Factoid
A reader asked to see the per-game numbers for running backs over the last two years. I had posted similar numbers for wide receivers last week at the Facebook page and on the website.
Defining a “game” for a running back is more difficult than for a wide receiver. With receivers, games and starts tend to be almost interchangeable. With Calvin Johnson, every game is a “start”, even if they happen to open with him on the sideline tying his shoe.
With running backs, it’s more of a slippery slope. With Beanie Wells, for example, he was a starting, featured running back in 2011. In 2010, he was a change-of-pace back in a lot of games behind Tim Hightower.
The chart below has a lot of gray area and opinion. It’s not accurate enough that I would print it on paper and stick it in a publication. It’s a mixture of full-time type starts and extensive RBBC action.
Whatever. I’m showing the backs who were involved in over half the games over the last two years.
Scoring system: 6 points for TDs, 1 for every 10 yards.
RUNNING BACKS, POINTS PER START (2010-2011)
St Run Rec Tot TD Pts
29 98 42 140 1.03 20.2 Arian Foster
30 80 30 110 .97 16.8 LeSean McCoy
20 89 33 122 .75 16.7 Darren McFadden
32 81 39 120 .66 16.1 Ray Rice
27 84 18 102 .96 16.0 Adrian Peterson
30 98 23 121 .60 15.7 Maurice Jones-Drew
22 81 30 111 .55 14.4 Fred Jackson
28 74 37 111 .46 13.9 Matt Forte
32 85 8 93 .72 13.6 Michael Turner
28 68 21 88 .68 13.1 Ahmad Bradshaw
24 70 23 94 .58 12.9 Peyton Hillis
27 76 21 97 .48 12.6 Frank Gore
32 75 21 96 .50 12.6 Chris Johnson
31 71 10 81 .71 12.4 Rashard Mendenhall
31 77 23 100 .39 12.3 Steven Jackson
30 64 12 76 .63 11.4 Marshawn Lynch
29 53 8 61 .79 10.9 BenJarvus Green-Ellis
24 75 7 81 .46 10.9 LeGarrette Blount
31 70 8 79 .45 10.6 Cedric Benson
28 40 21 61 .71 10.5 Mike Tolbert
32 27 38 66 .38 8.8 Darren Sproles
22 38 28 66 .36 8.8 Pierre Thomas
30 46 6 53 .57 8.7 Brandon Jacobs
22 41 23 64 .32 8.3 Jonathan Stewart
18 61 1 62 .33 8.2 Chris Ivory
17 44 14 58 .29 7.6 Ronnie Brown
32 43 5 48 .19 5.9 Thomas Jones
—Ian Allan
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