When free agency kicks off next spring, I think we’re going to be seeing a lot more interest in running backs. That’s been one of the big storylines of the season, as far as I’m concerned. Teams have figured out that there’s value in the position.
Teams routinely hand out big money for wide receivers. There are 27 with contracts averaging at least $20 million. Calvin Ridley signed a deal averaging $23 million. Yet it’s considered reckless to sign a running back for half as much.
The running backs who switched teams this year are changing that narrative. Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry have been about the two most impactful non-quarterbacks in the league. Josh Jacobs and Joe Mixon have hit. J.K. Dobbins, Aaron Jones and D’Andre Swift, to a lesser extent, have helped their teams.
Below see the list of the 25 players who’ve run for over 125 yards in a game. All but nine of these games were authored by running backs who switched to new teams in the current offseason.
Only one of these 25 players, oddly, arrived on his team in the most conventional route (a team wanting a running back and using a first- or second-round pick to get him – Jahmyr Gibbs). Four other backs were obtained via the draft with less significant investment (Kamara, Hubbard, Tracy, Robinson). Two of these backs weren’t drafted at all – Jordan Mason and Sean Tucker.
It will be a good year for running backs shopping their services, I’m thinking.
| PLAYERS WITH OVER 125 RUSHING YARDS IN A GAME | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Opp | Result | Att | Yds | Avg | TD |
| Saquon Barkley, Phi. | at LAR | W 37-20 | 26 | 255 | 9.8 | 2 |
| Derrick Henry, Bal. | Buff. | W 35-10 | 24 | 199 | 8.3 | 1 |
| Saquon Barkley, Phi. | at NYG | W 28-3 | 17 | 176 | 10.4 | 1 |
| Derrick Henry, Bal. | at T.B. | W 41-31 | 15 | 169 | 11.3 | 0 |
| Joe Mixon, Hou. | at Ind. | W 29-27 | 30 | 159 | 5.3 | 1 |
| Saquon Barkley, Phi. | Jac. | W 28-23 | 27 | 159 | 5.9 | 1 |
| Alvin Kamara, N.O. | at Car. | L 22-23 | 29 | 155 | 5.3 | 0 |
| Chuba Hubbard, Car. | NYG | W 20-17 | 28 | 153 | 5.5 | 1 |
| Derrick Henry, Bal. | at Dall. | W 28-25 | 25 | 151 | 6.0 | 2 |
| Josh Jacobs, G.B. | Ind. | W 16-10 | 32 | 151 | 4.7 | 0 |
| Saquon Barkley, Phi. | at N.O. | W 15-12 | 17 | 147 | 8.6 | 2 |
| Jordan Mason, S.F. | NYJ | W 32-19 | 28 | 147 | 5.3 | 1 |
| Saquon Barkley, Phi. | Was. | W 26-18 | 26 | 146 | 5.6 | 2 |
| Tyrone Tracy, NYG | at Pitt. | L 18-26 | 20 | 145 | 7.3 | 1 |
| Taysom Hill, N.O. | Cle. | W 35-14 | 7 | 138 | 19.7 | 3 |
| Sean Tucker, T.B. | at N.O. | W 51-27 | 14 | 136 | 9.7 | 1 |
| J.K. Dobbins, LAC | L.V. | W 22-10 | 10 | 135 | 13.5 | 1 |
| Brian Robinson, Was. | NYG | W 21-18 | 17 | 133 | 7.8 | 0 |
| Derrick Henry, Bal. | Was. | W 30-23 | 24 | 132 | 5.5 | 2 |
| J.K. Dobbins, LAC | at Car. | W 26-3 | 17 | 131 | 7.7 | 1 |
| D'Andre Swift, Chi. | at Was. | L 15-18 | 18 | 129 | 7.2 | 1 |
| Tyrone Tracy, NYG | at Sea. | W 29-20 | 18 | 129 | 7.2 | 0 |
| Tony Pollard, Ten. | N.E. | W 20-17 | 28 | 128 | 4.6 | 0 |
| Josh Jacobs, G.B. | at Jac. | W 30-27 | 25 | 127 | 5.1 | 2 |
| Jahmyr Gibbs, Det. | Ten. | W 52-14 | 11 | 127 | 11.5 | 1 |
—Ian Allan