Issue #227: Common Characteristics: Running Backs

By Derrick Ernst

November 13, 2025

Previous Top-Five

We’re wasting no time today. You guys know the deal, what was done last week for QBs is going to be done today with RBs. Lets hope for just as concrete of results.

2024

Saquon Barkley, PHI

• Player Stats: 16 GP, 345 Rush Att, 2,005 Rush Yds, 13 Rush TDs, 33 Recp, 278 Rec Yds, 2 Rec TDs, 2 Fumbles

• Team Stats: 14-3 Record, 27 PPG, 386 YPG, 1,114 Offensive plays, Time of possession = 32:22

• Fantasy Stats: 339 total points, 21 PPG, 10 top-12 finishes, Most points scored in a week = 47

• Other: 7th year in league, Age 27, 3rd in MPV voting

2023

Christian McCaffrey, SF

• Player Stats: 16 GP, 272 Rush Att, 1,459 Rush Yds, 14 Rush TDs, 67 Recp, 564 Rec Yds, 7 Rec TDs, 3 Fumbles

• Team Stats: 12-5 Record, 29 PPG, 410 YPG, 1,024 Offensive plays, Time of possession = 31:07

• Fantasy Stats: 358 total points, 22 PPG, 12 top-12 finishes, Most points scored in a week = 45

• Other: 7th year in league, Age 27, 3rd in MPV voting

2022

Austin Ekeler, LAC

• Player Stats: 17 GP, 204 Rush Att, 915 Rush Yds, 13 Rush TDs, 107 Recp, 722 Rec Yds, 5 Rec TDs, 5 Fumbles

• Team Stats: 10-7 Record, 23 PPG, 372 YPG, 1,154 Offensive plays, Time of possession = 30:42

• Fantasy Stats: 319 total points, 19 PPG, 11 top-12 finishes, Most points scored in a week = 34

• Other: 6th year in league, Age 27, n/a in MPV voting

2021

Jonathan Taylor, IND

• Player Stats: 17 GP, 332 Rush Att, 1,811 Rush Yds, 18 Rush TDs, 40 Recp, 360 Rec Yds, 2 Rec TDs, 4 Fumbles

• Team Stats: 9-8 Record, 27 PPG, 361 YPG, 1,052 Offensive plays, Time of possession = 32:03

• Fantasy Stats: 353 total points, 21 PPG, 11 top-12 finishes, Most points scored in a week = 52

• Other: 2nd year in league, Age 22, n/a in MPV voting

2020

Alvin Kamara, NO

• Player Stats: 15 GP, 187 Rush Att, 932 Rush Yds, 16 Rush TDs, 83 Recp, 756 Rec Yds, 5 Rec TDs, 1 Fumbles

• Team Stats: 12-4 Record, 30 PPG, 388 YPG, 1,045 Offensive plays, Time of possession = 32:10

• Fantasy Stats: 336 total points, 22 PPG, 11 top-12 finishes, Most points scored in a week = 55

• Other: 4th year in league, Age 25, n/a in MPV voting

Five years, five RBs. I wish I could say the streak will continue for this season, but you’ll understand why it probably won’t soon. What’s crazy is that these five RBs had exceptional seasons, but only two of them saw the light of day with MVP voters.

After Sunday’s effort, there’s a lot of talk around J. Taylor making a real case for the hardware. Let me just say this, if 2,000 rushing yards can’t get the job done, it’ll need to be TDs. He currently has 15 rushing TDs through two weeks. The most rushing TDs in a season is 28 held by LaDainian Tomlinson from back in ’06. If you think that’s in reach (and that will get the job done), he’d come with a pretty sweet payout if you had his name on a ticket (odds as of 11/10):

Source: DraftKings Sportsbook

Prediction

Let’s go through some similarities:

• Just like with QBs, age 27 keeps popping up at an unthinkable rate

• 2,000 total yards isn’t as magical of a number as I was expecting — two out of the five didn’t reach that mark

• But…those who didn’t (Ekeler and Kamara) had 80+ receptions, both on the high end of the group

• 15+ total TDs is a magic number

• 300+ fantasy points is a must and having an outlier week scoring in the 30’s, 40’s, or even 50’s comes with the territory

• Every one of these players played on a winning team and who was on offense more than half the game

So who fits the bill? I hate to say it, but the obvious is going to be my official prediction. My vote for 2025’s RB1 is Jonathan Taylor, IND. I know I’m not breaking any news with this prediction, but he checks the boxes and better yet, he has a 50 point led on current RB2 CMC and a 80 point led on current RB3 De’Von Achane. These are large gaps for anyone to make up.

With seven games left to play, he’s 600 yards short of 2K. He already has 15 TDs and he’s coming off a 51 point effort. As much as I’d like to see the streak of a non-repeat RB1 continue, I like the chances of that coming to an end in 2025.

Dracula

So I got home last Sunday morning just in time to see IND and ATL go to overtime and for me to witness the next installment of Dracula:

Quite the resemblance if you were to ask me:

Source: Wikipedia

Apparently Christopher Lee portrayed Dracula in something like ten-plus films. Mr. Jones is giving him a run for his money. Speaking of Daniel Jones, he’s QB5 on the season despite only finishing a week as QB5 or better two out of ten weeks.

This is a perfect example of not feeling the impact of one’s output. What I mean by that is the consistency of someone’s performance gets overshadowed by their lack of ridiculous outings. Fantasy is all about who scores the most and when someone comes along and does what they’re suppose to do but without the flashing lights, they get lost in the crowd and without the recognition they deserve. Daniel Jones’ season is also a reminder that top fantasy players don’t need to be the top dog week after week, rather consistently better than the vast majority. Having a good group of guys surrounding you helps up that likelihood too.