Jay Ajayi became the season’s first 200-yard rusher on Sunday, going for 204 yards against the Steelers. And following recent form, he did so as a relatively unheralded back – a guy who’s probably bounced off and on some waiver wires.
This isn’t new.
In the past 10 years, there have been 41 200-yard rushers. Well over half of those rushers (26) are players who didn’t rank in the top 20 at their position the previous year. That’s using standard scoring.
Only 7 of the 41 are backs who were top-10 guys the previous year.
Running back, most certainly, is a position of change.
On the list presented here, the seven top-10 backs (from the previous year) are in bold. The 26 who came from outside the top 20 have a black ball.
200-YARD RUSHERS SINCE 2006 | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Player | Opp | Att | Yards | Avg | TD |
2006 | Willie Parker, Pitt. | N.O. | 22 | 213 | 9.7 | 2 |
2006 | • Frank Gore, S.F. | Sea. | 24 | 212 | 8.8 | 0 |
2006 | Shaun Alexander, Sea. | G.B. | 40 | 201 | 5.0 | 0 |
2006 | Willie Parker, Pitt. | Clev. | 32 | 223 | 7.0 | 1 |
2006 | Tiki Barber, NYG | at Wash. | 23 | 234 | 10.2 | 3 |
2007 | Jamal Lewis, Clev. | Cin. | 27 | 216 | 8.0 | 1 |
2007 | • Adrian Peterson, Min. | at Chi. | 20 | 224 | 11.2 | 3 |
2007 | • Adrian Peterson, Min. | S.D. | 30 | 296 | 9.9 | 3 |
2008 | • Michael Turner, Atl. | Det. | 22 | 220 | 10.0 | 2 |
2008 | • Derrick Ward, NYG | Car. | 15 | 215 | 14.3 | 0 |
2008 | • Michael Turner, Atl. | St.L. | 25 | 208 | 8.3 | 1 |
2009 | Frank Gore, S.F. | Sea. | 16 | 207 | 12.9 | 2 |
2009 | Thomas Jones, NYJ | Buff. | 22 | 210 | 9.5 | 1 |
2009 | Chris Johnson, Tenn. | Jac. | 24 | 228 | 9.5 | 2 |
2009 | • Jerome Harrison, Clev. | at K.C. | 34 | 286 | 8.4 | 3 |
2009 | • Jonathan Stewart, Car. | at NYG | 28 | 206 | 7.4 | 1 |
2009 | • Jamaal Charles, K.C. | at Den. | 25 | 259 | 10.4 | 2 |
2009 | • Fred Jackson, Buff. | Ind. | 33 | 212 | 6.4 | 0 |
2010 | • Arian Foster, Hou. | Ind. | 33 | 231 | 7.0 | 3 |
2011 | Matt Forte, Chi. | Car. | 25 | 205 | 8.2 | 1 |
2011 | • DeMarco Murray, Dall. | St.L. | 25 | 253 | 10.1 | 1 |
2011 | • Beanie Wells, Ariz. | at St.L. | 27 | 228 | 8.4 | 1 |
2011 | Ray Rice, Balt. | at Clev. | 29 | 204 | 7.0 | 1 |
2011 | • Reggie Bush, Mia. | at Buff. | 25 | 203 | 8.1 | 1 |
2012 | • Jamaal Charles, K.C. | at N.O. | 33 | 233 | 7.1 | 1 |
2012 | Ahmad Bradshaw, NYG | Clev. | 30 | 200 | 6.7 | 1 |
2012 | • Doug Martin, T.B. | at Oak. | 25 | 251 | 10.0 | 4 |
2012 | Adrian Peterson, Min. | at G.B. | 21 | 210 | 10.0 | 1 |
2012 | Adrian Peterson, Min. | at St.L. | 24 | 212 | 8.8 | 1 |
2012 | • Jamaal Charles, K.C. | Ind. | 22 | 226 | 10.3 | 1 |
2012 | • DeAngelo Williams, Car. | at N.O. | 21 | 210 | 10.0 | 2 |
2012 | • Alfred Morris, Wash. | Dall. | 33 | 200 | 6.1 | 3 |
2013 | • Knowshon Moreno, Den. | at N.E. | 37 | 224 | 6.1 | 1 |
2013 | Adrian Peterson, Min. | Chi. | 35 | 211 | 6.0 | 0 |
2013 | • LeSean McCoy, Phil. | Det. | 29 | 217 | 7.5 | 2 |
2014 | LeVeon Bell, Pitt. | at Tenn. | 33 | 204 | 6.2 | 1 |
2014 | • Jonas Gray, N.E. | at Ind. | 37 | 201 | 5.4 | 4 |
2015 | • Adrian Peterson, Min. | at Oak. | 26 | 203 | 7.8 | 1 |
2015 | • Thomas Rawls, Sea. | S.F. | 30 | 209 | 7.0 | 1 |
2015 | • Doug Martin, T.B. | at Phil. | 27 | 235 | 8.7 | 0 |
2016 | • Jay Ajayi, Mia. | Pitt. | 25 | 204 | 8.2 | 2 |
—Ian Allan