Why Week 6 Is Time to Shine for NFL Rookie Running Backs

This week’s slate of NFL games includes four rookie running backs expected to carry the load in their first career starts.

That means the previously unappealing Titans (1-4) vs. Jaguars (0-5) matchup will now be scrutinized and watched with great interest by fantasy football owners as Bishop Sankey and Storm Johnson receive their first opportunities this season to show what they can do in expanded roles.

Two others—Andre Williams of the Giants and Branden Oliver of the Chargers—played significant roles in victories last week and will be expected to do so again this week.

This article breaks down the expectations for these running backs in Week 6 and for the rest of the season.

Michael Conroy/Associated Press

Andre Williams

After Rashad Jennings suffered a knee injury early in the third quarter of Week 5, Williams played 31 of 37 snaps and helped the Giants overcome a 20-10 deficit against the Atlanta Falcons.

Williams finished with 65 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries, despite handling the rock in plenty of obvious running or short-yardage situations. Giants head coach Tom Coughlin praised his efforts after the game: “He is a tough, hard-nosed runner. That is why he is here. That was his reputation and that is what his evaluation was.”

The 2013 Heisman Trophy finalist will make his first career start in Week 6 against a Philadelphia Eagles defense which ranks 25th against the run, allowing 132 yards per game.

As a senior at Boston College, Williams led the nation and set school records with 355 rushing attempts and 2,177 rushing yards. He considers himself—and has already proven to be—a workhorse and was described last week by Fox play-by-play announcer Kevin Burkhardt as a "truck." The 5'11", 230-pound back has decent speed for his size, running a 4.56 40 at the 2014 NFL Scouting Combine.

Coughlin, notorious for not playing rookie running backs, said Williams is ready for a bigger role, with Jennings expected to miss at least the two games prior to the Giants' Week 8 bye. Williams should impress with upcoming matchups against the Eagles and Cowboys, and the Giants running game might become more of a timeshare when the injury-prone Jennings is healthy again.

Week 6 Projection: 22 carries, 90 yards, 1 TD; 1 reception, 8 yards

Tim Umphrey/Associated Press

Bishop Sankey

Sankey has averaged 4.7 yards per carry through Week 5, but has played only 27.6 percent of the Titans snaps, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

That should change this week, with Shonn Greene listed as doubtful on the Titans injury report (hamstring).

Titans.com staff writer Joe Fann expects Sankey to be the biggest beneficiary in Tennessee’s Week 6 home game against Jacksonville:

Of course, head coach Ken Whisenhunt hinted at a bigger workload for Sankey prior to the Titans’ Week 5 game against Cleveland, but the University of Washington product played only 22 snaps, rushing for 27 yards on eight carries. Whisenhunt has seemingly obsessed over Sankey’s footwork, disregarding the fact that he is the most talented back on the roster.

Sankey’s season-high is 10 carries in Week 3 at Cincinnati, but the Titans are winless in their last four games and should showcase their running back of the future not only this week but for the remainder of the season.

Week 6 has the potential to be a breakout performance for Sankey, as the Jaguars have allowed a league-worst 33.8 points per game and rank in the bottom third of the NFL having allowed 126.6 rushing yards per game to date. It is by far his best opportunity for touches, with Greene injured and Dexter McCluster the only real threat to his playing time.

Sankey said yesterday he is ready to carry the load with Greene dealing with an injury.

Week 6 Projection: 15 carries, 70 yards, 1 TD; 2 receptions, 20 yards

Charles Rex Arbogast/Associated Press

Storm Johnson

The ineffective Toby Gerhart sprained his foot in Week 5 and suffered a setback this week in practice, and has been ruled out for the Jaguars road matchup against the Titans.

Head coach Gus Bradley told ESPN’s Michael DiRocco that Denard Robinson, Jordan Todman and Johnson, who was a college teammate of quarterback Blake Bortles, will split work this week:

Earlier this week, Jaguars beat writer Ryan O’Halloran of The Florida Times-Union reported Bradley hinted that Johnson would be “getting a big shot at playing” against the Titans—and that was before Gerhart’s status was ever in doubt.  

It is possible the Jaguars will decide to see if the seventh-round rookie can spark their running game, as Robinson has averaged 3.1 yards per carry on 23 attempts this season and Todman is viewed by the team as strictly a third-down back.

Johnson made his NFL debut last week at Pittsburgh, and his 20-yard run on his first official career carry in the third quarter was the Jaguars longest by a running back this season.

"How can you argue the fact that Storm…showed up and did some good things," Bradley said after the game. "For him to go in there and perform and really capture his opportunity was pretty cool to see."

Bradley said during the preseason that Johnson had the best instincts among Jaguars running backs. Bleacher Report’s Giancarlo King noted following the 2014 draft that Johnson was a hard-nosed, one-cut-style runner and a good fit in the Jaguars zone-blocking scheme.

His numbers at the 2014 NFL Scouting Combine were similar to Alfred Morris, a sixth-round selection in the 2012 draft who has been successful in the Redskins' zone-blocking scheme.

NFL Scouting Combine Comparison

	Alfred Morris	Storm Johnson
40-Yard Dash	4.67	4.60
Bench Press	16	16
Vertical Jump	35.5"	35.5"
Broad Jump	117"	118"

Even better, Sunday’s forecast for Nashville calls for a high near 76 degrees with an 80 percent chance for showers and storms.

Week 6 Projection: 11 carries, 50 yards; 1 reception, 9 yards

Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

Branden Oliver

Oliver broke out last week, rushing 19 times for 114 yards and a touchdown while adding four receptions for 68 yards and a touchdown, the most yards from scrimmage by a Chargers running back since LaDainian Tomlinson in 2007. That was against a Jets defense which entered Week 5 with the NFL’s best rush defense, having held Reggie Bush, Matt Forte and Eddie Lacy to a combined 3.2 yards per carry over the previous three games.

The undrafted rookie from Buffalo draws natural comparisons to former Charger Darren Sproles due to his height (5'7") and number (43), but tight end Antonio Gates told Kevin Acee of the U-T San Diego he runs with more power.

Oliver was the Chargers’ feature back last week after Donald Brown left in the first half with a concussion, and Brown has been ruled out for Week 6 against Oakland, which ranks 31st in the NFL against the run, allowing 158.3 yards per game.

Regarding the inevitable comparisons to Sproles, Oliver said during the preseason: "I knew 43 was Darren Sproles' number, but I didn't think of it like, 'I'm trying to be like Sproles.' That's the perception that people are getting. I'm just trying to be me…I'm like 15 pounds heavier, physical."

Via NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah, Chargers general manager Tom Telesco said Oliver "jumps off at you" since spring practices:

Oliver was able to lower his head to get into the end zone on this reception last week, and he did so against Jets safety Calvin Pryor, who was considered the most explosive hitting safety in the 2014 draft. Yet it was Pryor adjusting his facemask after that play, absorbing the hit from Oliver.

Brown has averaged 2.1 yards per carry on 59 rushing attempts this season, so it seems likely Oliver has surpassed him on the depth chart regardless of injury status. Ryan Mathews suffered a right MCL sprain in Week 2 that is expected to keep him out 4-5 weeks. U-T San Diego reported that he has yet to resume running since the injury.

Moving forward, the dual-threat Oliver has already earned an expanded role when Mathews returns, similar to the way the Chargers used Danny Woodhead in 2013 and through three weeks this year prior to his season-ending fibula injury. At the very least, playing the Woodhead role behind a healthy Mathews would give him six or seven carries and five targets per game.

Week 6 Projection: 18 carries, 84 yards; 3 receptions, 25 yards