Following up on the Kyler Murray story I posted a couple of days ago. Murray suggested he'd run less this season, in order to protect himself from injury. That could happen, but most likely he'll still be one of the league's better running quarterbacks. Two years into his career, he's been one of the very best in this regard from the past decade, even if he's no Cam Newton (pictured).
As a rookie, Murray averaged 34 rushing yards per game. Last year, he was up over 50. Those two totals rank 26th and 7th among all quarterbacks to start at least half the time in a season over the last ten years. Granted, he has a long way to go to challenge Newton, who shows up on this list of the top 50 rushers eight times.
QB RUSHING, 2011-2020 | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Player | Year | GS | Att | Yds | TD | Y/G |
Lamar Jackson | 2019 | 15 | 176 | 1206 | 7 | 80.4 |
Lamar Jackson | 2020 | 15 | 159 | 1005 | 7 | 67.0 |
Robert Griffin III | 2012 | 15 | 120 | 815 | 7 | 54.3 |
Russell Wilson | 2014 | 16 | 118 | 849 | 6 | 53.1 |
Josh Allen | 2018 | 11 | 89 | 631 | 8 | 52.6 |
Terrelle Pryor | 2013 | 9 | 83 | 576 | 2 | 52.4 |
Kyler Murray | 2020 | 16 | 133 | 819 | 11 | 51.2 |
Cam Newton | 2017 | 16 | 139 | 754 | 6 | 47.1 |
Tim Tebow | 2011 | 11 | 122 | 660 | 6 | 47.1 |
Cam Newton | 2012 | 16 | 127 | 741 | 8 | 46.3 |
Michael Vick | 2011 | 13 | 76 | 589 | 1 | 45.3 |
Cam Newton | 2011 | 16 | 126 | 706 | 14 | 44.1 |
Tyrod Taylor | 2015 | 14 | 104 | 568 | 4 | 40.6 |
Colin Kaepernick | 2014 | 16 | 104 | 639 | 1 | 39.9 |
Cam Newton | 2015 | 16 | 132 | 636 | 10 | 39.8 |
Cam Newton | 2020 | 15 | 137 | 592 | 12 | 39.5 |
Colin Kaepernick | 2016 | 11 | 69 | 468 | 2 | 39.0 |
Tyrod Taylor | 2016 | 15 | 95 | 580 | 6 | 38.7 |
Cam Newton | 2014 | 14 | 103 | 539 | 5 | 38.5 |
Robert Griffin III | 2013 | 13 | 86 | 489 | 0 | 37.6 |
Russell Wilson | 2017 | 16 | 95 | 586 | 3 | 36.6 |
Cam Newton | 2013 | 16 | 111 | 585 | 6 | 36.6 |
Cam Newton | 2018 | 14 | 101 | 488 | 4 | 34.9 |
Russell Wilson | 2015 | 16 | 103 | 553 | 1 | 34.6 |
Deshaun Watson | 2018 | 16 | 99 | 551 | 5 | 34.4 |
Kyler Murray | 2019 | 16 | 93 | 544 | 4 | 34.0 |
Russell Wilson | 2013 | 16 | 96 | 539 | 1 | 33.7 |
Michael Vick | 2012 | 10 | 62 | 332 | 1 | 33.2 |
Colin Kaepernick | 2013 | 16 | 92 | 524 | 4 | 32.8 |
Russell Wilson | 2020 | 16 | 83 | 513 | 2 | 32.1 |
Josh Allen | 2019 | 16 | 109 | 510 | 9 | 31.9 |
Alex Smith | 2015 | 16 | 84 | 498 | 2 | 31.1 |
Russell Wilson | 2012 | 16 | 94 | 489 | 4 | 30.6 |
Daniel Jones | 2020 | 14 | 65 | 423 | 1 | 30.2 |
Mitchell Trubisky | 2018 | 14 | 68 | 421 | 3 | 30.1 |
Blake Bortles | 2014 | 13 | 56 | 419 | 0 | 29.9 |
Alex Smith | 2013 | 15 | 76 | 431 | 1 | 28.7 |
Taysom Hill | 2020 | 8 | 87 | 457 | 8 | 28.6 |
Tyrod Taylor | 2017 | 14 | 84 | 427 | 4 | 28.5 |
Colin Kaepernick | 2015 | 8 | 45 | 256 | 1 | 28.4 |
Blake Bortles | 2018 | 12 | 58 | 365 | 1 | 28.1 |
DeShone Kizer | 2017 | 15 | 77 | 419 | 5 | 27.9 |
Deshaun Watson | 2020 | 16 | 90 | 444 | 3 | 27.8 |
Deshaun Watson | 2019 | 15 | 82 | 413 | 7 | 27.5 |
Jake Locker | 2012 | 11 | 41 | 291 | 1 | 26.5 |
Josh Allen | 2020 | 16 | 102 | 421 | 8 | 26.3 |
Marcus Mariota | 2018 | 13 | 64 | 357 | 2 | 25.5 |
Jameis Winston | 2018 | 9 | 49 | 281 | 1 | 25.5 |
Most of the other standouts on this list aren't surprising; Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, Russell Wilson.
But one intriguing one, to me at least, is Tyrod Taylor. When he was starting regularly (pre-Josh Allen in Buffalo) he averaged 30-40 rushing yards per game in three straight seasons. Taylor is in Houston now, and I think there's a really good chance he starts half the season or more. Makes some sense as a later-round pick in best-ball leagues drafting now, or perhaps a spot starter. For as long as he keeps the job/Deshaun Watson is suspended/traded/otherwise, Taylor will have some fantasy value for what he can do with his legs.
--Andy Richardson