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NFL's greatest rookie running backs.

nfl.com — See which rookie running back have performed the best.

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rshnrocket85 73 days ago, made popular 72 days ago

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johnnyblazepw, on 04/25/2008, -2/+34NFL.com has accomplished what many websites fail at. All the running backs are on one page!! Good article for sure. Adrian Peterson belongs on the list though.
- romeyinfc, on 04/25/2008, -2/+2Glad to see 2 Denver RB's on that list
- CMuffa, on 04/25/2008, -0/+4That's the first thing I noticed. But without knowing how his 2nd year will turn out, they still should have put him on this list for the single game record alone. He will be the 1st picked in many fantasy leagues this year. Keep in mind that Adrian Peterson was out for 2.5 games or so, or else his point total may have surpassed the totals shown here.
- dafragsta, on 04/25/2008, -0/+1How can anyone leave out AD? Maybe Cadillac Williams and Willie Parker should've been on there too.
rshnrocket85, on 04/25/2008, -2/+24I can't believe that he AD wasn't on the list. The guy has the record for most rushing yards in a game, along with an outstanding rookie season..
- rshnrocket85, on 04/25/2008, -1/+2sorry, forgot my commas: ...he, AD, ...
- NaziHatinChimp, on 04/25/2008, -3/+3Yeah and that is why I am burying this article. Boomer Sooner.
- harronoob, on 04/25/2008, -0/+2I agree. It's probably because yards count for relatively few fantasy points. AD is the man though :)
aqcarter, on 04/25/2008, -1/+2For sure, anyone know what his FF points were last year?
- BoltSteve, on 04/25/2008, -0/+2According to the articles scoring, 1 point per 10 yards of rushing or receiving, and 6 points per TD, he had 240. That's why he isn't on the list.
nahsrocketeer75, on 04/25/2008, -1/+5I mean no disrespect because I have nothing but admiration for him as a player and a man, but is Curtis Martin possibly the best back ever who never got credit for being great *and* never really seemed to be great when compared to other great backs of his time?
- indiandudeo, on 04/25/2008, -1/+4He was never really dominant for a good period of time. He was so very consistent though.
- krahzee, on 04/25/2008, -0/+2From his wiki
  1) Rushed for over 1,000 yards in his first 10 professional seasons, a feat previously accomplished only by Barry Sanders.
  2) November 6, 2005, he scored his 100th career touchdown, joining an elite group of only 16 players to do so.
  3) Martin is currently 4th on the all-time rushing yardage list, and on November 27, 2005, in the first quarter against the New Orleans Saints, he became the 4th running back in NFL history, behind Emmitt Smith, Walter Payton, and Barry Sanders, to pass the 14,000-yard rushing mark.
  4) He is the all-time Jets leader with 10,302 rushing yards with the team.
  
  Never really great? Sure others might have had bigger games, but while they were sitting on the sidelines healing for other games, Curtis was playing hurt. Until his final season, he missed a total of 4 games in his career. The guy never spoke in the press about ihow hurt he was, but his teammates did. When the press would start to assume he was fading, teammates would inform them that 28 was on crutches most of the week before the game he only rushed for 85 yds in. As good as some of those other guys were, Curtis was as good as anyone not named Sanders, and more durable than most of them as well.
  He's a first ballot Hall of Famer.
SteaminTmann, on 04/25/2008, -7/+25WTF? No Adrian Peterson? Buried,
- mlrigsby, on 04/25/2008, -0/+3Uh, you realize this is a fantasy list right. AD would be close, but by my count he only scored 230 fantasy points, at least by standard scoring. That's why he's not on the list.
indiandudeo, on 04/25/2008, -1/+13The season Adrian Peterson could have had without his injury...
*shudders*
- mahoneyxp, on 04/25/2008, -1/+8And the one he could have had if the Vikings had a passing game to compliment him. Then he would not have been shut down the end of the season with opposing defenses basically doing an all out rush block without fear of being burned by a pass.
- pointsguy, on 04/25/2008, -0/+2What about the one he DID have even with the injury.
pointsguy, on 04/25/2008, -4/+2Can someone list them here. Thanks
- insanecee, on 04/25/2008, -1/+6Rookies can make an immense impact in the world of fantasy football.
  
  Whether it's been Dan Marino, Anquan Boldin, Randy Moss or Keith Jackson, rookies can sometimes turn a competitive fantasy team into a championship contender. But as the past has shown, quarterbacks, wide receivers and tight ends more often than not have endured a difficult transition from the collegiate level to the pro football ranks.
  
  The same can't be said of running backs.
  
  Throughout the history of the National Football League, countless rookie runners have been able to make a fast and significant impact both between the white lines and in fantasy land. That has made it the most coveted position among rookies in all fantasy drafts. This season is shaping up to be no different, as backs the caliber of Darren McFadden, Rashard Mendenhall, Jonathan Stewart and Felix Jones should all have their names called in the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft.
  
