Running back tends to be a young man’s position. Experience can help at times, of course. Bill Belichick has had success with a lot of thirtysomething running backs. But the more explosive backs tend to be the guys who are early in their careers.
Check out the following list, which shows the running backs who had at least 100 carries last year. Ten running backs averaged at least 5.0 yards per carry, and all but one of them was in his first or second year. (I’ve got those guys tagged with dots.) That includes Kerryon Johnson (pictured) who busted some nice runs for the Lions in his injury-shortened rookie campaign.
Of the 11 running backs who averaged under 3.8 yards per attempt, on the other hand, only one (Leonard Fournette) was a back in his first or second year.
Not that older backs can’t still be good, but the hits and punishment seem to add up. When running backs are in their late 20s, they’re not as athletic as they are at the start of their careers.
| YARDS PER CARRY (100 att min) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Att | Yards | Avg | TD |
| • Aaron Jones, G.B. | 133 | 728 | 5.47 | 8 |
| • Kerryon Johnson, Det. | 118 | 641 | 5.43 | 3 |
| • Phillip Lindsay, Den. | 192 | 1037 | 5.40 | 9 |
| • Matt Breida, S.F. | 153 | 814 | 5.32 | 3 |
| • Gus Edwards, Balt. | 137 | 718 | 5.24 | 2 |
| • Austin Ekeler, LAC | 106 | 554 | 5.23 | 3 |
| • Nick Chubb, Cle. | 192 | 996 | 5.19 | 8 |
| Melvin Gordon, LAC | 175 | 885 | 5.06 | 10 |
| • Saquon Barkley, NYG | 261 | 1307 | 5.01 | 11 |
| • Christian McCaffrey, Car. | 219 | 1098 | 5.01 | 7 |
| Derrick Henry, Ten. | 215 | 1059 | 4.93 | 12 |
| • Joe Mixon, Cin. | 237 | 1168 | 4.93 | 8 |
| Todd Gurley, LAR | 256 | 1251 | 4.89 | 17 |
| Tevin Coleman, Atl. | 167 | 800 | 4.79 | 4 |
| Isaiah Crowell, NYJ | 143 | 685 | 4.79 | 6 |
| Ezekiel Elliott, Dall. | 304 | 1434 | 4.72 | 6 |
| Mark Ingram, N.O. | 138 | 645 | 4.67 | 6 |
| • Chris Carson, Sea. | 247 | 1151 | 4.66 | 9 |
| • Marlon Mack, Ind. | 195 | 908 | 4.66 | 9 |
| Frank Gore, Mia. | 156 | 722 | 4.63 | 0 |
| Lamar Miller, Hou. | 210 | 973 | 4.63 | 5 |
| • Dalvin Cook, Min. | 133 | 615 | 4.62 | 2 |
| Mike Davis, Sea. | 112 | 514 | 4.59 | 4 |
| • Alvin Kamara, N.O. | 194 | 883 | 4.55 | 14 |
| • Kareem Hunt, K.C. | 181 | 824 | 4.55 | 7 |
| • James Conner, Pitt. | 215 | 973 | 4.53 | 12 |
| Kenyan Drake, Mia. | 120 | 535 | 4.46 | 4 |
| • Sony Michel, N.E. | 209 | 931 | 4.45 | 6 |
| • Josh Adams, Phil. | 120 | 511 | 4.26 | 3 |
| Doug Martin, Oak. | 172 | 723 | 4.20 | 4 |
| Adrian Peterson, Was. | 251 | 1042 | 4.15 | 7 |
| Latavius Murray, Min. | 140 | 578 | 4.13 | 6 |
| • Royce Freeman, Den. | 130 | 521 | 4.01 | 5 |
| T.J. Yeldon, Jac. | 104 | 414 | 3.98 | 1 |
| Alfred Morris, S.F. | 111 | 428 | 3.86 | 2 |
| • Jamaal Williams, G.B. | 121 | 464 | 3.83 | 3 |
| Jordan Howard, Chi. | 250 | 935 | 3.74 | 9 |
| Peyton Barber, T.B. | 234 | 871 | 3.72 | 5 |
| David Johnson, Ariz. | 258 | 940 | 3.64 | 7 |
| Alex Collins, Balt. | 114 | 411 | 3.61 | 7 |
| Chris Ivory, Buff. | 115 | 385 | 3.35 | 1 |
| Dion Lewis, Ten. | 155 | 517 | 3.34 | 1 |
| Alfred Blue, Hou. | 150 | 499 | 3.33 | 2 |
| Carlos Hyde, Cle.-Jac. | 172 | 571 | 3.32 | 5 |
| • Leonard Fournette, Jac. | 133 | 439 | 3.30 | 5 |
| LeSean McCoy, Buff. | 161 | 514 | 3.19 | 3 |
| LeGarrette Blount, Det. | 154 | 418 | 2.71 | 5 |
—Ian Allan