NFL's Running Backs Are Overrated and Overpaid

—157 attempts, 581 yards, 3.7 YPC, 4 touchdowns, 73 receptions, 417 yards, 5.7 YPR, 2 receiving touchdowns

Backup: Aaron Stecker—115 attempts, 448 yards, 3.9 YPC, 5 touchdowns 62 receptions, 211 yards, 5.9 YPR

Advantage: Nobody

Verdict: Replaceable

 

Seahawks

Starter: Shaun Alexander—207 attempts, 716 yards, 3.5 YPC, 4 touchdowns, 14 receptions, 76 yards, 5.4 YPR

Backup: Maurice Morris—140 attempts, 628 yards, 4.5 YPR, 4 touchdowns, 23 receptions, 213 yards, 9.3 YPR

Advantage: Backup

Verdict: Replaced already

 

Steelers

Starter: Willie Parker—321 attempts, 1316 yards, 4.1 YPC, 2 touchdowns, 23 receptions, 164 yards, 7.1 YPC

Backup: Najeh Davenport—107 attempts, 499 yards, 4.7 YPC, 5 touchdowns, 18 receptions, 184 yards, 10.2 YPR, 2 receiving touchdowns

Advantage: Back up

Verdict: Replaceable

 

Texans

Starter: Ahman Green—70 attempts, 260 yards, 3.7 YPC, 2 touchdowns, 14 receptions, 123 yards, 8.8 YPR

Backup: Ron Dayne—194 attempts, 773 yards, 4.0 YPC, 6 touchdowns, 17 receptions, 112 yards, 6.6 YPR

Advantage: Nobody

Verdict: Replaceable

 

Titans

Starter: LenDale White—303 attempts, 1,110 yards, 3.7 YPC, 7 touchdowns, 20 receptions, 114 yards, 5.7 YPR

Backup: Chris Brown—102 attempts 462 yards 4.5 YPC 5 touchdowns 19 receptions 128 yards 6.7 YPR

Advantage: Backup

Verdict: Replaceable

 

Vikings

Starter: Chester Taylor—157 attempts, 844 yards, 5.4 YPC, 7 touchdowns, 29 receptions, 281 yards, 9.7 YPC

Backup: Adrian Peterson—238 attempts, 1,341 yards, 5.6 YPC, 12 touchdowns, 19 receptions, 268 yards, 14.1 YPR, 1 touchdown

Advantage: Backup

Verdict: Replaced already

 

After researching and analyzing these statistics, I found that 25 out of the 32 opening-day starting NFL running backs were replaceable with running backs on their own team.

I concluded that 11 backups outperformed their starters, with 14 performing as well as their starters. I also found out that 12 opening-day starters have been replaced already. 

Overall, I only found five opening-day starters last year that were irreplaceable to their teams. These five are: LaDainian Tomlinson, Steven Jackson, Brian Westbrook, Ronnie Brown, and Willis McGahee.

It’s definitely not a coincidence that these are the five. If I told you to guess the five beforehand, you would have probably guessed at least three of them.

Although I believe that these stats are relevant, you have to keep in mind that this is not an exact science. These statistics don’t show if the back was playing with injury, was a short-yardage back or a third-down back, the difference in workload and fatigue between the two players, what defenses the running back played against, how the running back was being played, and other key points.

However, these statistics have to be considered relevant, due to the fact that not only are there so many backups with as good as or better statistics than their starters, there are also many backups with a similar amount of attempts as their starters, with as or more productive statistics than their starters.

From these statistics, People can see that most running backs in the NFL are replaceable and many shouldn’t even be starters. I believe that NFL running backs should not be paid or drafted as high as they currently are, considering there isn’t enough of a production differential between most running backs.

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