In PPR leagues, it’s tough for a running back to finish with top production if he’s not involved in the passing game. That’s worrying with backs like Derrick Henry and Nick Chubb.
In PPR, it’s pretty accurate to thinking of those leagues as “receiving production counts double”. If a running back catches 2 passes for 20 yards, that’s the same as a running back running for 40 yards with no receptions.
So when a running back isn’t catching many balls, it’s hard for him to really light up the scoreboard. It happens on occasion, but generally it’s better to role with running backs who are catching 60-plus passes.
In the last 20 years, only 11 running backs have caught fewer than 20 passes and still finished with top-10 numbers. That includes Henry last year.
Only 14 other backs have finished with fewer than 30 catches and still posted top-10 numbers. That includes another former Alabama back last year – Mark Ingram.
Chubb, I think, is part of that discussion because the Browns also have Kareem Hunt. When Hunt was activated for the second half of last year, they started using him as their primary back in obvious passing situations, with Chubb’s role declining. (Chubb caught 25 passes in his first eight games last year, but only 11 in the second half of the season.)
Here are the 25 backs in the last 20 years who’ve put up top-10 PPR numbers without catching 30 passes. The 11 who didn’t even catch 20 balls are tagged with black dots.
| TOP-10 BACKS WITH FEWER THAN 30 CATCHES | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Player | No | Re Yds | Ru Yds | TD | PPR | Rk |
| 2001 | • Antowain Smith, N.E. | 19 | 192 | 1,157 | 13 | 231.9 | 10 |
| 2003 | Jamal Lewis, Balt. | 26 | 205 | 2,066 | 14 | 337.1 | 4 |
| 2004 | • Corey Dillon, N.E. | 15 | 103 | 1,635 | 13 | 268.8 | 8 |
| 2004 | • Rudi Johnson, Cin. | 15 | 84 | 1,454 | 12 | 240.8 | 10 |
| 2004 | Shaun Alexander, Sea. | 23 | 170 | 1,696 | 20 | 329.6 | 4 |
| 2005 | • Shaun Alexander, Sea. | 15 | 78 | 1,880 | 28 | 378.8 | 1 |
| 2005 | Rudi Johnson, Cin. | 23 | 90 | 1,458 | 12 | 249.8 | 8 |
| 2007 | • Adrian Peterson, Min. | 19 | 268 | 1,341 | 13 | 257.9 | 5 |
| 2008 | • Michael Turner, Atl. | 6 | 41 | 1,699 | 17 | 282.0 | 4 |
| 2008 | Adrian Peterson, Min. | 21 | 125 | 1,760 | 10 | 269.5 | 9 |
| 2008 | Clinton Portis, Was. | 28 | 218 | 1,487 | 9 | 252.5 | 10 |
| 2008 | DeAngelo Williams, Car. | 22 | 121 | 1,515 | 20 | 307.6 | 1 |
| 2009 | • Thomas Jones, NYJ | 10 | 58 | 1,402 | 14 | 240.0 | 9 |
| 2011 | • Michael Turner, Atl. | 17 | 168 | 1,340 | 11 | 233.8 | 8 |
| 2011 | Marshawn Lynch, Sea. | 28 | 212 | 1,204 | 13 | 247.6 | 6 |
| 2012 | • Alfred Morris, Was. | 11 | 77 | 1,613 | 13 | 258.0 | 7 |
| 2012 | Frank Gore, S.F. | 28 | 234 | 1,214 | 10 | 232.8 | 10 |
| 2012 | Marshawn Lynch, Sea. | 23 | 196 | 1,590 | 12 | 273.6 | 5 |
| 2013 | Adrian Peterson, Min. | 29 | 171 | 1,266 | 11 | 238.7 | 10 |
| 2014 | Jeremy Hill, Cin. | 27 | 215 | 1,124 | 9 | 214.9 | 10 |
| 2015 | Todd Gurley, St.L. | 21 | 188 | 1,106 | 10 | 210.4 | 9 |
| 2016 | • LeGarrette Blount, N.E. | 7 | 38 | 1,161 | 18 | 234.9 | 9 |
| 2016 | Jordan Howard, Chi. | 29 | 298 | 1,313 | 7 | 232.1 | 10 |
| 2019 | • Derrick Henry, Ten. | 18 | 206 | 1,540 | 18 | 300.6 | 5 |
| 2019 | Mark Ingram, Balt. | 26 | 247 | 1,018 | 15 | 246.5 | 10 |
—Ian Allan