Factoid

February 08, 2020

Handcuff running backs

Backups play big roles in fantasy leagues

At what point should we start selecting backup running backs? These guys tend to be lightly regarded during drafts, but invariably they account for a lot of notable games before the season is through.

For example, there were 95 games during the 2019 season that a running back ran for at least 100 yards. By my count, 21 of those games were authored by backs who weren’t the first chosen in drafts backs in August. (That’s using ADP data for PPR leagues).

I’ve got those guys in bold. Two of those players weren’t even one of the top 2 chosen on their teams, and I’ve got them also tagged with dots. Raheem Mostert (pictured) and Jonathan Williams. Benny Snell almost had one of those games for the Steelers (at Cincinnati).

100-YARD RUSHERS IN 2019 SEASON
Player	Opp	Result	Att	Yards	Avg	TD
Leonard Fournette, JAC	at DEN	W 26-24	29	225	7.8	0
• Raheem Mostert, SF	GB	W 37-20	29	220	7.6	4
Derrick Henry, TEN	at HOU	W 35-14	32	211	6.6	3
Derrick Henry, TEN	at BAL	W 28-12	30	195	6.5	0
Derrick Henry, TEN	KC	W 35-32	23	188	8.2	2
Derrick Henry, TEN	at NE	W 20-13	34	182	5.4	1
Christian McCaffrey, CAR	JAC	W 34-27	19	176	9.3	2
Marlon Mack, IND	at LAC	L 24-30	25	174	7.0	1
Kenyan Drake, ARI	at SEA	W 27-13	24	166	6.9	2
Nick Chubb, CLE	at BAL	W 40-25	20	165	8.3	3
Joe Mixon, CIN	CLE	W 33-23	26	162	6.2	2
Carlos Hyde, HOU	at JAC	W 26-3	19	160	8.4	0
Derrick Henry, TEN	JAC	W 42-20	19	159	8.4	2
Aaron Jones, GB	at MIN	W 23-10	23	154	6.7	2
Dalvin Cook, MIN	at GB	L 16-21	20	154	7.7	1
Christian McCaffrey, CAR	at ARI	W 38-20	24	153	6.4	1
Derrick Henry, TEN	at IND	W 31-17	26	149	5.7	1
• Raheem Mostert, SF	at BAL	L 17-20	19	146	7.7	1
Joe Mixon, CIN	at CLE	L 19-27	23	146	6.4	1
Christian McCaffrey, CAR	TEN	W 30-20	24	146	6.1	2
James Conner, PIT	MIA	W 27-14	23	145	6.3	1
Dalvin Cook, MIN	at DET	W 42-30	25	142	5.7	2
Ezekiel Elliott, DAL	at NYG	W 37-18	23	139	6.0	0
Kenyan Drake, ARI	CLE	W 38-24	22	137	6.2	4
Joe Mixon, CIN	NE	L 13-34	25	136	5.4	0
David Montgomery, CHI	LAC	L 16-17	27	135	5.0	1
Aaron Jones, GB	WAS	W 20-15	16	134	8.4	1
Dalvin Cook, MIN	at NYG	W 28-10	21	132	6.3	0
Marlon Mack, IND	at KC	W 19-13	29	132	4.6	0
Leonard Fournette, JAC	at CIN	W 27-17	29	131	4.5	0
Nick Chubb, CLE	at NE	L 13-27	20	131	6.6	0
Tony Pollard, DAL	LAR	W 44-21	12	131	10.9	1
Gus Edwards, BAL	PIT	W 28-10	21	130	6.2	0
Rashaad Penny, SEA	at PHI	W 17-9	14	129	9.2	1
Derrius Guice, WAS	at CAR	W 29-21	10	129	12.9	2
Christian McCaffrey, CAR	LAR	L 27-30	19	128	6.7	2
Nick Chubb, CLE	at ARI	L 24-38	17	127	7.5	1
Chase Edmonds, ARI	at NYG	W 27-21	27	126	4.7	3