  Stephen Dunn / Getty Images
  Curtis Martin was a fantasy superstar in his rookie season.
  
  In order to further drive home the importance of rookie runners, let's examine 10 of the greatest statistical performances from rookie running backs in the Super Bowl era. We've rewarded each back one point for every 10 rushing and receiving yards and six points for all touchdowns. Points were not subtracted from the final total for lost fumbles.
  
  Eric Dickerson, L.A. Rams (341 points): Dickerson, who was drafted behind John Elway in 1983, came out of Southern Methodist like a man possessed. He rushed for a rookie record 1,808 yards and 18 touchdowns, caught 51 passes for 404 yards and scored another two touchdowns as a receiver out of the backfield. While Dickerson would never reach those receiving totals in a single season again, he did go on to rush for an NFL record 2,105 yards and 14 touchdowns in his second season (1984). Dickerson also recorded 1,000-plus yards in his first five NFL seasons and finished his illustrious career with 13,259 rushing yards and 96 touchdowns. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1999.
  
  Edgerrin James, Indianapolis (316 points): Fantasy footballers who took a chance on James in 1999 drafts were thrilled with the results. He rushed for 1,553 yards and 13 touchdowns, hauled in 62 passes for 586 yards and scored four times as a receiver. Outside of 2001-2002, when he endured a surgical procedure to repair a torn ACL, James has rushed for 1,000-plus yards in each of his pro seasons. The bloom has come off the rose for James in recent seasons, however, as he left Indianapolis for Arizona and has failed to provide owners with the same level of production. Now as he closes in on 3,000 carries and the dreaded age of 30, James should be seen as no more than a low-end No. 2 fantasy runner.
  
  Clinton Portis, Denver (289 points): The second running back on our list out of the University of Miami, Portis recorded a memorable rookie season with 33 catches, 1,872 all-purpose yards and 17 total touchdowns. What makes those numbers even more incredible is that Portis rushed for a combined 46 yards and no touchdowns in his first two pro contests and didn't emerge atop the Broncos depth chart until Week 5. He went on to rush for 100-plus yards in seven of his final 12 games that season. Portis has found continued statistical success after a blockbuster trade that sent him to Washington in exchange for Champ Bailey in 2004, and he remains a No. 1 fantasy back headed into the 2008 season.
  
  Billy Sims, Detroit (288 points): When we associate the term "running back" with the Detroit Lions franchise, Barry Sanders is the first name that comes to mind. But it was Sims, not Sanders, who had the team's best rookie season at the position in the past three decades. Sims, the first overall selection in the 1980 NFL Draft, rushed for 1,303 yards and 13 touchdowns in his first NFL season. He also caught a career-best 51 passes for 621 yards and found the end zone three times as a receiver. Sims had an impressive second season with 1,888 all-purpose yards and 15 total touchdowns, and notched his third consecutive Pro Bowl selection in the strike-shortened 1982 season, but his career fizzled soon thereafter.
  
  Curtis Martin, New England (265 points): When we talk about the greatest draft bargains of all time, the names Tom Brady and Terrell Davis are mentioned. However, we tend to forget about Martin, who was a third-round selection (74th overall) and is destined to have his bust in the halls of Canton. The list of backs taken ahead of him in the 1995 NFL Draft include Ki-Jana Carter, Tyrone Wheatley, Napoleon Kaufman, James Stewart, Rashaan Salaam and Sherman Williams. Martin was a tremendous find for the Patriots and fantasy footballers alike in his first NFL season, as he rushed for an impressive 1,487 yards and 14 touchdowns. He added 30 receptions for 261 yards and a 15th touchdown as a receiver out of the backfield.
  
  E-mail Fabiano!
  
  One of the most respected fantasy football minds in the business, Michael Fabiano is here at NFL.com. In addition to providing first-class fantasy analysis, Fabiano will answer your fantasy questions in his weekly mailbag. Got a question for Mike? Click here to submit it.
  Curt Warner, Seattle (261 points): Before there was ever a Kurt Warner the superstar fantasy quarterback, there was Curt Warner the stud fantasy running back. The former Penn State standout produced immense numbers in his rookie season, as he recorded 42 receptions, 1,774 all-purpose yards and 14 total touchdowns. Warner, who was the No. 3 overall selection behind Elway and Dickerson in the 1983 NFL Draft, would tear up his knee in the 1984 regular-season opener and was forced to miss the rest of the season. He would return with a vengeance to rush for a combined 2,574 yards and 21 touchdowns from 1985-1986, but Warner would have just one more 1,000-yard season the rest of his pro football career.
  
