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Ian Allan

Running backs

Honing in on career-best seasons for running backs

I posted an age/performance chart for wide receivers a few days back, and I wanted to weigh in with something similar for running backs. Namely, when can we expect to see the best production out of a player at that position?

Some like to kick around the idea that you never select a 30-year-old running back, but there are 30-year-olds who run for 1,000-plus yards every year. So that seems kind of heavy handed (and most who toss out that theory, I’m figuring) have never even glanced at any of the numbers.

Similarly, it’s reasonable to suppose that a running back doesn’t do his best work right out of the box. It takes a year or two to learn the offense and master the craft.

Anyway, below is a quick-hit glance at the issue.

I took my overall running back file, and I pulled out every season in the last 20 years in which a running back has scored at least 160 fantasy points (using standard scoring). That seems like a nice round number – 10 points per game.

Then I narrowed it down to only the best season for each player. That is, when did the player put up the very best numbers of his career? When did he pop for 1,600-plus yards and 15 touchdowns?

Turns out 135 running backs made the cut.

Only one running back posted best-ever numbers as a 31-year-old (Curtis Martin), and only one did it as a 32-year-old (Fred Jackson). Nobody older than 32.

Very few down at 20 and 21.

The prime window seems to start for 23-year-olds and run through 27-year-olds. That’s when a guy is most likely to totally shred it. Still a decent number for 28-year-olds, but a decline.

It’s rare to see career-best for 29-year-olds (just 7), and only 4 put up their best numbers as 30-year-olds.

Not that 29-year-olds and 30-year-olds can be productive, but they’re not as likely to totally blow the lid off it, putting up the best numbers of their career.