Damien Williams, KC	MIN	W 26-23	12	125	10.4	1
Ezekiel Elliott, DAL	MIA	W 31-6	19	125	6.6	0
Kerryon Johnson, DET	KC	L 30-34	26	125	4.8	0
Josh Jacobs, OAK	at GB	L 24-42	21	124	5.9	0
Damien Williams, KC	LAC	W 31-21	12	124	10.3	2
Josh Jacobs, OAK	CHI	W 24-21	26	123	4.7	2
Miles Sanders, PHI	at WAS	W 37-27	19	122	6.4	1
Ezekiel Elliott, DAL	WAS	W 47-16	18	122	6.8	1
Nick Chubb, CLE	SEA	L 28-32	20	122	6.1	2
Josh Jacobs, OAK	DET	W 31-24	28	120	4.3	2
Latavius Murray, NO	at CHI	W 36-25	27	119	4.4	2
Adrian Peterson, WAS	at MIA	W 17-16	23	118	5.1	0
Christian McCaffrey, CAR	at SF	L 13-51	14	117	8.4	1
Ezekiel Elliott, DAL	LAR	W 44-21	24	117	4.9	2
Carlos Hyde, HOU	at KC	W 31-24	26	116	4.5	1
• Jonathan Williams, IND	JAC	W 33-13	13	116	8.9	0
Aaron Jones, GB	MIN	W 21-16	23	116	5.0	1
Nick Chubb, CLE	BUF	W 19-16	20	116	5.8	0
Mark Ingram, BAL	NE	W 37-20	15	115	7.7	0
Phillip Lindsay, DEN	at LAC	W 20-13	15	114	7.6	1
Joe Mixon, CIN	BAL	L 13-49	30	114	3.8	0
David Montgomery, CHI	at MIN	W 21-19	23	113	4.9	1
Gus Edwards, BAL	HOU	W 41-7	8	112	14.0	1
Josh Jacobs, OAK	CIN	W 17-10	23	112	4.9	0
Ezekiel Elliott, DAL	at WAS	W 31-21	23	111	4.8	1
Mark Ingram, BAL	at LAR	W 45-6	15	111	7.4	1
Dalvin Cook, MIN	ATL	W 28-12	21	111	5.3	2
Ezekiel Elliott, DAL	PHI	W 37-10	22	111	5.1	1
Dalvin Cook, MIN	OAK	W 34-14	16	110	6.9	1
Kenyan Drake, ARI	SF	L 25-28	15	110	7.3	1
Frank Gore, BUF	NE	L 10-16	17	109	6.4	0
Marlon Mack, IND	JAC	W 33-13	14	109	7.8	1
Phillip Lindsay, DEN	DET	W 27-17	19	109	5.7	1
Adrian Peterson, WAS	at BUF	L 9-24	18	108	6.0	0
Christian McCaffrey, CAR	at GB	L 16-24	20	108	5.4	1
Leonard Fournette, JAC	at CAR	L 27-34	23	108	4.7	1
Melvin Gordon, LAC	at OAK	L 24-26	22	108	4.9	1
Aaron Jones, GB	at DAL	W 34-24	19	107	5.6	4
Mark Ingram, BAL	at MIA	W 59-10	14	107	7.6	2
Ronald Jones, TAM	ATL	L 22-28	11	106	9.6	0
Devin Singletary, BUF	DEN	W 20-3	21	106	5.1	0
Nick Chubb, CLE	CIN	W 27-19	15	106	7.1	0
Ezekiel Elliott, DAL	at NYJ	L 22-24	28	105	3.8	1
Tevin Coleman, SF	CAR	W 51-13	11	105	9.6	3
Tevin Coleman, SF	MIN	W 27-10	22	105	4.8	2
Damien Williams, KC	SF	W 31-20	17	104	6.1	1
• Jonathan Williams, IND	at HOU	L 17-20	26	104	4.0	1
Carlos Hyde, HOU	at TEN	W 24-21	26	104	4.0	1
Josh Jacobs, OAK	at KC	L 9-40	17	104	6.1	0
Jamaal Williams, GB	DET	W 23-22	14	104	7.4	0
Derrick Henry, TEN	at OAK	W 42-21	18	103	5.7	2
Mark Ingram, BAL	at KC	L 28-33	16	103	6.4	3
Tony Pollard, DAL	MIA	W 31-6	13	103	7.9	1
Latavius Murray, NO	ARI	W 31-9	21	102	4.9	1
Austin Ekeler, LAC	at JAC	W 45-10	8	101	12.6	0
Aaron Jones, GB	at DET	W 23-20	25	100	4.0	0
Derrick Henry, TEN	at ATL	W 24-10	27	100	3.7	0

—Ian Allan

Raheem Mostert

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