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 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
Ezekiel Elliott is the candidate to fall victim to this trend in 2017; he was the only running back to tally more than 300 carries this past season. However, Elliott is less likely than the other running backs listed here because he’s so young. It’s doubtful that 322 carries will wear him down, as he turns just 22 in July.
That said, it’s a tight race between Elliott, Le’Veon Bell and David Johnson to be the No. 1 pick in standard leagues this year. This might just be the tie-breaker for me to take one of the other two over Elliott.
More 2017 Fantasy Football Articles:
Fantasy Football Rankings
2017 Fantasy Football Rankings:
2017 Fantasy Football Rankings: Quarterbacks - 9/6 (Walt)
Chet Gresham's Fantasy Football Quarterback Rankings - 8/28 (Chet)
2017 Fantasy Football Rankings: Running Backs - 9/6 (Walt)
Chet Gresham's Fantasy Football Running Back Rankings - 8/28 (Chet)
2017 Fantasy Football Rankings: Wide Receivers - 9/6 (Walt)
Chet Gresham's Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Rankings - 8/28 (Chet)
2017 Fantasy Football Rankings: Tight Ends - 9/6 (Walt)
Chet Gresham's Fantasy Football Tight End Rankings - 8/28 (Chet)
2017 Fantasy Football Rankings: Kickers - 8/18 (Walt)
2017 Fantasy Football Rankings: Defenses - 8/18 (Walt)
Fantasy Football Rookie Rankings - 5/12 (Walt)
Fantasy Football Rookie Rankings: Dynasty - 5/12 (Walt)
Fantasy Football Rookie Rankings: Dynasty - 5/12 (Chet)
2017 Fantasy Football Mock Drafts:
2017 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: PPR - 9/1 (Walt)
2017 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: Standard - 8/31 (Walt)
2017 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: 2-QB, PPR - 8/25 (Chet)
2017 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: PPR - 8/24 (Walt)
2017 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: PPR - 8/17 (Walt)
2017 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: Standard - 8/10 (Walt)
2017 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: PPR - 8/3 (Walt)
2017 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: Standard - 7/27 (Walt)
2017 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: PPR - 7/26 (Chet)
2017 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: PPR - 7/20 (Walt)
2017 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: PPR - 7/14 (Chet)
2017 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: Standard - 7/13 (Walt)
2017 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheets:
2017 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Top 250 - 9/6 (Walt)
2017 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Top 250 PPR - 9/6 (Walt)
2017 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Top 250 2-QB - 9/6 (Walt)
2017 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Top 250 Touchdown League - 9/6 (Walt)
2017 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Custom - 9/6 (Walt)
2017 Fantasy Football: Dynasty Rankings - 9/6 (Walt)
2017 Fantasy Football PPR Rankings - 8/16 (Chet)
2017 Fantasy Football Spreadsheets - 9/6 (Walt)
2017 Fantasy Football Articles:
2017 Fantasy Football Stock Report: OTAs, Training Camp - 9/6 (Walt)
2017 Fantasy Football Sleepers - 9/2 (Walt)
2017 Fantasy Football Busts - 9/2 (Walt)
2017 NFL Preseason Game Recaps - 9/1 (Walt)
2017 Fantasy Football Stock Report: Preseason - 9/1 (Walt)
2017 Fantasy Football: Running Backs with the Most Carries - 1/31 (Walt)
NFL Power Rankings - Feb. 13
2025 NFL Mock Draft - Feb. 11
NFL Picks - Feb. 9
2026 NFL Mock Draft - Nov. 29
Fantasy Football Rankings - Sept. 4
