Coaches say the darnedest things. Norv Turner takes the cake for today, indicating that it’s realistic for Christian McCaffrey to get 25-30 touches per game. Yet another indication we need less talking and more on-field action.
Turner at least has all the bases covered. Back when he took Carolina’s offensive coordinator gig, he suggested McCaffrey was better suited for a part-time role. (And that’s how I expect it will play out; McCaffrey probably will catch 60-plus passes, but C.J. Anderson I think will run for more yards and score more rushing touchdowns.)
"That hard-nosed running between the tackles he can certainly do, but I don't know that's what you want to lead with him,” Turner told a writer for the team’s website back in January.
Now Turner is sizing up McCaffrey as the next LaDainian Tomlinson. If McCaffrey were to average 30 touches, that would put him up at 480 in 16-game season – just 12 off the NFL record held by James Wilder (who’s also, by the way, was my second-round pick in my first-ever fantasy draft).
If McCaffrey were to average 25 touches, that would work out to 400 for the season – over double his total from last year. In this century, only 18 running backs have handled the ball at least 400 times in a season.
RUNNING BACKS WITH 400-PLUS TOUCHES | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Player | Touches | Rec | Run | Total | TD |
2006 | Larry Johnson, K.C. | 457 | 410 | 1,789 | 2,199 | 19 |
2000 | Eddie George, Tenn. | 453 | 453 | 1,509 | 1,962 | 16 |
2002 | LaDainian Tomlinson, S.D. | 451 | 489 | 1,683 | 2,172 | 15 |
2000 | Edgerrin James, Ind. | 450 | 594 | 1,709 | 2,303 | 18 |
2014 | DeMarco Murray, Dall. | 449 | 416 | 1,845 | 2,261 | 13 |
2003 | Ricky Williams, Mia. | 442 | 351 | 1,372 | 1,723 | 10 |
2006 | Steven Jackson, St.L. | 436 | 806 | 1,528 | 2,334 | 16 |
2002 | Ricky Williams, Mia. | 430 | 363 | 1,853 | 2,216 | 17 |
2003 | Deuce McAllister, N.O. | 420 | 516 | 1,641 | 2,157 | 8 |
2003 | LaDainian Tomlinson, S.D. | 413 | 725 | 1,645 | 2,370 | 17 |
2003 | Jamal Lewis, Balt. | 413 | 205 | 2,066 | 2,271 | 14 |
2004 | Curtis Martin, NYJ | 412 | 245 | 1,697 | 1,942 | 14 |
2005 | Tiki Barber, NYG | 411 | 530 | 1,860 | 2,390 | 11 |
2009 | Chris Johnson, Tenn. | 408 | 503 | 2,006 | 2,509 | 16 |
2017 | LeVeon Bell, Pitt. | 406 | 655 | 1,291 | 1,946 | 11 |
2003 | Ahman Green, G.B. | 405 | 367 | 1,883 | 2,250 | 20 |
2006 | LaDainian Tomlinson, S.D. | 404 | 508 | 1,815 | 2,323 | 31 |
2005 | Edgerrin James, Ind. | 404 | 337 | 1,506 | 1,843 | 14 |
—Ian Allan