It was an historic class of wideouts, with more drafted in the first two rounds than ever before, and a noteworthy one for offensive tackles -- four drafted in the top 13 for just the second time since 1992. But it looks like teams also had some fondness for the incoming running backs.
Just one, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, selected in the first round, of course, but five selected in Round 2 last night. That's rare: it's happened only one other time this century. (On average, 2.4 running backs have been selected in the second round since 2000; half as many.)
The downside from a fantasy perspective is that three of those guys -- D'Andre Swift, Jonathan Taylor and AJ Dillon -- were drafted by teams that have a young, established starter at the position (Colts and Packers certainly, Lions to a lesser extent). J.K. Dobbins (pictured) goes to the league's best rushing team (Ravens) but will need to bide his time, at least initially, behind Mark Ingram and probably Gus Edwards. Cam Akers to the Rams has the least in front of him (Darrell Henderson and Malcolm Brown).
With all of these guys, there was at least a little hope they'd go to a team where their odds were better of being an early starter -- Miami, or perhaps Pittsburgh or Tampa Bay. (The Bucs did select a third-round prospect, KeShawn Vaughn, and in redraft leagues he might be selected before most of the second rounders.)
Anyway, here are the 47 second-rounders from the last 20 years, with their rookie numbers shown. About half (24) of those players finished under 500 total yards as rookies. A little more than a fifth (10) finished with top-25 fantasy numbers (PPR); those guys are in bold. Statistically, those are the odds that these players will have a significant rookie season.
2ND-ROUND RUNNING BACKS, ROOKIE PERFORMANCE (2000-) | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Pk | Player | Att | Yds | No | Rec | Tot | TD | Rk |
2019 | 53 | Miles Sanders, Phil. | 179 | 818 | 50 | 509 | 1327 | 6 | 15 |
2018 | 35 | Nick Chubb, Clev. | 192 | 996 | 20 | 149 | 1145 | 10 | 17 |
2018 | 43 | Kerryon Johnson, Det. | 118 | 641 | 32 | 213 | 854 | 4 | 33 |
2018 | 38 | Ronald Jones, T.B. | 23 | 44 | 7 | 33 | 77 | 1 | 95 |
2018 | 59 | Derrius Guice, Wash. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -- |
2017 | 48 | Joe Mixon, Cin. | 178 | 626 | 30 | 287 | 913 | 4 | 33 |
2017 | 41 | Dalvin Cook, Minn. | 74 | 354 | 11 | 90 | 444 | 2 | 72 |
2016 | 45 | Derrick Henry, Tenn. | 110 | 490 | 13 | 137 | 627 | 5 | 45 |
2015 | 36 | T.J. Yeldon, Jac. | 182 | 740 | 36 | 279 | 1019 | 3 | 28 |
2015 | 54 | Ameer Abdullah, Det. | 143 | 597 | 25 | 183 | 780 | 3 | 44 |
2014 | 55 | Jeremy Hill, Cin. | 222 | 1124 | 27 | 215 | 1339 | 9 | 10 |
2014 | 54 | Bishop Sankey, Tenn. | 152 | 569 | 18 | 133 | 702 | 2 | 44 |
2014 | 57 | Carlos Hyde, S.F. | 83 | 333 | 12 | 68 | 401 | 4 | 61 |
2013 | 61 | Eddie Lacy, G.B. | 284 | 1178 | 35 | 257 | 1435 | 11 | 8 |
2013 | 37 | Giovani Bernard, Cin. | 170 | 695 | 56 | 514 | 1209 | 8 | 13 |
2013 | 48 | LeVeon Bell, Pitt. | 244 | 860 | 45 | 399 | 1259 | 8 | 15 |
2013 | 58 | Montee Ball, Den. | 120 | 559 | 20 | 145 | 704 | 4 | 43 |
