Jeff Hafley Plans 40-Touch Games for De'Von Achane in New Dolphins Offense

Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley expects a massive De'Von Achane workload in 2026, potentially exceeding 40 touches per game for the star running back.

Miami Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley announced during a Monday interview on "The Rich Eisen Show" that star running back De'Von Achane could see games with more than 40 touches during the 2026 NFL season. This projected volume follows a 2025 campaign where Achane recorded 305 total touches, consisting of 238 carries and 67 receptions. The Pro Bowl back reached a season-high 28 touches against the Buffalo Bills on Nov. 11 and surpassed the 20-touch mark in eight separate contests last year.

Hafley, entering his first year as Miami’s head coach, informed Achane on Monday morning to prepare for this increased role, specifically instructing the player not to use the "head tap" signal to request a substitution. The coach noted that only five NFL players have recorded 40 or more touches in a single regular-season game since 2010. The most recent occurrence was Derrick Henry, who logged 41 touches for the Tennessee Titans against the Seattle Seahawks on Sept. 19, 2021. Last season, Henry also recorded a league-high 36 touches for the Baltimore Ravens in a Dec. 27 matchup against Hafley’s former team, the Green Bay Packers.

Roster Changes Shift Offensive Focus

The anticipated De'Von Achane workload comes as the Dolphins transition to a new offensive structure under coordinator Bobby Slowik and quarterback Malik Willis. The departure of wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle has positioned Achane as the primary centerpiece of the unit. Over the last two seasons, Achane has accumulated 586 touches, the eighth-highest total in the NFL. His 145 receptions during that span lead all running backs across the league.

To secure his role, the Dolphins signed Achane to a four-year, $64 million contract extension earlier this year. The deal includes $32 million in guaranteed money. Hafley emphasized the necessity of physical conditioning for this role, jokingly telling the running back he might need to be carried back to the locker room due to exhaustion after handling 40 to 45 touches in a single afternoon.

Historical Context for High-Volume Backs

While seven NFL players reached at least 30 touches in a game last season, Christian McCaffrey of the San Francisco 49ers was the only individual to do so more than once, achieving the feat five times. Hafley’s vision for Achane would place the Miami runner in rare historical territory. The coach praised the running back’s intelligence and "fun energy" during his first training camp, describing the fourth-year player as a "stud" who understands the complexities of the game.

Achane’s career-high 305 touches last season served as a baseline for what Hafley expects to be a significantly larger role in 2026. The new-look offense will rely heavily on the back's versatility, building on his status as the most productive receiving threat at his position over the previous two-year window. The coaching staff's directive for Achane to avoid signaling for breaks underscores the shift toward a workhorse-style deployment that has become increasingly uncommon in the modern NFL era.