Dolphins running back De'Von Achane NFL Rookie of the Year finalist
Dolphins running back De'Von Achane is one of six finalists for the 2023 Pepsi Zero Sugar NFL Rookie of the Year award.
Achane, a third-round pick out of Texas A&M, tied for the most touchdowns (11) from scrimmage and ranked fourth in total yards (997) among rookies this season. His 11 TDs are tied for the second-most by a rookie in franchise history.
In a Week 3 win over the Denver Broncos, Achane became the second player in NFL history with at least 200 rushing yards, two rushing touchdowns and two touchdown receptions in a single game. He missed five games midway through the season with a knee injury but returned to help the Dolphins make the playoffs.
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The five other finalists are: Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs, Lions tight end Sam LaPorta, Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua, Falcons running back Bijan Robinson and Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud.
The winner will be selected by a fan vote on nfl.com/rookies. Fans are able to vote until Feb. 2 — which puts Gibbs, LaPorta and Stroud at an advantage as their teams are still alive in the NFL playoffs. The Dolphins were eliminated by the Kansas City Chiefs last Saturday night.
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The Rookie of the Year award winner will be recognized during Super Bowl Week in Las Vegas and presented with a custom Pepsi Zero Sugar-themed trophy.
Each week, six nominees were chosen for this award and fans voted for the winner on NFL.com. Those results were used to help determine the finalists.
Stroud would appear to be the favorite, but you never know when it comes to fan voting. He led all rookie quarterbacks in passing yards (4,108), touchdown passes (23), passer rating (100.8) and completion percentage (63.9%). He finished with the third-most passing yards by a rookie in NFL history and became the fourth qualifying rookie quarterback in NFL history with a passer rating of 100 or higher. He also had nine games with at least 250 passing yards, second-most by a rookie QB in NFL history.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Dolphins running back De'Von Achane NFL Rookie of the Year finalist
