Dolphins hold RB De’Von Achane out after early hit to knee

MIAMI — Dolphins running back De’Von Achane played just three snaps in Sunday’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders before leaving with a knee injury, but head coach Mike McDaniel said his removal from the game was precautionary.

The rookie Achane spent five weeks on injured reserve with a knee injury that he suffered in Week 5 but was activated for Sunday’s game. He touched the ball twice before jogging gingerly off the field and did not return.

“He kind of got landed on, and it was a little painful,” McDaniel said. “He was politicking to try to come back in the game, but I was a little worried off the rust to go and do that. We kind of held him back, and we’ll see what it looks like tomorrow.”

McDaniel confirmed that the knee that was landed on was the same one he hurt earlier this season.

Achane left the game early in the first half and was escorted to the locker room after a lengthy stay in the medical tent. He returned to the sideline without his helmet but was listed as questionable to return to the game. He was the last Dolphins player out of the tunnel after halftime but left the locker room carrying his helmet.

McDaniel said Miami’s trainers effectively cleared Achane to play, but he made the ultimate call to keep him on the sideline for the remainder of the game.

“We just didn’t want to mess with him,” he said. “We had some positive feedback from the training staff at the end of the second quarter and after halftime, but I didn’t feel like at that point that would have been fair to him.”

The Dolphins had another injury scare in the first half when wide receiver Tyreek Hill went to the locker room with a hand injury.

Hill said he took a helmet to the hand when he got “popped” while making a catch. He received X-ray imaging on his hand but was able to return to the game after missing one series. Hill called the injury “nothing serious” and he doesn’t expect his hand to limit him for the Dolphins’ game against the New York Jets on Friday.

“I think I’ll be fine, man,” he said. “The only thing I’m really bummed about, I won’t be able to play Fortnite. That’s the kind of thing I’m bummed about. I won’t be able to play video games. Which is good for my wife, though. She’s got this new show she likes. She wants me to watch it.”