I reference this stat a lot in my Fantasy Football articles. Running backs who carry the ball 380 or more times in a season tend to disappoint the following year.
Let’s take a look at every running back who has led the league in carries the past 20 years. As you’ll see, except for THREE real instances (two of which were by the most durable running back of all time), they’ve disappointed their fantasy owners.
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1988. Eric Dickerson, Rams
Year |
Carries |
Rush Yards |
YPC |
Touchdowns |
1988 |
388 |
1,659 |
4.3 |
15 |
1989 |
314 |
1,311 |
4.2 |
8 |
1989. Christian Okoye, Chiefs
Year |
Carries |
Rush Yards |
YPC |
Touchdowns |
1989 |
370 |
1,480 |
4.0 |
12 |
1990 |
245 |
805 |
3.3 |
7 |
1990. Earnest Bynar, Redskins
Year |
Carries |
Rush Yards |
YPC |
Touchdowns |
1990 |
297 |
1,219 |
4.1 |
7 |
1991 |
274 |
1,048 |
3.8 |
5 |
1991. Emmitt Smith*, Cowboys
Year |
Carries |
Rush Yards |
YPC |
Touchdowns |
1991 |
365 |
1,563 |
4.3 |
13 |
1992 |
373 |
1,713 |
4.6 |
19 |
* – One of three real exceptions to the rule.
1992. Bananas Foster, Steelers
Year |
Carries |
Rush Yards |
YPC |
Touchdowns |
1992 |
390 |
1,690 |
4.3 |
11 |
1993 |
177 |
711 |
4.0 |
9 |
1993. Thurman Thomas, Bills
Year |
Carries |
Rush Yards |
YPC |
Touchdowns |
1993 |
355 |
1,315 |
3.7 |
6 |
1994 |
287 |
1,093 |
3.8 |
9 |
1994. Emmitt Smith*, Cowboys
Year |
Carries |
Rush Yards |
YPC |
Touchdowns |
1994 |
368 |
1,484 |
4.0 |
22 |
1995 |
377 |
1,773 |
4.7 |
25 |
* – One of three real exceptions to the rule.
1995. Emmitt Smith, Cowboys
Year |
Carries |
Rush Yards |
YPC |
Touchdowns |
1995 |
377 |
1,773 |
4.7 |
25 |
1996 |
327 |
1,204 |
3.7 |
15 |
1996. Ricky Watters, Eagles
Year |
Carries |
Rush Yards |
YPC |
Touchdowns |
1996 |
353 |
1,411 |
4.0 |
13 |
1997 |
285 |
1,110 |
3.9 |
7 |
1997. Jerome Bettis, Steelers
Year |
Carries |
Rush Yards |
YPC |
Touchdowns |
1997 |
375 |
1,665 |
4.4 |
9 |
1998 |
316 |
1,185 |
3.8 |
3 |
1998. Jamal Anderson, Falcons
Year |
Carries |
Rush Yards |
YPC |
Touchdowns |
1998 |
410 |
1,846 |
4.5 |
16 |
1999 |
19 |
59 |
3.1 |
0 |
1999. Edgerrin James*, Colts
Year |
Carries |
Rush Yards |
YPC |
Touchdowns |
1999 |
369 |
1,553 |
4.2 |
17 |
2000 |
387 |
1,709 |
4.4 |
18 |
* – One of three real exceptions to the rule.
2000. Eddie George, Titans
Year |
Carries |
Rush Yards |
YPC |
Touchdowns |
2000 |
403 |
1,509 |
3.7 |
16 |
2001 |
315 |
939 |
3.0 |
5 |
2001. Stephen Davis, Redskins
Year |
Carries |
Rush Yards |
YPC |
Touchdowns |
2001 |
356 |
1,432 |
4.0 |
5 |
2002 |
207 |
820 |
4.0 |
8 |
2002. Ricky Williams, Dolphins
Year |
Carries |
Rush Yards |
YPC |
Touchdowns |
2002 |
383 |
1,853 |
4.8 |
17 |
2003 |
393 |
1,372 |
3.5 |
10 |
2003. Jamal Lewis*, Ravens
Year |
Carries |
Rush Yards |
YPC |
Touchdowns |
2003 |
387 |
2,066 |
5.3 |
14 |
2004 |
235 |
1,006 |
4.3 |
7 |
* – Ricky Williams led the 2003 running backs in carries (392), but left the NFL in 2004 to tour with Lenny Kravitz.
