Eddie Lacy took home the honor for Offensive Rookie of the Year last night, and it was a well-deserved one. Lacy had a standout campaign, rushing for 1,178 yards and scoring 11 TDs.
We keep track of rookie running backs who either go over 1,000 rushing yards or score 10 TDs, and there haven't been many such players. Since 1978, there have been 64 rookie running backs who have reached one or the other total. And there have been just 30 in those 36 years who have done both. That number now includes the Green Bay second-rounder.
Running backs who have rushed for 1,000 yards and scored at least 10 TDs their rookie seasons, sorted by rushing yards, are presented below.
ROOKIE RUNNERS WITH 1,000 YARDS, 10 TDs, 1978- | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Rd | Pk | Player, Team | Att | Yds | TD |
1983 | 1 | 2 | Eric Dickerson, Rams | 390 | 1808 | 20 |
1981 | 1 | 1 | George Rogers, N.O. | 378 | 1674 | 13 |
2012 | 6 | 173 | Alfred Morris, Wash. | 335 | 1613 | 13 |
1979 | 1 | 8 | Ottis Anderson, St.L. | 331 | 1605 | 10 |
1999 | 1 | 4 | Edgerrin James, Ind. | 369 | 1553 | 17 |
2002 | 2 | 51 | Clinton Portis, Den. | 273 | 1508 | 17 |
2000 | 6 | 189 | Mike Anderson, Den. | 297 | 1487 | 15 |
1995 | 3 | 74 | Curtis Martin, N.E. | 368 | 1487 | 15 |
1989 | 1 | 3 | Barry Sanders, Det. | 280 | 1470 | 14 |
2012 | 1 | 31 | Doug Martin, T.B. | 319 | 1454 | 11 |
1978 | 1 | 1 | Earl Campbell, Hou. | 302 | 1450 | 13 |
1983 | 1 | 3 | Curt Warner, Sea. | 335 | 1449 | 14 |
2007 | 1 | 7 | Adrian Peterson, Minn. | 238 | 1341 | 13 |
1980 | 1 | 1 | Billy Sims, Det. | 313 | 1303 | 16 |
1994 | 1 | 2 | Marshall Faulk, Ind. | 314 | 1282 | 12 |
2008 | 3 | 89 | Steve Slaton, Hou. | 268 | 1282 | 10 |
2008 | 2 | 44 | Matt Forte, Chi. | 316 | 1238 | 12 |
2001 | 1 | 5 | LaDainian Tomlinson, S.D. | 339 | 1236 | 10 |
2008 | 1 | 24 | Chris Johnson, Tenn. | 251 | 1228 | 10 |
1998 | 1 | 9 | Fred Taylor, Jac. | 264 | 1223 | 17 |
1980 | 2 | 29 | Joe Cribbs, Buff. | 306 | 1185 | 12 |
2013 | 2 | 61 | Eddie Lacy, G.B. | 284 | 1178 | 11 |
1988 | 1 | 17 | John Stephens, N.E. | 297 | 1168 | 15 |
1997 | 2 | 43 | Corey Dillon, Cin. | 233 | 1129 | 10 |
1996 | 3 | 80 | Karim Abdul-Jabbar, Mia. | 307 | 1116 | 11 |
1998 | 1 | 18 | Robert Edwards, N.E. | 291 | 1115 | 12 |
2001 | x | UFA | Dominic Rhodes, Ind. | 233 | 1104 | 10 |
1985 | 1 | USFL | Kevin Mack, Clev. | 222 | 1104 | 10 |
1995 | 1 | 21 | Rashaan Salaam, Chi. | 296 | 1074 | 10 |
1988 | 2 | 31 | Ickey Woods, Cin. | 203 | 1066 | 15 |
--Andy Richardson