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RB De’Von Achane, MIA (1 Viewer)

No way. He's 5'8" 185 lb RB. Nothing but a gadget player that I don't see ever getting enough love in the NFL to make him fantasy relevant.
 
It has been surprisingly quiet on the Achane front. That is about to change once he runs this Spring.

I have moved Achane into the first round of my rookie dynasty rankings (non-SF, no TE premium).

1.08 RB4 (Tier 3) Devon Achane 5-9 185 Texas A&M (Round 2)
Devon Achane has rare Chris Johnson/Tyreek Hill-like game-changing speed. Achane has been surprisingly durable for a back his size, but size is an obvious concern. If Achane checks in under 180, he will likely drop a round in my rankings, for fear he is misused and becomes Dri Archer 2.0. Before dismissing Achane due to size concerns, however, keep in mind that he is pretty much the exact same size as Tyreek Hill, who also played RB in college, and Achane comes without the baggage Hill came into the league with. Achane not only brings world class speed, but he is a high character guy as well, by all accounts. Like all rookies, draft capital and draft destination will be key (the internet will explode if Achane is drafted by the KC Chiefs). If he winds up in the wrong situation, he could be a kick returner and gimmicky offensive weapon, but it won’t take a heavy workload to make Achane a productive fantasy player. If he lands in the right situation, the sky is the limit. I am ready to board the Achane Train! Choo-Choo!
Range of Comparisons: Dri Archer/Dante Hall/CJ Spiller/Jahvid Best, with Tyreek Hill/Chris Johnson/Jamaal Charles upside

Here are a few links for more on Achane:

FantasyPros
Mel Kiper's RB2
Tankathon
YouTube Highlights vs LSU
 
If he was a WR I would say he has a shot at fantasy relevancy, but not at RB. I can’t think of a 5’8 185 lb RB who has. I‘m sure it is rare.
 
JC @JCJDynasty
NFL Draft Twitter:

I know we hate RBs under 200lbs

I’ve been thinking about who I would comp Devon Achane to and he’s just really unique in size and skill set.

I liked Chris Johnson, that was the first thought. I like Warrick Dunn a lot more though.
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Dynasty Onion @DynastyOnion
Ive heard the Jamaal Charles comp too.

The elite track speed is a match.
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JC @JCJDynasty
Jamaal is tough to comp, his combine measurables were 5’11 200lbs even. CJ2K 5’11 197.

It’s possible Achane can come in at 195. Listed at 185 right now though, 15lbs would be a lot to add to that frame to get to 200 and keep that same speed.

Absolutely, elite speed for sure.
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Dynasty Onion @DynastyOnion
Agreed. Weight is a major issue in terms of the workload projection. Even 200 isn't exactly substantial.
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JC @JCJDynasty
200lbs seems to be the absolute floor of what both the analytical community and film guys combined want.

You can be saved if you’re a Sproles type with really high BMI but are compact.

There’s outliers obviously, we’ve listed two. Hard to comp to outliers w/o being outlandish.
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Faust said:
sfDynastyFF (Rob) @Quintorris
This looks like a normal 6 yard run but it’s pivotal to me for smaller RBs to show a willingness to run inside

Most smaller finesse backs try to bounce this outside and it turns into a 3rd and 4 but Devon Achane has springs as legs, watch him explode upfield on the plant
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I have watched him several times over the years including twice live but I was watching games, not really him(and usually rooting against A&M). Did a video deep dive on him last night and must say I warmed up to him and that play this person highlighted was one of many runs I saw where he took on contact.

He does NOT run like his hair is on fire, like you might assume track players to run. He has a plan. Is really outstanding at being patient and setting up his blocks. His contact balance was also a lot better then I expected for a smaller track guy, does a good job of keeping his legs moving. The speed is glaringly obvious.

He'll most likely be a more valuable NFL player then reliable fantasy player with the latter likely depending on his passing game usage but I'm not as dismissive of his shot as I was before I started studying him more.
 
