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Doug Orth | Archive | Email |
Staff Writer


Red Zone Revisited - Running Backs
All Out Blitz: Volume 85
11/13/14

I consider myself a man of the people, so when the inquiring minds of the fantasy community ask for something, I try my best to deliver.

One of the most well-received preseason pieces I do each summer is the Red Zone Report. For those unfamiliar with it, I do a team-by-team breakdown of each team’s activity from the previous season and try to provide some insight into how it affects the upcoming season.

Last week, I was asked to do a midseason version of it and it makes perfect sense to do so. While I can’t use the same 32-team format that I do for the preseason piece due to the regular-season time crunch, doing a version that gives owners an idea where Running Backs, running backs, wide receivers and tight ends stands in relation to his peers at the position isn’t nearly as time consuming (and is probably more digestible anyway).

Here is the key to all the abbreviations you will see in the tables below:

Att – Pass Attempts
Cmp – Completions
PaTD – Pass TD
PaTD % - The rate at which a red-zone pass attempt resulted in a red-zone touchdown pass
RuAtt – Rush Attempt
RuAtt % - The percentage of red-zone carries a player had for his team (For example, Andre Ellington secured 14 of Arizona’s 52 red-zone carries, meaning he had 14.3% of his team’s red-zone rushing attempts.)
RuTD – Rush TD
RuTD % - The rate at which a red-zone rush attempt resulted in a red-zone touchdown run
Tar – Red-zone targets
Tar % - The percentage of red-zone targets a player had for his team (For example, Larry Fitzgerald secured 24 of Arizona’s 68 red-zone passing attempts, meaning he had 34.3% of his team’s red-zone targets.)
Rec – Red-zone receptions
ReTD – Receiving TD
ReTD% - The rate at which a red-zone reception resulted in a red-zone touchdown reception

