I have some interest in Keaton Mitchell. He’s shown some explosive ability, and he’s paired now with an offensive coordinator with a knack for putting together good running games.
That Mitchell is playing at all right now is a credit to the doctors that put these guys back together. I was worried that the knee injury he suffered as a rookie would be a career-ender – that he wouldn’t have the same kind of explosiveness.
Mitchell averaged 8.4 yards per carry as a rookie, with runs over 20 yards in all six games that he played (and despite not starting in any of those games). That’s remarkable. Barry Sanders, as one guy we can look to, never had 20-yard runs in seven straight games (and managed six only twice).
Neither James Cook nor Jahmyr Gibbs has had 20-yard runs in more than two straight games the last two years. Saquon Barkley’s longest streak with the Eagles has been three games.
Mitchell mangled his knee late in that 2023 season at Jacksonville, making 2024 a rehab year. But he was back to chipping in explosive runs last year, averaging 5.8 yards per attempt for a Baltimore team that wasn’t as good.
Mike McDaniel (the former Miami coach who’s now calling the plays for the Chargers) has been watching from afar, and put in a purchase order when Mitchell hit the open market. He’s not expected to start, but the contract they signed him to is more than just chump change -- $9.3 million for two years. That suggests he’ll be backing up Omarion Hampton, and that there will be more opportunities than what he got behind Derrick Henry.
I like this pairing. Mitchell has some explosiveness, and I think McDaniel will be able to scheme him into some long runs. I like also that the Chargers are getting those two offensive tackles back.
In the last three years, only three running backs have averaged at least 5.5 per carry while logging at least 50 attempts. McDaniel had one of these guys in Miami (DeVon Achane); now he’s getting one of the others here. (And admittedly, I’m fudging the numbers – Mitchell was just short of 50 carries as a rookie.)
| AVERAGING 5.5 YARDS PER CARRY | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Player | Att | Yds | Avg | TD |
| 2023 | Keaton Mitchell, Balt. | 47 | 396 | 8.4 | 2 |
| 2023 | • DeVon Achane, Mia. | 103 | 800 | 7.8 | 8 |
| 2021 | Rashaad Penny, Sea. | 119 | 749 | 6.3 | 6 |
| 2021 | Dontrell Hilliard, Ten. | 56 | 350 | 6.3 | 2 |
| 2024 | Sean Tucker, T.B. | 50 | 308 | 6.2 | 2 |
| 2022 | Rashaad Penny, Sea. | 57 | 346 | 6.1 | 2 |
| 2024 | Derrick Henry, Balt. | 325 | 1,921 | 5.9 | 16 |
| 2024 | Saquon Barkley, Phil. | 345 | 2,005 | 5.8 | 13 |
| 2022 | Breece Hall, NYJ | 80 | 463 | 5.8 | 4 |
| 2025 | Keaton Mitchell, Balt. | 59 | 341 | 5.8 | 1 |
| 2022 | James Cook, Buff. | 89 | 507 | 5.7 | 2 |
| 2025 | • DeVon Achane, Mia. | 238 | 1,350 | 5.7 | 8 |
| 2022 | Khalil Herbert, Chi. | 129 | 731 | 5.7 | 4 |
| 2022 | J.K. Dobbins, Balt. | 92 | 520 | 5.7 | 2 |
| 2025 | Tank Bigsby, 2TM | 63 | 356 | 5.7 | 2 |
| 2024 | Jahmyr Gibbs, Det. | 250 | 1,412 | 5.7 | 16 |
| 2021 | Tony Pollard, Dall. | 130 | 719 | 5.5 | 2 |
| 2021 | Nick Chubb, Cle. | 228 | 1,259 | 5.5 | 8 |
| 2021 | Miles Sanders, Phil. | 137 | 754 | 5.5 | 0 |
Over the past three seasons, 87 running backs have carried the ball at least 100 times. Mitchell and Achane both rank in the top 3 on that list.