Devon Achane NFL Draft 2023: Scouting Report for Texas A&M RB

Excerpt:

OVERALL

Devon Achane does not have the size nor strength to be a bell-cow back, but he has every other trait you could ask for.

Achane has everything when it comes to movement skills, but his calling card is his speed. On film, there may not be a faster player in the class at any position. Achane plays with legit track speed in the open field and can hit his top gear at a moment's notice. When Achane gets a runway, he will outrun everyone else on the field without fail. Additionally, Achane is a very explosive runner. He plays with quick, controlled steps and explodes off the ground when he makes his cuts. When combined with impressive flexibility and bend, Achane has all the tools to dominate in space.

Between the tackles is where Achane's skill set is tough to parse. On the one hand, Achane is an exceptionally smart runner. His vision is patient, yet decisive, and he understands very well how to use the leverage of run fits against opposing defenders in order to set up his blocks. Along with his short, explosive steps, Achane navigates traffic between the tackles very well.

However, Achane simply doesn't have the size to take 20 carries a game. He rocks a light, 185-pound frame, which is naturally going to lend to faster wear and tear than bigger, more durable backs. Moreover, Achane doesn't play with good strength. His ability to contort his body serves him well as far as minimizing contact, but any time Achane gets taken on clean, he gets stood up or taken down on the spot. He struggles to push piles or fight for yards, which will hurt him, especially in short yardage and at the goal line.
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Achane does offset some of his inability to carry a full rushing workload with his third-down ability. Achane is a reliable receiver. Though small, Achane actually does fairly well to catch the ball in some traffic and has shown flashes of being able to go up and get the ball. On top of that, Achane is a sharp pass protector. Bigger blitzers can be a problem, but Achane has great eyes, discipline, and effort as a pass protector.
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Achane is the ultimate change-of-pace and third-down back. It's hard to imagine he can be a true lead back in the traditional sense because of his size and strength issues, but he has elite athletic ability, a smart running style and a complete profile as a third-down back. Achane can fit into any run scheme or offense, he just needs to be paired with a bigger back to complement him and take off some of the workload as a runner.
GRADE: 7.6 (Potential Impact Player, Round 2)
OVERALL RANK: 39
POSITION RANK: RB3
PRO COMPARISON: Jahvid Best
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Miami is his best chance at 200 carries if he's able to handle it. It's just too much speed for defenses to cover. The tua thing is a concern but any qb could look decent throwing to these 3


Patriots badly need a playmaker who can run faster than 4.55. Thornton was supposed to be it. Achane would help open things up a lot. Ditto Arizona especially if they trade dhop

My top choice would be to see him on the Falcons and let him and Allgeier do the thunder and lightning thing while Patterson can back up both for a game or two if needed. His track speed is built for dome football and he'd give them an element that would get Pitts and number 5 open. Get any of the veteran qbs and use that early first on an o lineman and you've got a competitive offense.
 
Help me out, who are some fantasy relevant RB’s around his size?

Sproles was like 5’6 190
 
and I know it has been awhile since Jahvid Best has played football but let me remind you of the high end comp I am making.

- YouTube

Auf YouTube findest du die angesagtesten Videos und Tracks. Außerdem kannst du eigene Inhalte hochladen und mit Freunden oder gleich der ganzen Welt teilen.
www.youtube.com www.youtube.com
 
jm192 said:
Help me out, who are some fantasy relevant RB’s around his size?

Sproles was like 5’6 190
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Low comp Howard Stevens, highest possible comp Joe Washington, albeit Washington is 2 inches taller and about 12 lbs heavier.
 
Last edited:
Ilov80s said:
and I know it has been awhile since Jahvid Best has played football but let me remind you of the high end comp I am making.