2013 | 62 | Christine Michael, Sea. | 18 | 79 | 0 | 0 | 79 | 0 | 131 |
2012 | 61 | LaMichael James, S.F. | 27 | 125 | 3 | 29 | 154 | 0 | 116 |
2012 | 50 | Isaiah Pead, St.L. | 10 | 54 | 3 | 16 | 70 | 0 | 130 |
2011 | 62 | Daniel Thomas, Mia. | 165 | 581 | 12 | 72 | 653 | 1 | 51 |
2011 | 56 | Shane Vereen, N.E. | 15 | 57 | 0 | 0 | 57 | 1 | 123 |
2011 | 57 | Mikel Leshoure, Det. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -- |
2011 | 38 | Ryan Williams, Ariz. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -- |
2010 | 51 | Toby Gerhart, Minn. | 81 | 322 | 21 | 167 | 489 | 1 | 58 |
2010 | 58 | Ben Tate, Hou. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -- |
2010 | 59 | Montario Hardesty, Clev. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -- |
2009 | 53 | LeSean McCoy, Phil. | 155 | 637 | 40 | 308 | 945 | 4 | 32 |
2008 | 44 | Matt Forte, Chi. | 316 | 1238 | 63 | 477 | 1715 | 12 | 2 |
2008 | 55 | Ray Rice, Balt. | 107 | 454 | 33 | 273 | 727 | 0 | 49 |
2007 | 63 | Brandon Jackson, G.B. | 75 | 267 | 16 | 130 | 397 | 1 | 67 |
2007 | 50 | Chris Henry, Tenn. | 31 | 119 | 6 | 53 | 172 | 2 | -- |
2007 | 49 | Kenny Irons, Cin. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -- |
2006 | 60 | Maurice Jones-Drew, Jac. | 166 | 941 | 46 | 436 | 1377 | 16 | 8 |
2006 | 45 | LenDale White, Tenn. | 61 | 244 | 14 | 60 | 304 | 0 | 72 |
2005 | 44 | J.J. Arrington, Ariz. | 112 | 370 | 25 | 139 | 509 | 2 | 53 |
2005 | 54 | Eric Shelton, Car. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -- |
2004 | 43 | Julius Jones, Dall. | 197 | 819 | 17 | 107 | 926 | 7 | 31 |
2004 | 41 | Tatum Bell, Den. | 75 | 396 | 5 | 80 | 476 | 3 | 63 |
2004 | 55 | Greg Jones, Jac. | 62 | 162 | 3 | 13 | 175 | 3 | 83 |
2002 | 51 | Clinton Portis, Den. | 273 | 1508 | 33 | 364 | 1872 | 17 | 7 |
2002 | 56 | Ladell Betts, Wash. | 65 | 307 | 12 | 154 | 461 | 1 | 62 |
2002 | 54 | Maurice Morris, Sea. | 32 | 153 | 3 | 25 | 178 | 1 | 95 |
2002 | 34 | DeShaun Foster, Car. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -- |
2001 | 38 | Anthony Thomas, Chi. | 278 | 1183 | 22 | 178 | 1361 | 7 | 17 |
2001 | 58 | Travis Henry, Buff. | 213 | 729 | 22 | 179 | 908 | 4 | 30 |
2001 | 49 | LaMont Jordan, NYJ | 39 | 292 | 7 | 44 | 336 | 2 | 72 |
Long-term, incidentally, I think some of these picks are very intriguing. Jonathan Taylor goes to a Colts team that has a great offensive line, and Marlon Mack has had some injury issues. D'Andre Swift joins the Lions where Kerryon Johnson has also been injury-prone, and ordinary when he's on the field. Those rookies might start some games this year, and enable the teams to avoid giving second contracts to those backs. Dobbins can replace Ingram a year or two down the road, Akers could start right away with Henderson having shown nothing, and Dillon should be a nice No. 2 and possible replacement if Aaron Jones gets hurt or leaves after his current contract is up.
But most likely, only one or at most two of these guys will be significant players in 2020. You draft most of them in middle or later rounds and hope they get a chance due to injury. Definitely not as a Week 1 starter.
--Andy Richardson