Fantasy Index

Factoid

Rookie Running Backs

Hill leads an unspectacular bunch

This week's draft appears to have a strong group of running backs, two of whom figure to be selected in the first round, and several of whom will probably be immediate starters. Maybe there will be a few 1,000- or at least 800-yard rushers. That's quite a change from the 2014 rookie class.

Last year, only one rookie runner reached 1,000 yards; only one reached 800, in fact.

On the bright side, eight rookie runners finished between 500-800 rushing yards. Although none were season-long starters, each did, at some point during the season, help fantasy teams.

The top rookie runners over the last 20 years, sorted by rushing yards, are presented below. The 2014 rookies are in bold.

TOP ROOKIE RUSHERS, 1995-2014
YearPlayer Team Att YpcYds TD
2012Alfred Morris WAS 3354.81,61313
1999Edgerrin James IND 3694.21,55313
2002Clinton Portis DEN 2735.51,50815
2000Mike Anderson DEN 29751,48715
1995Curtis Martin NE 36841,48714
2012Doug Martin TB 3194.61,45411
1996Eddie George HOU 3354.11,3688
2000Jamal Lewis BAL 3094.41,3646
2007Adrian Peterson MIN 2385.61,34112
2008Steve Slaton HOU 2684.81,2829
2008Matt Forte CHI 3163.91,2388
2001LaDainian Tomlinson SD 3393.61,23610
2008Chris Johnson TEN 2514.91,2289
1998Fred Taylor JAC 2644.61,22314
2001Anthony Thomas CHI 2784.31,1837
2013Eddie Lacy GB 2844.11,17811
2005Cadillac Williams TB 2904.11,1786
1999Olandis Gary DEN 2764.21,1597
2004Kevin Jones DET 2414.71,1335
1997Corey Dillon CIN 2334.81,12910
2014Jeremy Hill CIN 2225.11,1249
1995Terrell Davis DEN 2374.71,1177
1996Abdul-Karim al-Jabbar MIA 3073.61,11611
2007Marshawn Lynch BUF 28041,1157
1998Robert Edwards NE 2913.81,1159
2001Dominic Rhodes IND 2334.71,1049
2006Joseph Addai IND 2264.81,0817
1995Rashaan Salaam CHI 2963.61,07410
2003Domanick Williams HOU 2384.31,0318
2010LeGarrette Blount TB 20151,0076
1997Warrick Dunn TB 2244.49784
2008Kevin Smith DET 2384.19768
2013Zac Stacy STL 2503.99737
2012Trent Richardson CLE 2673.695011
2009Knowshon Moreno DEN 2473.89477
1995Rodney Thomas HOU 2513.89475
2006Maurice Jones-Drew JAC 1665.794113
2005Ronnie Brown MIA 2074.49074
2011DeMarco Murray DAL 1645.58972
2002William Green CLE 2433.78876
1999Ricky Williams NO 2533.58842
2013Le'Veon Bell PIT 2443.58608
1997Antowain Smith BUF 1944.38408
2008Jonathan Stewart CAR 1844.583610
2004Julius Jones DAL 1974.28197
2012Vick Ballard IND 2113.98142
1997Fred Lane CAR 1824.48097
2009Beanie Wells ARI 1764.57937
2000Ron Dayne NYG 2283.47705
2014Tre Mason STL 1794.37654
2006Laurence Maroney NE 1754.37456
2007Selvin Young DEN 1405.27291
2001Travis Henry BUF 2133.47294
2014Andre Williams NYG 2173.37217
2010Chris Ivory NO 1375.27165
1995Darick Holmes BUF 1724.16984
2013Giovani Bernard CIN 1704.16955
2001Michael Bennett MIN 17246822
2010Ryan Mathews SD 1584.36787
2006Mike Bell DEN 1574.36778
2014Terrance West CLE 1713.96734
2004Steven Jackson STL 13456734
2013Andre Ellington ARI 1185.56523
2006Leon Washington NYJ 1514.36504
2011Roy Helu WAS 1514.26402
2009LeSean McCoy PHI 1554.16374
2006Jerious Norwood ATL 996.46332
1996Lawrence Phillips STL 1933.36324
2005Frank Gore SF 1274.86083
2014Isaiah Crowell CLE 1484.16078
2001Correll Buckhalter PHI 1294.55862
2014Branden Oliver SD 1603.65823
2005Samkon Gado GB 1434.15826
2011Daniel Thomas MIA 1653.55810
2003Onterrio Smith MIN 1075.45795
2014Bishop Sankey TEN 1523.75692
2006Reggie Bush NO 1553.65656
2012Bryce Brown PHI 1154.95644
2013Montee Ball DEN 1204.75594
1999J.J. Johnson MIA 1643.45584
2010Jahvid Best DET 1713.25554
2001James Jackson CLE 1952.85542
2009Shonn Greene NYJ 10855402
2014Jerick McKinnon MIN 1134.85380
2005Marion Barber DAL 1383.95385
2012Bernard Pierce BAL 1084.95321
2002Jonathan Wells HOU 1972.75293
2014Alfred Blue HOU 1693.15282
1995James Stewart JAC 1373.85252
2001Kevan Barlow SF 1254.15124
2000Travis Prentice CLE 17335127
1997Tiki Barber NYG 1363.85113
2002T.J. Duckett ATL 1303.95074
1998John Avery MIA 1433.55032
2006DeAngelo Williams CAR 1214.15011

--Andy Richardson

Fantasy Index