Fantasy Index

Factoid

Not catching on

Running backs with pass-catching limitations

I like Kyren Williams and Javonte Williams. They’re good players. But I’d like them more if they did a little more in the passing game.

Both players did a good job last year of punching in short touchdowns. They’re veterans who know what they’re doing. They each finished with 13 TDs last year, trailing only six other running backs.

But with both guys, they don’t do offer much in the passing game. Both averaged just a hair over 2 catches per week last year. With Kyren, he’s capable of a lot more, but the Rams don’t use their backs much in that capacity. With Javonte, he was also remarkably lousy in that capacity last year, averaging only 3.9 yards per catch – a rare back who averaged almost a yard more on runs rather than catches.

The limited production is all the more remarkable considering both teams have veteran quarterbacks and productive passing games. The Cowboys and Rams ranked 1st and 2nd in passing last year, yet their running backs ranked last and next-to-last in receiving yards by the running back position.

With each of these teams, they got about 18 receiving yards per week out of their running backs, but about 259 yards out of their other players.

RECEIVING YARDS IN 2025
Running backsOther players
1162 San Francisco4427 Dallas
916 Atlanta4390 LA Rams
828 Pittsburgh3878 New England
808 Detroit3759 Detroit
664 Buffalo3711 Cincinnati
646 NY Giants3709 Arizona
645 Arizona3622 Seattle
621 Cleveland3601 Jacksonville
616 Miami3600 Indianapolis
614 Denver3598 New Orleans
602 NY Jets3571 Houston
581 New England3567 LA Chargers
533 Carolina3528 Chicago
533 Cincinnati3522 Kansas City
529 Tampa Bay3373 Green Bay
485 Indianapolis3317 Buffalo
472 Green Bay3317 Denver
470 Tennessee3226 Tampa Bay
463 Chicago3156 San Francisco
458 Baltimore3116 Philadelphia
458 Las Vegas3057 NY Giants
441 Seattle2997 Washington
429 New Orleans2857 Las Vegas
425 Jacksonville2838 Minnesota
425 Kansas City2820 Baltimore
386 LA Chargers2804 Pittsburgh
385 Houston2787 Atlanta
382 Philadelphia2771 Carolina
370 Minnesota2771 Tennessee
332 Washington2706 Miami
317 LA Rams2531 Cleveland
308 Dallas2182 NY Jets

—Ian Allan

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