What do we make of James White and Tarik Cohen? These players won’t run for a lot of yards, but they’re integral to their team’s passing offenses, making them viable fantasy possibilities.
If you’ve a running back who’s going to catch 70-plus passes, and you’re using PPR scoring, those guys are going to have some value, even if they’re only being sprinkled into the running game. That’s how that scoring system works. The receiving production is more valuable than the rushing. (In PPR, if a running back catches 5 passes for 50 yards, that’s the same as a rushing for 100.)
For me, I see White and Cohen going in the second ten. They’re going to continue to catch a bunch of passes, so I think they’re safe choices. They’re also less likely to get hurt than traditional running backs. They both ranked in the top dozen in scoring (using PPR last year).
Kenyan Drake in Miami might fit this same profile. He’s a good pass catcher, and I think he’ll be a big part of their new offense in that way.
Before are the PPR point totals for the last 10 years. I see 35 running backs who ranked in the top 25 in scoring in their season despite rushing for fewer than 600 yards. Most of these guys are third-down or change-of-pace backs.
The 2018 players are in bold.
RUNNING BACKS: UNDER 600 RUSHING YARDS | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Player | Receiving | Rushing | PPR | Rk |
2018 | James White, N.E. | 87-751-7 | 94-425-5 | 276.6 | 7 |
2015 | Danny Woodhead, S.D. | 80-755-6 | 98-336-3 | 243.1 | 3 |
2018 | Tarik Cohen, Chi. | 71-725-5 | 99-444-3 | 240.0 | 11 |
2017 | Christian McCaffrey, Car. | 80-651-5 | 117-435-2 | 230.6 | 9 |
2013 | Danny Woodhead, N.E. | 76-605-6 | 106-429-2 | 227.4 | 12 |
2017 | Duke Johnson, Clev. | 74-693-3 | 82-348-4 | 220.1 | 11 |
2015 | David Johnson, Ariz. | 36-457-4 | 125-581-8 | 217.8 | 7 |
2012 | Darren Sproles, N.O. | 75-667-7 | 48-244-1 | 216.1 | 13 |
2009 | Tim Hightower, Ariz. | 63-428-0 | 143-598-8 | 213.6 | 14 |
2013 | Pierre Thomas, N.O. | 77-513-3 | 147-549-2 | 213.2 | 16 |
2018 | Kenyan Drake, Mia. | 53-477-5 | 120-535-4 | 208.2 | 14 |
2011 | Mike Tolbert, S.D. | 54-433-2 | 121-490-8 | 206.3 | 16 |
2010 | Jahvid Best, Det. | 58-487-2 | 171-555-4 | 198.2 | 20 |
2014 | Matt Asiata, Minn. | 44-312-1 | 164-570-9 | 196.2 | 14 |
2016 | Tevin Coleman, Atl. | 31-421-3 | 118-520-8 | 191.1 | 20 |
2014 | Fred Jackson, Buff. | 66-501-1 | 141-525-2 | 188.6 | 16 |
2013 | Charles Clay, Mia. | 69-759-6 | 7-15-1 | 188.4 | 19 |
2011 | Pierre Thomas, N.O. | 50-425-1 | 110-562-5 | 184.7 | 21 |
2015 | Charles Sims, T.B. | 51-561-4 | 107-529-0 | 184.0 | 16 |
2017 | Jerick McKinnon, Minn. | 51-421-2 | 150-570-3 | 182.1 | 17 |
2015 | Theo Riddick, Det. | 80-697-3 | 43-133-0 | 181.0 | 19 |
2013 | Darren Sproles, N.O. | 71-604-2 | 53-220-2 | 177.4 | 24 |
2009 | Darren Sproles, S.D. | 45-497-4 | 93-343-3 | 177.0 | 25 |
2018 | T.J. Yeldon, Jac. | 55-487-4 | 104-414-1 | 175.1 | 22 |
2018 | Austin Ekeler, LAC | 39-404-3 | 106-554-3 | 170.8 | 25 |
2017 | Javorius Allen, Balt. | 46-250-2 | 153-591-4 | 166.1 | 24 |
2014 | Shane Vereen, N.E. | 52-447-3 | 96-391-2 | 165.8 | 20 |
2015 | Duke Johnson, Clev. | 61-534-2 | 104-379-0 | 164.3 | 24 |
2010 | Danny Woodhead, N.E. | 34-379-1 | 97-547-5 | 162.6 | 25 |
2016 | Darren Sproles, Phil. | 52-427-2 | 94-438-2 | 162.5 | 24 |
2016 | Theo Riddick, Det. | 53-371-5 | 92-357-1 | 161.8 | 25 |
2012 | Joique Bell, Det. | 52-485-0 | 82-414-3 | 159.9 | 23 |
2014 | Darren Sproles, Phil. | 40-387-0 | 57-329-6 | 159.6 | 22 |
2014 | Ahmad Bradshaw, Ind. | 38-300-6 | 90-425-2 | 158.5 | 23 |
2012 | Danny Woodhead, N.E. | 40-446-3 | 76-301-4 | 156.7 | 24 |
—Ian Allan