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David Montgomery Part II

History of 20-carry per game running backs

A followup to a post on David Montgomery the other day. I think he's a little underrated. We know that preseason hyperbole is rampant, so when Matt Nagy says the hope is to get Montgomery 20 carries per game, he's exaggerating. It's unlikely to happen. But what if it does?

Tarik Cohen and Damien Williams are the other noteworthy running backs on the roster, but Cohen is coming off a torn ACL and Williams opted out of last year. We can say with some degree of confidence that Montgomery will be a workhorse, in an offense led by either Andy Dalton or rookie Justin Fields (so they should run a lot).

Since 2000, there have been 76 running backs to play at least 15 games and average 20-plus carries per game. With that kind of workload, you're generally looking at a top-10 running back.

Of those 76 running backs, 57 have ranked in the top 10 at their position. That's exactly 75 percent. Only six have failed to rank at least in the top 15, held back by either not having a passing game role (Jerome Bettis) or not scoring enough (Willie Parker, Curtis Martin). Opportunity counts for a lot in this game of ours.

RBS WITH 20 CARRIES/GAME, 2000-PRESENT (15-16) GAMES
YearPlayerGAttRunNoRecTDFFAtt/GRk
2005Shaun Alexander, Sea.163701880157828378.823.11
2009Chris Johnson, Ten.1635820065050316398.922.41
2012Adrian Peterson, Min.1634820974021713351.421.81
2006LaDainian Tomlinson, S.D.1634818155650831483.321.81
2010Arian Foster, Hou.1632716166660418396.020.41
2004Tiki Barber, NYG1632215185257815351.620.11
2003Priest Holmes, K.C.1632014207469027447.020.01
2014DeMarco Murray, Dall.1639218455741613361.124.52
2000Edgerrin James, Ind.1638717096359418403.324.22
2002LaDainian Tomlinson, S.D.1637216837948915386.223.32
2006Steven Jackson, St.L.1634615289080616419.421.62
2005LaDainian Tomlinson, S.D.1633914625137020368.621.22
2015Adrian Peterson, Min.1632714853022211266.720.42
2001Priest Holmes, K.C.1632715556261410338.920.42
2004LaDainian Tomlinson, S.D.1533913355344118340.522.62
2016Ezekiel Elliott, Dall.1532216313236316327.421.52
2017LeVeon Bell, Pitt.1532112918565511345.621.42
2006Larry Johnson, K.C.1641617894141019374.926.03
2000Eddie George, Ten.1640315095045316342.225.23
2002Ricky Williams, Mia.1638318534736317370.623.93
2020Derrick Henry, Ten.1637820271911417337.123.63
2003Ahman Green, G.B.1635518835036720395.022.23
2012Arian Foster, Hou.1635114244021717306.121.93
2005Larry Johnson, K.C.1633617503334321368.321.03
2007Clinton Portis, Was.1632512624738911282.920.33
2004Domanick Williams, Hou.1530211886858814329.620.13
2003Jamal Lewis, Balt.1638720662620514337.124.24
2008Michael Turner, Atl.16376169964117282.023.54
2005Tiki Barber, NYG1635718605453011361.022.34
2004Shaun Alexander, Sea.1635316962317020329.622.14
2011Maurice Jones-Drew, Jac.1634316064337411307.021.44
2004Curtis Martin, NYJ1637116974124514319.223.25
2003Deuce McAllister, N.O.163511641695168332.721.95
2001Curtis Martin, NYJ1633315135332010301.220.85
2005Edgerrin James, Ind.1536015064433714312.324.05
2018Ezekiel Elliott, Dall.153041434775679331.120.35
2019Derrick Henry, Ten.1530315401820618300.620.25
2001LaDainian Tomlinson, S.D.1633912365936710279.321.26
2004Edgerrin James, Ind.163341548514839310.120.96
2006Tiki Barber, NYG163271662584655300.720.46
2005Clinton Portis, Was.1635215163021611276.122.07
2006Willie Parker, Pitt.1633714943122216298.621.17
2012Alfred Morris, Was.163351613117713258.020.97
2003Shaun Alexander, Sea.1632614354229516311.020.47
2003Fred Taylor, Jac.163451572483707284.221.68
2001Corey Dillon, Cin.1634013153422813266.321.38
2005Rudi Johnson, Cin.163371458239012249.821.18
2004Corey Dillon, N.E.1534516351510313268.823.08
2002Deuce McAllister, N.O.1532513884735216317.021.78
2009Steven Jackson, St.L.153241416513224248.821.68
2003Ricky Williams, Mia.1639213725035110282.324.59
2008Adrian Peterson, Min.1636317602112510269.522.79
2009Thomas Jones, NYJ163311402105814240.020.79
2002Travis Henry, Buff.1632514384330914301.720.39
2004Clinton Portis, Was.153431315402357241.822.99
2004Rudi Johnson, Cin.163611454158412240.822.610
2008Clinton Portis, Was.163421487282189252.521.410
2006Rudi Johnson, Cin.1634113092312412238.321.311
2010Rashard Mendenhall, Pitt.1632412732316713245.020.311
2005Thomas Jones, Chi.153141335261439227.820.911
2010Steven Jackson, St.L.163301241463836244.420.612
2000Stephen Davis, Was.1533213183331311262.122.112
2007Edgerrin James, Ariz.163241222242047208.620.313
2003Travis Henry, Buff.1533113562815811245.422.113
2000Lamar Smith, Mia.1530911393120116261.020.613
2001Stephen Davis, Was.163561432282055223.722.314
2002Eddie George, Ten.1634311653625514262.021.414
2010Michael Turner, Atl.163341371128512229.620.914
2006Chester Taylor, Min.153031216422886228.420.214
2000James Stewart, Det.1633911843228711249.121.215
2005Willis McGahee, Buff.163251247281785200.520.316
2010Cedric Benson, Cin.163211111281788206.920.116
2006Edgerrin James, Ariz.163371159382176211.621.117
2003Curtis Martin, NYJ163231308422622211.020.218
2007Willie Parker, Pitt.153211316231642183.021.420
2000Jerome Bettis, Pitt.16355134113978204.822.222

Twenty carries per game isn't easy, especially today. Last year Derrick Henry (pictured) was the only guy who did it. Not gonna happen for Montgomery, especially on what might be a losing team.

But a big workload for Montgomery, whatever it actually turns out being, should yield a really good running back.

--Andy Richardson

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