2004. Curtis Martin, Jets
Year |
Carries |
Rush Yards |
YPC |
Touchdowns |
2004 |
371 |
1,697 |
4.6 |
14 |
2005 |
220 |
735 |
3.3 |
5 |
2005. Shaun Alexander, Seahawks
Year |
Carries |
Rush Yards |
YPC |
Touchdowns |
2005 |
370 |
1,880 |
5.1 |
28 |
2006 |
252 |
896 |
3.6 |
7 |
2006. Larry Johnson, Chiefs
Year |
Carries |
Rush Yards |
YPC |
Touchdowns |
2006 |
416 |
1,789 |
4.3 |
19 |
2007 |
158 |
559 |
3.5 |
4 |
2007. Clinton Portis*, Redskins
Year |
Carries |
Rush Yards |
YPC |
Touchdowns |
2007 |
325 |
1,262 |
3.9 |
11 |
2008 |
342 |
1,487 |
4.3 |
9 |
* – Not enough carries to warrant concern
2008. Michael Turner, Falcons
Year |
Carries |
Rush Yards |
YPC |
Touchdowns |
2008 |
363 |
1,760 |
4.5 |
17 |
2009 |
178 |
871 |
4.9 |
10 |
2009. Chris Johnson, Titans
Year |
Carries |
Rush Yards |
YPC |
Touchdowns |
2009 |
358 |
2,006 |
5.6 |
16 |
2010 |
316 |
1,364 |
4.3 |
11 |
2010. Michael Turner, Falcons
Year |
Carries |
Rush Yards |
YPC |
Touchdowns |
2010 |
334 |
1,371 |
4.1 |
12 |
2011 |
301 |
1,340* |
4.5* |
11* |
* – Michael Turner started the year extremely well, but killed his fantasy owners down the stretch. He averaged 3.6 YPC or worse in six of his final seven games, and he scored only two touchdowns between Weeks 10-16.
2011. Maurice Jones-Drew, Jaguars
Year |
Carries |
Rush Yards |
YPC |
Touchdowns |
2011 |
343 |
1,606 |
4.7 |
11 |
2012 |
86 |
414 |
4.8 |
2 |
2012. Arian Foster, Texans
Year |
Carries |
Rush Yards |
YPC |
Touchdowns |
2012 |
351 |
1,424 |
4.1 |
17 |
2013 |
121 |
542 |
4.5 |
1 |
2013. LeSean McCoy, Eagles
Year |
Carries |
Rush Yards |
YPC |
Touchdowns |
2013 |
335 |
1,607 |
5.1 |
11 |
2014 |
312 |
1,319 |
4.2 |
5 |
2014. DeMarco Murray, Cowboys/Eagles
Year |
Carries |
Rush Yards |
YPC |
Touchdowns |
2014 |
436 |
2,043 |
4.7 |
15 |
2015 |
193 |
702 |
3.6 |
6 |
2015. Adrian Peterson, Vikings
Year |
Carries |
Rush Yards |
YPC |
Touchdowns |
2015 |
327 |
1,485 |
4.5 |
11 |
2016 |
37 |
72 |
1.9 |
0 |
2016. Ezekiel Elliott, Cowboys
Year |
Carries |
Rush Yards |
YPC |
Touchdowns |
2016 |
322 |
1,631 |
5.1 |
15 |
2017 |
242 |
983 |
4.1 |
7 |
2017. Le’Veon Bell, Steelers
Year |
Carries |
Rush Yards |
YPC |
Touchdowns |
2017 |
321 |
1,291 |
4.0 |
9 |
2018 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2018. Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Cowboys
Year |
Carries |
Rush Yards |
YPC |
Touchdowns |
2018 |
304 |
1,434 |
4.7 |
6 |
2019 |
301 |
1,357 |
4.5 |
12 |
2019. Derrick Henry, RB, Titans
Year |
Carries |
Rush Yards |
YPC |
Touchdowns |
2019 |
303 |
1,540 |
5.1 |
16 |
2020 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
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