David Montgomery is replacing Jamaal Williams in Detroit, so I took notice when those two showed up together in one of the stat charts I like to track.

It can be useful, I think, to look at how backs on the same team compare. You’ve got two players running behind the same line, often running similar plays in similar situations, so it can be telling when one is better than the others.

Breece Hall, for example. We saw him bust some runs before he went down with a torn ACL, looking like and up-and-coming back, and that’s supported by the numbers. He averaged over 2 more yards per carry than New York’s other running backs.

In the case of Montgomery and Williams, they both averaged about a yard less per carry than the other running backs on their teams. When those teams had D’Andre Swift and Khalil Herbert on the field, they were busting more long runs.

In the case of Williams and Swift, it must be pointed out, it’s not an apples-to-apples comparison. Williams handled a lot more of the short-yardage situations, and it’s tougher to pick up yards on those plays. When a player is coming in as a change-of-pace, running more draws, it’s easier to pick up yards.

In general, I like Montgomery. I think he’s a little better than Williams, and I think he’s going to be scoring the bulk of the short touchdowns for that offense (and the Lions ran for 23 TDs last year). Nonetheless, I saw it, and I’m passing it along.

RUNNING BACKS VS. OTHERS ON THEIR OWN TEAM
TeamTeam leaderRushingOther RBsDiff
NY JetsBreece Hall80-463-5.78258-947-3.672.12
ClevelandNick Chubb302-1525-5.04136-493-3.621.42
HoustonDameon Pierce220-939-4.26112-321-2.861.40
DallasTony Pollard193-1007-5.21269-1037-3.851.36
LA ChargersAustin Ekeler204-915-4.48140-461-3.291.19
Green BayAaron Jones213-1121-5.26197-808-4.101.16
BaltimoreJ.K. Dobbins92-520-5.65260-1211-4.65.99
JacksonvilleTravis Etienne220-1125-5.11139-576-4.14.97
MiamiRaheem Mostert181-891-4.92154-610-3.96.96
MinnesotaDalvin Cook264-1173-4.4493-324-3.48.96
Kansas CityIsiah Pacheco170-830-4.88165-670-4.06.82
Las VegasJosh Jacobs340-1653-4.8638-156-4.10.76
New EnglandRhamondre Stevenson210-1040-4.95144-623-4.32.63
IndianapolisJonathan Taylor192-861-4.48190-744-3.91.57
PhiladelphiaMiles Sanders259-1269-4.89109-476-4.36.53
New OrleansAlvin Kamara223-897-4.02107-383-3.57.44
ArizonaJames Conner183-782-4.27133-516-3.87.39
LA RamsCam Akers188-786-4.18132-524-3.96.21
NY GiantsSaquon Barkley295-1312-4.4485-361-4.24.20
AtlantaTyler Allgeier210-1035-4.92245-1174-4.79.14
WashingtonBrian Robinson205-797-3.88228-879-3.85.03
TennesseeDerrick Henry349-1538-4.4061-275-4.50-.10
Tampa BayLeonard Fournette189-668-3.53154-562-3.64-.11
CarolinaD'Onta Foreman203-914-4.50212-979-4.61-.12
San FranciscoChristian McCaffrey159-746-4.69233-1156-4.96-.27
CincinnatiJoe Mixon210-814-3.87101-424-4.19-.32
SeattleKenneth Walker228-1050-4.60123-629-5.11-.51
BuffaloDevin Singletary177-819-4.62114-599-5.25-.63
PittsburghNajee Harris272-1034-3.80112-520-4.64-.84
DenverMelvin Gordon90-318-3.53277-1222-4.41-.88
DetroitJamaal Williams262-1066-4.06165-818-4.95-.89
ChicagoDavid Montgomery201-801-3.98167-849-5.08-1.10

—Ian Allan