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Ray Davis of the Buffalo Bills runs the ball during a December game against the San Francisco 49ers at Highmark Stadium.Photograph: Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images
If you’re remotely familiar with the National Football League these days, you know what people say about both modern offenses and the value of running backs within them. Over the last two decades, with the increase in having multiple receivers on the field, and the decreasing value of running backs both in the draft and free agency, it’s now writ large that the NFL is a passing game, and that running backs don’t really matter.
Related: ‘All he needs is a bit of daylight’: how Saquon Barkley became the NFL’s most dangerous weapon
As is the case with any absolute, there’s more to the story, and that’s been especially true in the 2024 season. Most people already know that Saquon Barkley of the Philadelphia Eagles and Derrick Henry of the Baltimore Ravens are re-jiggering the concept of running back value with their MVP-level seasons, but there’s an undercurrent of creative and effective run games throughout the league in 2024 that is showing up more and more in the metrics.
In 2023, there were 12 running backs who exceeded 1,000 yards from scrimmage on the season, compared to 28 receivers. That’s been par for the course for a long time. The last season in which there were more 1,000-yard running backs than receivers was 2005 (23 running backs, 19 receivers), and the NFL is on pace for another one of those years. Through Week 16, there are 11 running backs with 1,000-yard seasons, and 11 receivers.
But in 2023, there were six teams that averaged at least 4.5 yards per carry; in 2024, that number has doubled to 12. Last season, two teams had a Rushing EPA of over +10.0; this season, that number has increased to seven. And in 2023, seven teams ran the ball on at least 45% of their offensive snaps; that number has increased to 13 in 2024.
Why is this so? First of all, this is an example of…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl-rushing-renaissance-running-backs-090040683.html
Author : The Guardian
Publish date : 2024-12-24 09:00:00
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