  Barry Sanders, Detroit (259 points): Arguably the greatest running back of all time, Sanders came out of Oklahoma State and made an instant impact both on the field and in fantasy circles. Sanders, who was taken with the No. 3 overall selection behind Troy Aikman and Tony Mandarich in the 1989 NFL Draft, rushed for 1,470 yards and 14 touchdowns in his rookie season. He would go on to rush for 1,000-plus yards in every single season of his pro career and was a first-round staple in most fantasy football drafts for much of his time at the NFL level. Had he not decided to suddenly retire after the 1998 season, it might be Sanders, not Emmitt Smith, who holds the NFL record for career rushing yards.
  
  George Rogers, New Orleans (258 points): Rogers, the No. 1 overall selection in the 1981 NFL Draft, was a serious superstar for owners that participated in fantasy football leagues at that time. He rushed for what was an NFL rookie record 1,674 yards, scored 13 touchdowns and averaged 104.6 rushing yards per game. While he never found that same level of success again with the Saints, Rogers did rush for 1,203 yards and a career-best 18 touchdowns with the Washington Redskins in 1986. He retired after the Redskins beat Denver in Super Bowl XXII. Despite nagging injuries throughout his career, Rogers still averaged 1,025 rushing yards and close to eight touchdown in his seven seasons at the NFL level.
  
  Mike Anderson, Denver (256 points): The reputation of running backs under the watch of head coach Mike Shanahan is evident, as Anderson is the second Broncos back to make our list of the best rookie performances at the position since 1966. Anderson came out of nowhere to produce 1,487 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns in Shanahan's offense and was one of the season's best sleepers in fantasy land. Injuries and the selection of Clinton Portis in the 2002 NFL Draft put a halt on whatever value Anderson had from 2001-2003, but he did re-emerge into a viable option with 1,014 rushing yards and 13 total touchdowns in 2005. The Utah product has spent the past two seasons as a reserve runner in Baltimore.
  
  Marshall Faulk, Indianapolis (252 points): The 1994 NFL Draft was loaded with first-round busts like Dan Wilkinson, Heath Shuler and Trev Alberts (to name a few), so the Colts looked like brain surgeons with the selection of Faulk. (Or it was at least enough to overshadow that Alberts pick.) The versatile runner out of San Diego State made an immediate impact both for his team and fantasy football owners, as he totaled 1,804 all-purpose yards and 12 total touchdowns in offense that fielded Jim Harbaugh and Don Majkowski at quarterback. Faulk would go on to become one of the greatest running backs of all time between Indianapolis and St. Louis. It's only a matter of time before the talented Faulk is inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
  - pointsguy, on 04/25/2008, -0/+1Thanks man.
    
    Travesty that Adrian Peterson's not on the list.
ServerOfJustice, on 04/25/2008, -1/+9Just checked, in my league Peterson got 233 points. Very good, but fewer than any of the people on this list.
samwisezomg, on 04/25/2008, -7/+3No All-Day? Buried as inaccurate.
papastout, on 04/25/2008, -6/+1A football list? At the start of Baseball season?
- HughJaas, on 04/25/2008, -0/+8a football list... the day before the draft
bool3201, on 04/25/2008, -9/+4Decent list, but I can't take it seriously since Adrian Peterson was not mentioned. I mean come on, he set the single game rushing record as a ROOKIE..............this is coming from a lions fan lol
- boydrew, on 04/25/2008, -0/+0Buried for detroit fan
msk275, on 04/25/2008, -4/+6Curt Warner?
- c0baltfish, on 04/25/2008, -9/+2Fail for not knowing how to spell Kurt's first name. Fail for not knowing he is a QB.
  - jedinate, on 04/25/2008, -0/+5I hope you're not serious. The "original" Curt Warner was an excellent RB out of Penn St. who played for Seattle.
  - boydrew, on 04/25/2008, -1/+2Fail for not knowing how to READ THE ***** ARTICLE and thinking you know more about football than anyone else.
- akatherder, on 04/25/2008, -0/+2He was on the Rams in Tecmo Super Bowl. It was his last season, so they made him pretty sucky as far as stats go.
thuston88, on 04/25/2008, -2/+5I cannot believe Gale Sayers is not at the top of this list. It looks like these backs are being judged by their fantasy points - how about 22 touchdowns his rookie season and 6 touchdowns in one game??? The hell with fantasy, those are real numbers. Anyone who saw Sayers run his rookie year will never forget!!
- Gamer2k4, on 04/25/2008, -0/+2> It looks like these backs are being judged by their fantasy points
  
  That's exactly how they're being judged. Problem is, running backs are so much more than yards and touchdowns. All the numbers could mean is that the team had a good offensive line.
- jedinate, on 04/25/2008, -0/+2
  
  "It looks like these backs are being judged by their fantasy points"
  
