Will you draft a 30-year-old running back? The way guys work out nowadays, they’re putting up better numbers than they have in the past – they do a better job of taking care of their bodies.
In this century (that is, since 2000) 24 running backs who were 30 or more on opening day finished the season with at least 1,200 yards. That’s total yards – rushing and receiving.
That’s pretty similar to the number of backs under 23 who have done the same. There have been 30 backs who were 21 or 22 on opening day who finished that season with at least 1,200 yards.
RUNNING BACKS OVER 30 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Age | Player | Rec | Run | Total |
2013 | 32 | Fred Jackson | 387 | 890 | 1277 |
2009 | 32 | Ricky Williams | 264 | 1121 | 1385 |
2004 | 31 | Curtis Martin | 245 | 1697 | 1942 |
2000 | 31 | Emmitt Smith | 79 | 1203 | 1282 |
2007 | 31 | Fred Taylor | 58 | 1202 | 1260 |
2002 | 31 | Garrison Hearst | 317 | 972 | 1289 |
2010 | 31 | LaDainian Tomlinson | 368 | 914 | 1282 |
2005 | 31 | Mike Anderson | 212 | 1014 | 1226 |
2000 | 31 | Ricky Watters | 613 | 1242 | 1855 |
2009 | 31 | Thomas Jones | 58 | 1402 | 1460 |
2006 | 31 | Tiki Barber | 465 | 1662 | 2127 |
2006 | 31 | Warrick Dunn | 170 | 1140 | 1310 |
2002 | 30 | Antowain Smith | 243 | 982 | 1225 |
2002 | 30 | Charlie Garner | 941 | 962 | 1903 |
2003 | 30 | Curtis Martin | 262 | 1308 | 1570 |
2013 | 30 | Frank Gore | 141 | 1128 | 1269 |
2011 | 30 | Fred Jackson | 442 | 934 | 1376 |
2006 | 30 | Fred Taylor | 242 | 1146 | 1388 |
2001 | 30 | Garrison Hearst | 347 | 1206 | 1553 |
2002 | 30 | James Stewart | 333 | 1021 | 1354 |
2001 | 30 | Lamar Smith | 234 | 968 | 1202 |
2008 | 30 | Thomas Jones | 207 | 1312 | 1519 |
2005 | 30 | Tiki Barber | 530 | 1860 | 2390 |
2005 | 30 | Warrick Dunn | 220 | 1416 | 1636 |
RUNNING BACKS UNDER 23 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Age | Player | Rec | Run | Total |
2007 | 22 | Adrian Peterson | 268 | 1341 | 1609 |
2008 | 22 | Chris Johnson | 260 | 1228 | 1488 |
2004 | 22 | Clinton Portis | 235 | 1315 | 1550 |
2003 | 22 | Domanick Davis | 351 | 1031 | 1382 |
2001 | 22 | Dominic Rhodes | 224 | 1104 | 1328 |
2000 | 22 | Edgerrin James | 594 | 1709 | 2303 |
2009 | 22 | Jamaal Charles | 297 | 1120 | 1417 |
2009 | 22 | Jonathan Stewart | 139 | 1133 | 1272 |
2004 | 22 | Kevin Jones | 180 | 1133 | 1313 |
2001 | 22 | LaDainian Tomlinson | 367 | 1236 | 1603 |
2007 | 22 | LenDale White | 114 | 1110 | 1224 |
2010 | 22 | LeSean McCoy | 592 | 1080 | 1672 |
2008 | 22 | Marshawn Lynch | 300 | 1036 | 1336 |
2008 | 22 | Matt Forte | 477 | 1238 | 1715 |
2009 | 22 | Rashard Mendenhall | 261 | 1108 | 1369 |
2009 | 22 | Ray Rice | 702 | 1339 | 2041 |
2008 | 22 | Steve Slaton | 377 | 1282 | 1659 |
2005 | 22 | Steven Jackson | 320 | 1046 | 1366 |
2002 | 22 | Travis Henry | 309 | 1438 | 1747 |
2012 | 22 | Trent Richardson | 367 | 950 | 1317 |
2004 | 22 | Willis McGahee | 169 | 1128 | 1297 |
2003 | 22 | Clinton Portis | 314 | 1591 | 1905 |
2013 | 21 | Giovani Bernard | 514 | 695 | 1209 |
2000 | 21 | Jamal Lewis | 296 | 1364 | 1660 |
2008 | 21 | Kevin Smith | 286 | 976 | 1262 |
2013 | 21 | LeVeon Bell | 399 | 860 | 1259 |
2007 | 21 | Marshawn Lynch | 184 | 1115 | 1299 |
2006 | 21 | Maurice Jones-Drew | 436 | 941 | 1377 |
2006 | 21 | Reggie Bush | 742 | 565 | 1307 |
2002 | 21 | Clinton Portis | 364 | 1508 | 1872 |
—Ian Allan