Factoid
C.J. Spiller ran for only 283 yards in his rookie year. Is it time to get concerned? Or will Spiller be able to turn this thing?
Typically at the running back position, you can either do it right away, or you simply can’t play.
Consider this factoid: Of all the running backs ever selected with top-15 drafts, nobody ever has run for 1,000-plus yards in his second season after being held under 800 yards as a rookie.
So you typically don’t see guys just turn it on in Year No. 2. When Ron Dayne, Reggie Bush or Freeman McNeil isn’t a big star right away, that usually means they’ll never be a big star.
Below is a list showing the running backs who’ve come the closest to turning things around in Year No. 2 (and this is out of 37 running backs). Curtis Enis made it over 900 yards, and two other backs (Eddie Lee Ivery and Sammie Smith) made it over 800 yards.
REBOUNDING IN YEAR TWO
Running backs selected with top-15 picks who ran for the most yards in their second year after being held under 800 yards as rookies. Players are ordered by rushing yards (Yds). Also shown are attempts, yards-per-carry (Avg) and total yards (which includes receiving yards( and total touchdowns.
Att Yds Avg Total TD Year
287 916 3.2 1256 5 1998 Curtis Enis (Bears)
202 831 4.1 1312 4 1979 Eddie Lee Ivery (Packers)
226 831 3.7 965 9 1989 Sammie Smith (Dolphins)
151 786 5.2 973 7 1981 Freeman McNeil (Jets)
189 728 3.9 923 4 1990 Blair Thomas (Jets)
169 702 4.2 894 2 1979 Charles Alexander (Bengals)
180 690 3.8 757 7 2000 Ron Dayne (Giants)
201 677 3.4 716 8 1996 Lawrence Phillips (Rams)
157 647 4.1 701 6 2005 Cedric Benson (Bears)
171 644 3.8 795 4 1992 Tommy Vardell (Browns)
154 642 4.2 1260 1 1982 Darrin Nelson (Vikings)
—Ian Allan
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Posted by ANDY RICHARDSON | Apr. 18 at 07:43 AM
On the bright side, at least there's a recent example of a top-15 pick who was able to turn it on in Year No. 3 - Darren McFadden, rushing for 1,157 yards and 5.2 yards per carry last year. So maybe even if Spiller doesn't do anything this year, it won't be too late.