With these numbers in front of me, I am reminded that teams can find contributing running backs even after the draft. Three of the top 10 backs on this list entered the league as street free agents (And all three now in the AFC West, with Jaleel McLaughlin in Denver and Emari Demercado signing with Kansas City). In chart below, undrafted players are tagged with black dots.
| YARDS PER CARRY SINCE 2023 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | G | Att | Yards | Avg | TD |
| • Emari Demercado | 40 | 126 | 819 | 6.50 | 3 |
| • Keaton Mitchell | 26 | 121 | 767 | 6.34 | 3 |
| DeVon Achane | 44 | 544 | 3,057 | 5.62 | 22 |
| Jahmyr Gibbs | 49 | 675 | 3,580 | 5.30 | 39 |
| Derrick Henry | 51 | 912 | 4,683 | 5.13 | 44 |
| TreVeyon Henderson | 17 | 180 | 911 | 5.06 | 9 |
| James Cook | 50 | 753 | 3,752 | 4.98 | 30 |
| Jordan Mason | 45 | 352 | 1,753 | 4.98 | 12 |
| Bijan Robinson | 51 | 805 | 3,910 | 4.86 | 25 |
| • Jaleel McLaughlin | 41 | 226 | 1,093 | 4.84 | 3 |
| J.K. Dobbins | 24 | 356 | 1,699 | 4.77 | 14 |
| Justice Hill | 41 | 149 | 708 | 4.75 | 6 |
| Jonathan Taylor | 41 | 795 | 3,757 | 4.73 | 36 |
| Saquon Barkley | 46 | 872 | 4,107 | 4.71 | 26 |
| Blake Corum | 34 | 203 | 953 | 4.69 | 6 |
| • Jaylen Warren | 48 | 480 | 2,253 | 4.69 | 11 |
| James Conner | 32 | 476 | 2,229 | 4.68 | 16 |
| Chris Rodriguez | 35 | 198 | 920 | 4.65 | 10 |
| Kyle Monangai | 17 | 169 | 783 | 4.63 | 5 |
| Kyren Williams | 45 | 803 | 3,695 | 4.60 | 36 |
| Jacory Croskey-Merritt | 17 | 175 | 805 | 4.60 | 8 |
| Samaje Perine | 49 | 157 | 712 | 4.54 | 5 |
| Christian McCaffrey | 37 | 633 | 2,863 | 4.52 | 24 |
| Ty Johnson | 44 | 121 | 545 | 4.50 | 4 |
| Bucky Irving | 27 | 380 | 1,710 | 4.50 | 9 |
| • Rico Dowdle | 49 | 560 | 2,516 | 4.49 | 10 |
| • Emanuel Wilson | 41 | 242 | 1,083 | 4.48 | 7 |
| Tank Bigsby | 50 | 281 | 1,254 | 4.46 | 11 |
| David Montgomery | 45 | 562 | 2,506 | 4.46 | 33 |
| Aaron Jones | 40 | 529 | 2,342 | 4.43 | 9 |
| Raheem Mostert | 40 | 316 | 1,394 | 4.41 | 20 |
| Omarion Hampton | 9 | 124 | 545 | 4.40 | 4 |
| D'Andre Swift | 49 | 705 | 3,095 | 4.39 | 20 |
| Jerome Ford | 44 | 332 | 1,451 | 4.37 | 7 |
| Kenneth Gainwell | 50 | 273 | 1,191 | 4.36 | 8 |
| Breece Hall | 49 | 675 | 2,935 | 4.35 | 14 |
| Chase Brown | 45 | 505 | 2,188 | 4.33 | 13 |
| Antonio Gibson | 38 | 210 | 909 | 4.33 | 3 |
