If you play in a PPR format, and you want a good running back, he better be a guy who can catch some passes. That tends to be the key in that kind of format. In that format, even a lesser day can be prettied up with 4-5 dumpoff passes (where in PPR, you get the points not only for the 30-40 yards, but also for the catches themselves).
To have much of chance of being one of the top half-dozen backs, you want a guy who’ll catch 40-plus passes.
Below is the list of the top 100 PPR running backs of the last 10 years – about 10 per year. Some years have a few more backs in there, while others are a little short. But it’s fine for our purposes.
Of said backs, 72 percent caught at least 40 passes. Only 15 of these backs (in bold) caught fewer than 30 passes. Another 13 backs (with black dots) caught 30-39 passes.
But list is dominated by guys who are involved not only as runners but also in the passing game.
TOP 100 PPR RUNNING BACKS SINCE 2005 | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Player | No | Rec | Run | TD | PPR |
2006 | LaDainian Tomlinson | 56 | 508 | 1,815 | 31 | 482.3 |
2006 | Steven Jackson | 90 | 806 | 1,528 | 16 | 419.4 |
2009 | Chris Johnson | 50 | 503 | 2,006 | 16 | 398.9 |
2010 | Arian Foster | 66 | 604 | 1,616 | 18 | 396.0 |
2013 | Jamaal Charles | 70 | 693 | 1,287 | 19 | 382.0 |
2005 | Shaun Alexander | 15 | 78 | 1,880 | 28 | 378.8 |
2011 | Ray Rice | 76 | 704 | 1,364 | 15 | 376.8 |
2006 | Larry Johnson | 41 | 410 | 1,789 | 19 | 374.9 |
2007 | Brian Westbrook | 90 | 771 | 1,333 | 12 | 372.4 |
2014 | LeVeon Bell | 83 | 854 | 1,361 | 11 | 370.5 |
2005 | • Larry Johnson | 33 | 343 | 1,750 | 21 | 368.3 |
2007 | LaDainian Tomlinson | 60 | 475 | 1,474 | 18 | 366.9 |
2005 | LaDainian Tomlinson | 51 | 370 | 1,462 | 20 | 366.2 |
2014 | DeMarco Murray | 57 | 416 | 1,845 | 13 | 361.1 |
2005 | Tiki Barber | 54 | 530 | 1,860 | 11 | 361.0 |
2012 | Adrian Peterson | 40 | 217 | 2,097 | 13 | 351.4 |
2014 | Matt Forte | 102 | 808 | 1,038 | 10 | 350.6 |
2013 | Matt Forte | 74 | 594 | 1,339 | 12 | 341.3 |
2006 | Brian Westbrook | 77 | 699 | 1,217 | 11 | 334.6 |
2006 | Frank Gore | 61 | 485 | 1,695 | 9 | 333.0 |
2009 | Adrian Peterson | 43 | 436 | 1,383 | 18 | 332.9 |
2013 | LeSean McCoy | 52 | 539 | 1,607 | 11 | 332.6 |
2011 | LeSean McCoy | 48 | 315 | 1,309 | 20 | 330.4 |
2009 | Ray Rice | 78 | 702 | 1,339 | 8 | 330.1 |
2009 | Maurice Jones-Drew | 53 | 374 | 1,391 | 16 | 325.5 |
2012 | Doug Martin | 49 | 472 | 1,454 | 12 | 313.6 |
2005 | Edgerrin James | 44 | 337 | 1,506 | 14 | 312.3 |
2011 | Arian Foster | 53 | 617 | 1,224 | 12 | 309.1 |
2008 | DeAngelo Williams | 22 | 121 | 1,515 | 20 | 307.6 |
2011 | Maurice Jones-Drew | 43 | 374 | 1,606 | 11 | 307.0 |
2008 | Matt Forte | 63 | 477 | 1,238 | 12 | 306.5 |
2014 | • Marshawn Lynch | 37 | 367 | 1,306 | 17 | 306.3 |
2012 | Arian Foster | 40 | 217 | 1,424 | 17 | 306.1 |
2010 | Peyton Hillis | 61 | 477 | 1,177 | 13 | 304.4 |
2006 | Tiki Barber | 58 | 465 | 1,662 | 5 | 300.7 |
2010 | LeSean McCoy | 78 | 592 | 1,080 | 9 | 299.2 |
2006 | • Willie Parker | 31 | 222 | 1,494 | 16 | 298.6 |
2005 | LaMont Jordan | 70 | 563 | 1,025 | 11 | 296.8 |
2013 | Knowshon Moreno | 60 | 548 | 1,038 | 13 | 296.6 |
2010 | Jamaal Charles | 45 | 468 | 1,467 | 8 | 286.5 |
