Fantasy Index

Factoid

Rookie running backs

Teams not afraid to lean on first-year backs

Lots of busy rookie runners last year, which is unusual.

Of the eight running backs who averaged at least 21 touches per game (both runs and catches), three of those guys were rookies.

Stats here are per-game numbers. That is, I didn’t start the counting for LeVeon Bell until he got healthy and started playing in Week 4. And I’m setting aside those early weeks for Zac Stacy, when he was a backup behind Daryl Richardson.

Among guys who started at least half of the season, these guys were the busiest:

BUSIEST RUNNING BACKS
TeamPlayerStRunRecTot
St.L.Zac Stacy1220.82.222.9
Phil.LeSean McCoy1619.63.322.9
Chi.Matt Forte1618.14.622.7
Pitt.LeVeon Bell1318.83.522.2
Minn.Adrian Peterson1419.92.122.0
K.C.Jamaal Charles1517.34.721.9
G.B.Eddie Lacy1518.92.321.3
Sea.Marshawn Lynch1618.82.321.1
S.D.Ryan Mathews1518.81.720.5
Tenn.Chris Johnson1617.42.620.1
NYGAndre Brown817.42.519.9
Det.Reggie Bush1415.93.919.8
Dall.DeMarco Murray1415.53.819.3
Den.Knowshon Moreno1615.13.818.8
Jac.Maurice Jones-Drew1515.62.918.5
S.F.Frank Gore1617.31.018.3
Balt.Ray Rice1514.33.918.1
Hou.Arian Foster815.12.817.9
Wash.Alfred Morris1617.3.617.8
Oak.Rashad Jennings815.32.117.4

—Ian Allan

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