| • Sean Tucker | 45 | 151 | 651 | 4.31 | 9 |
| Khalil Herbert | 33 | 184 | 793 | 4.31 | 3 |
| Tyrone Tracy | 32 | 368 | 1,579 | 4.29 | 7 |
| Brian Robinson | 46 | 457 | 1,932 | 4.23 | 15 |
| Kenneth Walker | 43 | 593 | 2,505 | 4.22 | 20 |
| Isiah Pacheco | 34 | 406 | 1,707 | 4.20 | 9 |
| Tony Pollard | 50 | 754 | 3,166 | 4.20 | 16 |
| Ray Davis | 34 | 171 | 717 | 4.19 | 3 |
| Chuba Hubbard | 47 | 622 | 2,608 | 4.19 | 16 |
| Audric Estime | 20 | 122 | 508 | 4.16 | 3 |
| Michael Carter | 31 | 157 | 651 | 4.15 | 2 |
| Zach Charbonnet | 49 | 427 | 1,761 | 4.12 | 21 |
| Rhamondre Stevenson | 41 | 493 | 2,023 | 4.10 | 18 |
| Tyjae Spears | 42 | 256 | 1,048 | 4.09 | 8 |
| Javonte Williams | 49 | 608 | 2,488 | 4.09 | 18 |
| Joe Mixon | 31 | 502 | 2,050 | 4.08 | 20 |
| Cam Skattebo | 8 | 101 | 410 | 4.06 | 5 |
| Zack Moss | 22 | 257 | 1,036 | 4.03 | 7 |
| Kimani Vidal | 23 | 198 | 798 | 4.03 | 3 |
| Najee Harris | 37 | 533 | 2,139 | 4.01 | 14 |
| Nick Chubb | 25 | 252 | 1,008 | 4.00 | 6 |
| Josh Jacobs | 45 | 768 | 3,063 | 3.99 | 34 |
| Rachaad White | 50 | 548 | 2,175 | 3.97 | 13 |
| Devin Singletary | 49 | 448 | 1,772 | 3.96 | 13 |
| Tyler Allgeier | 51 | 466 | 1,841 | 3.95 | 15 |
| Travis Etienne | 49 | 677 | 2,673 | 3.95 | 20 |
| Ty Chandler | 37 | 175 | 690 | 3.94 | 3 |
| • Gus Edwards | 28 | 299 | 1,175 | 3.93 | 17 |
| Alvin Kamara | 38 | 539 | 2,115 | 3.92 | 12 |
| Kendre Miller | 21 | 127 | 497 | 3.91 | 3 |
| Jaylen Wright | 25 | 138 | 537 | 3.89 | 2 |
| • Austin Ekeler | 28 | 270 | 1,038 | 3.84 | 9 |
| Joshua Kelley | 20 | 108 | 407 | 3.77 | 2 |
| Roschon Johnson | 36 | 138 | 519 | 3.76 | 8 |
| Dameon Pierce | 30 | 199 | 745 | 3.74 | 4 |
| Cam Akers | 30 | 169 | 630 | 3.73 | 4 |
| Braelon Allen | 21 | 110 | 410 | 3.73 | 3 |
| RJ Harvey | 17 | 146 | 540 | 3.70 | 7 |
| Miles Sanders | 31 | 204 | 754 | 3.70 | 4 |
| Zamir White | 31 | 181 | 666 | 3.68 | 2 |
| Ashton Jeanty | 17 | 266 | 975 | 3.67 | 5 |
| D'Onta Foreman | 20 | 180 | 657 | 3.65 | 4 |
| Quinshon Judkins | 14 | 230 | 827 | 3.60 | 7 |
| Alexander Mattison | 30 | 312 | 1,120 | 3.59 | 4 |
| Woody Marks | 16 | 196 | 703 | 3.59 | 2 |
| AJ Dillon | 22 | 190 | 673 | 3.54 | 2 |
| Kareem Hunt | 45 | 498 | 1,750 | 3.51 | 24 |
| Ezekiel Elliott | 32 | 258 | 868 | 3.36 | 6 |
| Jamaal Williams | 27 | 154 | 470 | 3.05 | 2 |
—Ian Allan