2008 | Maurice Jones-Drew | 62 | 565 | 824 | 14 | 284.9 |
2012 | Ray Rice | 61 | 478 | 1,143 | 10 | 283.1 |
2009 | Frank Gore | 52 | 406 | 1,120 | 13 | 282.6 |
2007 | Clinton Portis | 47 | 389 | 1,262 | 11 | 282.1 |
2008 | Michael Turner | 6 | 41 | 1,699 | 17 | 282.0 |
2006 | Maurice Jones-Drew | 46 | 436 | 941 | 16 | 279.7 |
2010 | • Adrian Peterson | 36 | 341 | 1,298 | 13 | 277.9 |
2008 | • Thomas Jones | 36 | 207 | 1,312 | 15 | 277.9 |
2008 | LaDainian Tomlinson | 52 | 426 | 1,110 | 12 | 277.6 |
2013 | • Marshawn Lynch | 36 | 316 | 1,257 | 14 | 277.3 |
2014 | • Arian Foster | 38 | 327 | 1,246 | 13 | 277.3 |
2011 | Darren Sproles | 86 | 710 | 603 | 10 | 277.3 |
2010 | Chris Johnson | 44 | 245 | 1,364 | 12 | 276.9 |
2007 | Joseph Addai | 41 | 364 | 1,072 | 15 | 276.6 |
2014 | Eddie Lacy | 42 | 427 | 1,139 | 13 | 276.6 |
2010 | Ray Rice | 63 | 556 | 1,220 | 6 | 276.6 |
2008 | Steve Slaton | 50 | 377 | 1,282 | 10 | 275.9 |
2005 | • Clinton Portis | 30 | 216 | 1,516 | 11 | 275.2 |
2012 | Marshawn Lynch | 23 | 196 | 1,590 | 12 | 273.6 |
2010 | Darren McFadden | 47 | 507 | 1,157 | 10 | 273.4 |
2006 | Reggie Bush | 88 | 742 | 565 | 9 | 272.7 |
2008 | Brian Westbrook | 54 | 402 | 936 | 14 | 271.8 |
2008 | Adrian Peterson | 21 | 125 | 1,760 | 10 | 269.5 |
2010 | Matt Forte | 51 | 547 | 1,069 | 9 | 268.6 |
2012 | C.J. Spiller | 43 | 459 | 1,244 | 8 | 261.3 |
2013 | DeMarco Murray | 53 | 350 | 1,121 | 10 | 260.1 |
2012 | Alfred Morris | 11 | 77 | 1,613 | 13 | 258.0 |
2007 | Adrian Peterson | 19 | 268 | 1,341 | 13 | 257.9 |
2014 | Jamaal Charles | 40 | 291 | 1,033 | 14 | 256.4 |
2012 | Trent Richardson | 51 | 367 | 950 | 12 | 254.7 |
2009 | • Ricky Williams | 35 | 264 | 1,121 | 13 | 253.5 |
2008 | Clinton Portis | 28 | 218 | 1,487 | 9 | 252.5 |
2010 | Ahmad Bradshaw | 47 | 314 | 1,235 | 8 | 251.9 |
2008 | Chris Johnson | 43 | 260 | 1,228 | 10 | 251.8 |
2007 | • Jamal Lewis | 30 | 248 | 1,304 | 11 | 251.2 |
2005 | Rudi Johnson | 23 | 90 | 1,458 | 12 | 249.8 |
2009 | Joseph Addai | 51 | 336 | 828 | 13 | 249.4 |
2009 | Steven Jackson | 51 | 322 | 1,416 | 4 | 248.8 |
2011 | Marshawn Lynch | 28 | 212 | 1,204 | 13 | 247.6 |
2013 | Reggie Bush | 54 | 506 | 1,006 | 7 | 247.2 |
2014 | Justin Forsett | 44 | 263 | 1,266 | 8 | 246.9 |
2012 | • Jamaal Charles | 35 | 236 | 1,509 | 6 | 245.5 |
2010 | Rashard Mendenhall | 23 | 167 | 1,273 | 13 | 245.0 |
2013 | • Eddie Lacy | 35 | 257 | 1,178 | 11 | 244.5 |
2010 | Steven Jackson | 46 | 383 | 1,241 | 6 | 244.4 |
2013 | Chris Johnson | 42 | 345 | 1,077 | 10 | 244.2 |
2006 | Ladell Betts | 53 | 445 | 1,154 | 5 | 242.9 |
2007 | Frank Gore | 53 | 436 | 1,102 | 6 | 242.8 |
2007 | Marion Barber | 44 | 282 | 975 | 12 | 241.7 |
2011 | Ryan Mathews | 50 | 455 | 1,091 | 6 | 240.6 |
2010 | • Maurice Jones-Drew | 34 | 317 | 1,324 | 7 | 240.1 |
2009 | Thomas Jones | 10 | 58 | 1,402 | 14 | 240.0 |
2005 | Steven Jackson | 43 | 320 | 1,046 | 10 | 239.6 |
2013 | Adrian Peterson | 29 | 171 | 1,266 | 11 | 238.7 |
2006 | Rudi Johnson | 23 | 124 | 1,309 | 12 | 238.3 |
2009 | Jamaal Charles | 40 | 297 | 1,120 | 9 | 237.7 |
2008 | Marion Barber | 52 | 417 | 885 | 9 | 236.2 |
2009 | Ryan Grant | 25 | 197 | 1,253 | 11 | 236.0 |
2007 | Willis McGahee | 43 | 231 | 1,207 | 8 | 234.8 |
2013 | Fred Jackson | 47 | 387 | 890 | 10 | 234.7 |
—Ian Allan