CAREER-BEST SEASONS (RBs)
AgeNo
202
214
229
2324
2418
2514
2618
2720
2813
297
304
311
321

And here are the 135 seasons that qualified to be counted …

CAREER-BEST SEASONS BY RUNNING BACKS (1995-2015)
YearPlayerAgeYardsTDPoints
2006LaDainian Tomlinson, S.D.272,32331426.3
2000Marshall Faulk, St.L.272,18926378.9
2003Priest Holmes, K.C.292,11027373.0
1995Emmitt Smith, Dall.262,14825364.8
2005Shaun Alexander, Sea.281,95828363.8
1998Terrell Davis, Den.252,22523360.5
2009Chris Johnson, Tenn.232,50916348.9
2003Ahman Green, G.B.262,25020345.0
2000Edgerrin James, Ind.222,30318340.3
2005Larry Johnson, K.C.252,09321335.3
2010Arian Foster, Hou.242,22018330.0
2006Steven Jackson, St.L.232,33416329.4
2002Ricky Williams, Mia.252,21617323.6
1997Barry Sanders, Det.292,35814319.8
1998Jamal Anderson, Atl.252,16516312.5
2013Jamaal Charles, K.C.261,98019312.0
2012Adrian Peterson, Minn.272,31413311.4
2003Jamal Lewis, Balt.242,27114311.1
2005Tiki Barber, NYG302,39011307.0
2014DeMarco Murray, Dall.262,26113304.1
2011Ray Rice, Balt.242,06815300.8
2000Eddie George, Tenn.261,96216292.2
2002Clinton Portis, Den.201,87217289.2
2014LeVeon Bell, Pitt.222,21511287.5
2008DeAngelo Williams, Car.251,63620285.6
2011LeSean McCoy, Phil.231,62420282.4
2007Brian Westbrook, Phil.272,10412282.4
1996Terry Allen, Wash.281,54721280.7
2004Curtis Martin, NYJ311,94214278.2
2008Michael Turner, Atl.261,74017276.0
2009Maurice Jones-Drew, Jac.241,76516272.5
2006Frank Gore, S.F.232,1809272.0
2002Deuce McAllister, N.O.231,74016270.0
2014Marshawn Lynch, Sea.281,67317269.3
2006Willie Parker, Pitt.251,71616267.6
2013Matt Forte, Chi.271,93312267.3
1998Garrison Hearst, S.F.272,1059266.5
1998Fred Taylor, Jac.221,64417266.4
2012Doug Martin, T.B.231,92612264.6
1996Ricky Watters, Phil.271,85513263.5
2004Domanick Davis, Hou.231,77614261.6
2000Mike Anderson, Den.261,66915258.9
2002Travis Henry, Buff.221,74714258.7
2002Charlie Garner, Oak.301,90311256.3
1999Stephen Davis, Wash.251,51617255.6
1995Chris Warren, Sea.271,59316255.3
1997Dorsey Levens, G.B.271,80512254.5
2004Corey Dillon, N.E.291,73813253.8
2015Devonta Freeman, Atl.231,63414247.4
2012Alfred Morris, Wash.231,69013247.0
2000Robert Smith, Minn.281,86910246.9
2010Peyton Hillis, Clev.241,65413243.4
2008Thomas Jones, NYJ301,51915241.9
2013Knowshon Moreno, Den.261,58613236.6
2007Joseph Addai, Ind.241,43615235.6
2014Eddie Lacy, G.B.241,56613234.6
1997Jerome Bettis, Pitt.251,7759231.5
2000Lamar Smith, Mia.291,34016230.0
2005Rudi Johnson, Cin.251,54812226.8
2005LaMont Jordan, Oak.261,58811226.8
2010Darren McFadden, Oak.231,66410226.4
2008Steve Slaton, Hou.221,65910225.9
2010Rashard Mendenhall, Pitt.231,44013222.0
2000James Stewart, Jac.281,47111219.1
2012C.J. Spiller, Buff.251,7038218.3
1997Napoleon Kaufman, Oak.241,6978217.7
1998Robert Edwards, N.E.231,44612216.6
1995Derek Loville, S.F.271,38513216.5
1995Edgar Bennett, G.B.261,7157213.5
2001Antowain Smith, N.E.291,34913212.9
1997Karim Abdul-Jabbar, Mia.231,15316211.3
2009Ryan Grant, G.B.261,45011211.0
2000Warrick Dunn, T.B.251,5559209.5
2004Willis McGahee, Buff.221,29713207.7
2002Duce Staley, Phil.271,5708207.0
1995Harvey Williams, Rai.281,4899206.9
2010Ahmad Bradshaw, NYG241,5498204.9
2012Trent Richardson, Clev.221,31712203.7
2012Stevan Ridley, N.E.231,31412203.4
2014Justin Forsett, Balt.281,5298202.9
2008Brandon Jacobs, NYG261,12515202.5
2002Michael Bennett, Minn.241,6476200.7
1995Errict Rhett, T.B.241,31711197.7
2007Marion Barber, Dall.241,25712197.7
2004Reuben Droughns, Den.261,4818196.1
2009Jonathan Stewart, Car.221,27211193.2
2013Reggie Bush, Det.281,5127193.2
2001Dominic Rhodes, Ind.221,32810192.8
2004Michael Pittman, T.B.291,31710191.7
2014Lamar Miller, Mia.231,3749191.4
1995Ironhead Heyward, Atl.281,4338191.3
2011Darren Sproles, N.O.281,31310191.3
2011Ryan Mathews, S.D.231,5466190.6
2006Ladell Betts, Wash.271,5995189.9
2015Todd Gurley, St.L.211,29410189.4
2014Jeremy Hill, Cin.211,3399187.9
2013Fred Jackson, Buff.321,27710187.7
2011Michael Bush, Oak.271,3958187.5
2010BenJarvus Green-Ellis, N.E.251,09313187.3
2003Moe Williams, Minn.291,3898186.9
2006Chester Taylor, Minn.261,5046186.4
1995Bernie Parmalee, Mia.271,22310182.3
2007Earnest Graham, T.B.271,22210182.2
2015David Johnson, Ariz.231,03813181.8
1998Adrian Murrell, Ariz.271,21110181.1
2008Ronnie Brown, Mia.261,17010181.0
2000Tyrone Wheatley, Oak.281,20210180.2
2001Anthony Thomas, Chi.231,3617180.1
2010Cedric Benson, Cin.271,2898178.9
2002Marcel Shipp, Ariz.241,2479178.7
2014C.J. Anderson, Den.231,17310177.3
2015Chris Ivory, NYJ271,2878176.7
1999Olandis Gary, Den.241,3187175.8
2003Kevan Barlow, S.F.241,3317175.1
1997Raymont Harris, Chi.261,14810174.8
2008Kevin Smith, Det.211,2628174.2
1996Larry Centers, Ariz.281,1919173.1
1995Rashaan Salaam, Chi.201,13010173.0
1999Mike Alstott, T.B.251,1889172.8
2011Beanie Wells, Ariz.231,09910169.9
2013Joique Bell, Det.271,1978169.7
2012Shonn Greene, NYJ271,2148169.4
2013Giovani Bernard, Cin.211,2098168.9
2008LenDale White, Tenn.2378915168.9
2006Kevin Jones, Det.241,2098168.9
2008LeRon McClain, Balt.231,02511168.5
1996Anthony Johnson, Car.281,3126167.2
2015Latavius Murray, Oak.251,2986165.8
2014Mark Ingram, N.O.241,1099164.9
2001Stacey Mack, Jac.261,04210164.2
2004Nick Goings, Car.261,2157163.5
2015Danny Woodhead, S.D.301,0919163.1
2010Mike Tolbert, S.D.2495111163.1
2008Pierre Thomas, N.O.2390912162.9
2005Cadillac Williams, T.B.231,2596161.9

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