  Considering the article is named "Fantasy spin: The NFL's greatest rookie running backs" AND was in the Fantasy section of the website, I can understand why they judged the RBs on fantasy points.
ScottoGato, on 04/25/2008, -8/+3***** Fantasy Football.
mylesrose, on 04/25/2008, -0/+6Earl Campbell?
- jedinate, on 04/25/2008, -0/+1He should have made the list too, he had excellent numbers his first 3 years. At least on par with M. Faulk and George Rogers.
tehjarvis, on 04/25/2008, -0/+6mark my words: McFadden will be a bust.
- dafragsta, on 04/25/2008, -0/+1Yep, and Felix Jones will go to the Cowboys and become the next Emmit Smith
anotherlawyer, on 04/25/2008, -1/+2Larry Csonka
tehnico, on 04/25/2008, -1/+3Um, this list is for fantasy performers, the most points.
Great job checking your submission *****.
akatherder, on 04/25/2008, -0/+3AD had 1341 yards and 12 TDs. He's not a receiving threat with 268 yards and 1 TD. Now look at the stats of the rest of the players on that list.

Let's surmise that a 100 yard game is the standard for a good game for a runningback. AD had two monster games over 200 yards (224, 296). Then he had 4 games where he broke 100 yards (maximum was only 116). Then he missed two games due to injury. He had EIGHT games where he didn't break the 100 yard mark, including 4 games where he didn't even break 50 yards.

So all of you people picking him as the best rookie RB ever, must have forgotten about those 10 games where he was sub-par.
- AsgardsAvenger, on 04/25/2008, -0/+1>So all of you people picking him as the best rookie RB ever, must have forgotten about those 10 games where he was sub-par.
  
  2 injury games don't count as sub-par, they just don't count. And you must have forgotten that he wasn't the #1 RB on his team to begin the season, and also coming back from his injury he saw limited time.
  - akatherder, on 04/25/2008, -0/+1What good is a running back to his team when he is injured? What good is a running back when he is healing and gets limited time? That is an ugly mess in the real world and the fantasy world. His team wants to give him time, without pushing it and reinjuring him. In fantasy, you can't bench AD if he is playing, but you're dead when he turns in his 3 yard or 27 yard day.
    
    You can't ignore the fact that Chester Taylor had two good games when AD was out, underlining the fact that AD's success is partially due to the strength of the offensive line he is running behind.
    - AsgardsAvenger, on 04/28/2008, -0/+1Fair enough - I was just nitpicking the fact that you referred to all of these games as subpar, when really injury-lost games can't be held against a player, and also he wasn't able to play to his potential in the first part of the season when Chester was carrying most of the load. (IIRC, the first or 2nd game of the year he took a screen pass 60+ yards for his lone receiving TD, which probably put him over 100 yards total for the day, so that should be knocked off the list, too).
      
      Agreed on the OL. But you have to make that argument for all RBs and QBs, too, for that matter. Football is a team sport more than any other - every position relies on other players to help them excel.
      
      Also, I wouldn't list AP as the best rookie RB ever, I'd give Eric Dickerson that title (as long as his record lasts), but he may be the most exciting rookie RB ever. That's coming from a Vikings fan, though, so take it for what it's worth.
saunders45, on 04/25/2008, -4/+1Even as a Husker fan, I gotta give the props to Adrian Peterson. The Viqueens had freakin' Tavaris Jackson as QB, and AD still was amazing. Buried for not including him.
noahco, on 04/25/2008, -0/+3I don't think people looked very closely at the article. It is talking about best rookie running backs in respect to their fantasy points, not overall performance. Thats why AP isn't on the list.
CameronHigh, on 04/25/2008, -1/+2How is Earl Campbell not #1 on this list? He won the Rookie of the Year AND the MVP in the same year!
ChristopherG2, on 04/25/2008, -2/+0It's fantasy football stats, so who cares? Adrian Petterson is the greatest rookie running back in the hisory of the NFL.
BigBlitz, on 04/25/2008, -1/+0Buried as inaccurate. It should be titled "Greatest Rookie Running Backs in Fantasy Football History." It doesn't take into account that the season is longer now than it used to be, so regular season stats are inflated now. Jim Brown, without question, had one of the greatest seasons of any rookie running back, and he is still the only player in NFL history to win NFL rookie of the year and NFL MVP in the same season. Yet, because he played when the league only had 12 regular season games, his stats are not on the same level as the guys that made this list.
KillaCal1, on 04/25/2008, -1/+0buried for no AD who the hell wrote this article and didn't put him on here
steelax42, on 04/26/2008, -0/+1A-Pete is outta this world. Corey Dillon was solid as a rookie too.

-Mike
www.pitchingideas.net
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NFL's greatest rookie running backs.

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