Fantasy Index

Factoid

Wide receivers on the run

Patterson, Harvin piling up good rushing numbers

It’s early, but I notice that wide receivers might be used as runners more often this year. Especially the two guys involved in a trade prior to last year. Percy Harvin carried 4 times for 41 yards in the opener against Green Bay, and then Cordarrelle Patterson (picked with the first-rounder Seattle gave up to get Harvin) had a 67-yard TD run and 102 yards total.

I think those guys are for real. Both might average over 20 rushing yards per game this season. As in we may see them finishing the year with 350 rushing yards or more.

In addition, Julian Edelman had 2 carries for 21 yards at Miami, and Brandin Cooks looks like he might develop into a Harvin-type guy. Cooks had an 18-yard run at Atlanta. The Rams gave Tavon Austin, and I think the Giants will continue to utilize Jerrel Jernigan, who had a 49-yard touchdown run in Week 17 last year.

So after one week, wide receivers are on pace to run for 3,584 yards. That’s all wide receivers on all teams. And that would over 1,000 yards more than any other season in this century.

This seems to be a trend that’s developed. Only four seasons in this century have wide receivers run for over 2,000 yards, and three of those came in the last five years.

RUSHING BY WIDE RECEIVERS (Total)
YearAttYardsAvgTD
201440035849.016
201254133626.28
200234323296.87
200931721026.67
201031620136.47
200332118895.91
200824116436.810
200123115566.75
201322614726.56
200625014475.85
200021414086.66
200426013225.11
200523812855.47
20072038734.34

(And on that chart, the 2014 numbers are projected 16-game totals, if guys were to stay on the pace they set in Week 1.)

Only four wide receivers in this century have run for 200 yards in a season, and three of them did it while playing some as a running quarterback. My thinking right now is that 2014 will be remembered as the best for running wide receivers.

It’s something to keep in mind when building your draft board. Patterson and Harvin in particularly need to be slotted with about an extra 2-4 points per week.

WIDE RECEIVERS WITH 100 RUSHING YARDS SINCE 2000
YearTeamPlayerAttYardsAvgLongTD
2009Clev.Josh Cribbs553816.9371
2012Minn.Percy Harvin523456.6392
2010NYJBrad Smith382997.953t1
2009NYJBrad Smith1820711.5571
2008Clev.Josh Cribbs291675.8271
2013Minn.Cordarrelle Patterson1215813.250t3
2003Cin.Peter Warrick181578.7500
2010Oak.Jacoby Ford1015515.571t2
2013St.L.Tavon Austin915116.865t1
2000Cin.Peter Warrick161489.377t2
2002Pitt.Hines Ward1214211.8390
2009Phil.DeSean Jackson1113712.567t1
2009Minn.Percy Harvin151359.0350
2002Pitt.Antwaan Randle El191347.1240
2012G.B.Randall Cobb1013213.2280
2002Phil.James Thrash181267.0322
2002K.C.Johnnie Morton1012412.4360
2006Den.Javon Walker912313.772t1
2006Wash.Antwaan Randle El191186.2200
2012Buff.Brad Smith141168.3351
2001S.D.Curtis Conway711616.667t1
2010Jac.Mike Thomas121149.5330
2008NYJBrad Smith121139.4360
2008Den.Eddie Royal111099.9710
2002S.D.Tim Dwight121089.0201
2001NYJLaveranues Coles1010810.8200
2010Minn.Percy Harvin181075.917t1
2013Chi.Alshon Jeffery161056.6380
2002Balt.Travis Taylor111059.5390
2010Phil.DeSean Jackson161046.531t1
2002Clev.Dennis Northcutt810413.036t1
2006NYJBrad Smith181035.7320
2014Minn.Cordarrelle Patterson310234.067t1

—Ian Allan

Fantasy Index