- YouTube

Auf YouTube findest du die angesagtesten Videos und Tracks. Außerdem kannst du eigene Inhalte hochladen und mit Freunden oder gleich der ganzen Welt teilen.
www.youtube.com www.youtube.com
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Best dropped a 50 point fantasy game in his second career game. Loved him, that's a real high end comp, Best just got concussed out of the league.
 
menobrown said:
Best dropped a 50 point fantasy game in his second career game. Loved him, that's a real high end comp, Best just got concussed out of the league.
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Yes, that is a stylistic comp. Best was incredibly good but his college flip into the endzone concussion is one of those plays I will never forget. Made me sick,
 
Ilov80s said:
and I know it has been awhile since Jahvid Best has played football but let me remind you of the high end comp I am making.

- YouTube

Auf YouTube findest du die angesagtesten Videos und Tracks. Außerdem kannst du eigene Inhalte hochladen und mit Freunden oder gleich der ganzen Welt teilen.
www.youtube.com www.youtube.com
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(y) Best was cut short, he was fun to watch.
 
He’s small, but he’s a playmaker. And lightning fast.

Some NFL team will take a chance on him. Many FF teams will as well. I will not likely be one of them.

I don’t mind small. Darren Sproles was 5’6”, but he was also 190 LBs. Bowling ball.

Achane is 5’8 1/2”, 188 LBs - his build is a concern for me. I’ll let someone else target him. I don’t want a RB who’s smaller & lighter than Bryce Young. This is a situation where falling in love with a track star could be a total waste of a draft pick.

I agree that longevity is going to be a concern. His ADP in many mocks is early to mid 2nd. There are so many players I’d rather take there.
 
Ilov80s said:
personally think Achane will be a bit of a gadget player 4-8 touches a game. I would love him on my real NFL team. Not sure about fantasy though.
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Yes, a 2023 depth chart of Montgomery/Swift/Achane would be interesting. Lions might have to use the #55 they got from Minny, he probably gone by #81.
 
Leroy Hoard said:
Ilov80s said:
personally think Achane will be a bit of a gadget player 4-8 touches a game. I would love him on my real NFL team. Not sure about fantasy though.
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Yes, a 2023 depth chart of Montgomery/Swift/Achane would be interesting. Lions might have to use the #55 they got from Minny, he probably gone by #81.
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Yeah I really like that idea. Now that Monty is signed for 3 years, the Lions are almost surely going to replace the Swift role for '24 and beyond. Achane could be a nice target for that. He is smaller than Swift so perhaps he can't hold up but he was a better interior runner in college and had a much higher usage rate. Also I heard a Ben Johnson quote about needing more big plays from the run game, needing those 4 yard runs to become 8 and those 10 yard runs to be come 25 yards, etc. Sure seems like Achane would fill that need.

I mentioned Javid Best before as a comp. I also see Achane as a mini-ETN.
 
Leroy Hoard said:
Ilov80s said:
he was a better interior runner in college and had a much higher usage rate. Also I heard a Ben Johnson quote about needing more big plays from the run game
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Saw his highlight reel on Tankathon, I was surprised how many good inside runs he had against SEC competition.
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Yeah if he was just 10 pounds heavier, he would probably be in the conversation as a potential late 1st round pick.
 
Hot Sauce Guy said:
Best was 5’9, 190

So yeah - close, but even best was bigger.

ETN 5’10”, 210, so a micro-mini ETN maybe.
;)
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ETN and Best were also much better college players. Best's issue was just the concussion thing. He took that absolutely brutal GL hit at Cal and was never quite the same. He was incredible when on the field with Detroit but head/neck issue was something he just could never shake. The thing makes them similar IMO is the acceleration and how linear their games are. They aren't the kind of players who do a lot of juking defenders stop-starts, jump steps, wiggle, etc. Most of their elusiveness comes from the way they can take angles at full speed.

The thing is, Achane is significantly smaller than ETN and Best. He luckily doesn't have the injury worries Best came with but it's hard to imagine him getting many inside runs in the NFL at his size and lack of power.
 
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