» Ezekiel Elliot was the only RB with 15+ carries in 10 games in 2018
» Look at trends: ten years prior, 12 NFL RB’s hit that mark
» Since 2016, Elliot has averaged 21+ carries per game, and led the NFL in rushing attempts
The devaluation of running backs in the NFL has been steady over the past few years. As teams have adopted pass-first, spread offensive schemes, there seems to be little use for plays that call for only three yards and a cloud of dust.
Ezekiel Elliott was the only running back in the NFL during the 2018 season to have more than 15 carries in 10 games. The Dallas Cowboys’ star had 43 more carries than any other running back in the NFL, despite missing a game, and topped the 300-carry plateau for the second time in three years.
Elliott’s workload has been unmatched since he entered the league in 2016, averaging north of 21 carries per game and leading the league in rushing attempts, despite missing eight games due to injury and suspension.
RBs with over 15 rush att in 10+ games:
2018: 1
2017: 4
2016: 9
2015: 3
2014: 6
2013: 9
2012: 11
2011: 8
2010: 10
2009: 7
2008: 12
2007: 13
2006: 17
2005: 12
2004: 12
2003: 14
2002: 15
2001: 11
2000: 16— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) July 22, 2019
In fact, since 2016, Elliott and Le’Veon Bell are the only two running backs to rush the ball over 300 times in a season. For comparison’s sake, five running backs reached that milestone in 2012 alone.
Not only are teams no longer handing out big money to running backs, but coaches have also opted for a running back by committee approach. Of the 32 teams in the NFL, only Dallas, Washington, and Carolina had just one running back carry the ball at least 50 times.
Lightening the load makes sense from an injury perspective too. Running back has the highest injury rate of any position in football.
In addition to spreading the wealth around the backfield, running backs are also being asked to do a lot more in the passing game. Last year, 16 different running backs caught 50 passes, the most of any season this century.
When coaches find a unique running back with a great skill set, they must be careful not to overuse him in the ground game due to positional fragility. Run these backs when they are most likely to add more value than a pass play, such as in short-yardage situations and in the red zone. And utilize them in the passing game, where they have fewer bodies to fight through and tackle them.
Modern running backs should be treated differently and paid differently than they were in the past. Run-play value has largely been usurped by pass-play value. Bellcow running backs are still important parts of a football team, when used correctly, but it’s amazing to see how far we’ve come over the past decade.