'Von Achane finished as the RB24, also averaging 17.8 PPG.
Heading into the 2024 season, there is a very interesting dynamic in fantasy drafts. Both Achane and Mostert are still in town, but they are currently separated by nearly 50 picks in fantasy drafts. But which Miami running should you draft in fantasy this year?
2024 PPR RANKINGS
Top 250 Overall | RB | WR | TE | DEF/ST | K
Miami Dolphins RB Outlooks 2024: Who is the RB1 for the Dolphins this year?
Raheem Mostert fantasy outlook 2024
Raheem Mostert broke out in a big way last season at the age of 31. He led the NFL in total touchdowns (21) en route to a dominant fantasy season. Despite a career year, drafters are more than willing to pass on Mostert in the early rounds of fantasy drafts. His ADP of 74 places him in the 7th round of drafts.
Drafters aren't too bullish on Mostert for a variety of reasons. His age (32) is certainly a key factor behind the lack of excitement surrounding his 2024 outlook. Few players, let alone running backs, find success after the age of 30. The presence of De'Von Achane (to be discussed momentarily) also makes it hard to get fired up about Mostert.
The reasons for hesitation in drafting Mostert are fair. But we have to understand the situation in Miami. The front office gave Mostert a vote of confidence, signing him to an extension this offseason. Mike McDonald has also continued to harp on the fact that this backfield will feature multiple backs.
Unless he's injured, it's very possible that Mostert will remain the 1a in this backfield. Even if Achane surpasses him, McDaniel's offense is capable of supporting multiple fantasy-relevant backs. It may not be the sexiest pick, but investing in key pieces of potent offenses is always a good approach to fantasy drafts.
2024 FANTASY SLEEPERS
QB | RB | WR | TE | Each Team
De'Von Achane fantasy outlook 2024
Grabbing Mostert in your draft may not be the sexiest pick, but getting De'Von Achane into your lineup certainly is. Achane took the fantasy world by storm as a rookie, scoring 51.3 points in his second career game.
Everything is looking up for Achane heading into his sophomore campaign. He features 4.3 speed and has a coach who can extract the most value and production out of that speed. Following a season where he posted 7.8 yards per carry, Achane is in line to have an incredibly efficient season once again.
But things aren't just looking up for Achane on the ground. Achane was the subject of the common coach speak line of, "We're going to get our running back snaps in the slot." While this is often just a mirage that gets drafters excited, there may be some legitimacy with this statement when it comes to Achane. He has taken snaps in the slot and out wide throughout the preseason, indicating that he could be a meaningful piece of the Dolphins' aerial attack.
When a talent like Achane meets an offensive mind like McDaniel, the sky is the limit for fantasy production. Achane could very well be the second coming of Chris Johnson or Jamaal Charles and break fantasy football this year.
2024 POSITION TIERS & DRAFT STRATEGY
QB | RB | WR | TE | D/ST
The Verdict: Who is the Dolphins RB to own in fantasy football this year?
When considering cost (early 3rd round vs early 7th round), there's a case for Mostert being the best bet in the backfield. But when you think about the ridiculous ceiling Achane offers, it's hard to justify Mostert being the Dolphins running back to own, especially since he's likely due some negative regression with his touchdown output.
All things considered, De'Von Achane should be the running back that drafters target this year. You can make all the excuses to be "out", but at the end of the day, Achane is one of the few running back who offers a 30-point ceiling on a weekly basis. If he stays on the field for at least 14 games and you pass on Achane at the back of Round 2, you're going to look back and regret it.