**** Sorted by by RuAtt, then by RuTD QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs
 Red Zone Report - Running Backs
Player Team RuAtt RuAtt% RuTD RuTD% Tar Tar% Rec ReTD ReTD%
Marshawn Lynch SEA 34 64.2 9 26.5 6 17.6 4 3 75.0
Lamar Miller MIA 26 43.3 5 19.2 6 10.7 4 1 25.0
DeMarco Murray DAL 25 92.6 6 24.0 2 5.6 2 0 0.0
LeSean McCoy PHI 25 73.5 2 8.0 4 9.5 3 0 0.0
Mark Ingram NO 24 51.1 5 20.8 0 0.0 0 0 0.0
Giovani Bernard CIN 24 50.0 4 16.7 1 3.8 1 0 0.0
Alfred Morris WAS 23 59.0 5 21.7 1 3.1 1 0 0.0
Ben Tate CLE 23 39.7 4 17.4 0 0.0 0 0 0.0
Chris Ivory NYJ 22 51.2 4 18.2 4 8.3 3 0 0.0
Joique Bell DET 22 57.9 3 13.6 4 10.3 2 0 0.0
Terrance West CLE 21 36.2 3 14.3 4 13.3 3 1 33.3
Andre Williams NYG 20 46.5 4 20.0 1 2.0 1 0 0.0
Le’Veon Bell PIT 20 54.1 0 0.0 9 15.0 7 2 28.6
Eddie Lacy GB 19 52.8 4 21.1 3 5.3 2 0 0.0
Matt Forte CHI 19 90.5 3 15.8 10 19.6 6 2 33.3
Knile Davis KC 18 47.4 3 16.7 4 10.5 1 0 0.0
Arian Foster HOU 17 58.6 6 35.3 5 17.2 2 2 100.0
Justin Forsett BAL 17 32.7 5 29.4 2 5.0 0 0 0.0
Trent Richardson IND 17 40.5 2 11.8 4 7.1 3 0 0.0
Rashad Jennings NYG 17 39.5 2 11.8 2 4.0 1 0 0.0
Steven Jackson ATL 16 69.6 4 25.0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0
Andre Ellington ARI 16 53.3 3 18.8 5 11.6 4 1 25.0
Bobby Rainey TB 16 59.3 1 6.3 3 9.4 1 1 100.0
Jeremy Hill CIN 15 31.3 4 26.7 0 0.0 0 0 0.0
Carlos Hyde SF 15 38.5 3 20.0 4 14.3 2 0 0.0
Fred Jackson BUF 15 39.5 1 6.7 5 12.2 3 1 33.3
Matt Asiata MIN 14 46.7 6 42.9 3 12.0 2 0 0.0
Lorenzo Taliaferro BAL 14 26.9 4 28.6 0 0.0 0 0 0.0
Frank Gore SF 14 35.9 2 14.3 1 3.6 0 0 0.0
Ahmad Bradshaw IND 14 33.3 2 14.3 11 19.6 10 6 60.0
Bernard Pierce BAL 14 26.9 2 14.3 0 0.0 0 0 0.0
Jamaal Charles KC 13 34.2 4 30.8 7 18.4 4 2 50.0
Branden Oliver SD 13 41.9 2 15.4 5 11.9 4 1 25.0
Stevan Ridley NE 13 30.2 2 15.4 0 0.0 0 0 0.0
Darren McFadden OAK 12 85.7 2 16.7 2 8.3 1 0 0.0
Ronnie Hillman DEN 11 37.9 2 18.2 7 11.5 4 1 25.0
LeGarrette Blount PIT 11 29.7 2 18.2 3 5.0 2 0 0.0
Knowshon Moreno MIA 11 18.3 1 9.1 1 1.8 1 0 0.0
Shonn Greene TEN 10 43.5 1 10.0 1 3.0 0 0 0.0
Zac Stacy STL 10 31.3 1 10.0 2 8.0 0 0 0.0
Damien Williams MIA 10 16.7 0 0.0 1 1.8 1 0 0.0
Jonathan Stewart CAR 9 20.0 2 22.2 0 0.0 0 0 0.0
Montee Ball DEN 9 31.0 1 11.1 2 3.3 1 0 0.0
Shane Vereen NE 9 20.9 1 11.1 8 17.8 5 2 40.0
Denard Robinson JAC 8 34.8 3 37.5 0 0.0 0 0 0.0
Khiry Robinson NO 8 17.0 2 25.0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0
Bishop Sankey TEN 8 34.8 1 12.5 1 3.0 1 0 0.0
Tre Mason STL 8 25.0 1 12.5 1 4.0 1 0 0.0
Reggie Bush DET 8 21.1 0 0.0 5 12.8 3 0 0.0
Anthony Dixon BUF 8 21.1 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0
Jonas Gray NE 8 18.6 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0
Darrin Reaves CAR 8 17.8 0 0.0 1 3.3 0 0 0.0
Isaiah Crowell CLE 7 12.1 5 71.4 0 0.0 0 0 0.0
Benny Cunningham STL 7 21.9 3 42.9 4 16.0 3 1 33.3
Toby Gerhart JAC 7 30.4 1 14.3 1 4.3 1 0 0.0
John Kuhn GB 7 19.4 1 14.3 0 0.0 0 0 0.0
Jerick McKinnon MIN 7 23.3 0 0.0 1 4.0 1 0 0.0
Donald Brown SD 7 22.6 0 0.0 4 9.5 2 0 0.0
Juwan Thompson DEN 6 20.7 3 50.0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0
Mike James TB 6 22.2 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0
DeAngelo Williams CAR 6 13.3 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0
Daniel Thomas MIA 6 10.0 0 0.0 1 1.8 1 0 0.0
Darren Sproles PHI 5 14.7 3 60.0 3 7.1 1 0 0.0
Storm Johnson JAC 5 21.7 2 40.0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0
Jonathan Dwyer ARI 5 16.7 1 20.0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0
Pierre Thomas NO 5 10.6 1 20.0 3 6.5 3 1 33.3
Chris Johnson NYJ 5 11.6 0 0.0 3 6.3 2 1 50.0
Jacquizz Rodgers ATL 4 17.4 1 25.0 1 4.5 0 0 0.0
Chris Polk PHI 4 11.8 1 25.0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0
James Starks GB 4 11.1 1 25.0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0
Frank Summers BUF 4 10.5 1 25.0 1 2.4 1 0 0.0
Silas Redd WAS 4 10.3 1 25.0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0
Roy Helu WAS 4 10.3 1 25.0 3 9.4 2 0 0.0
Alfred Blue HOU 4 13.8 0 0.0 1 3.4 1 1 100.0
Ronnie Brown HOU/SD 4 12.9 0 0.0 1 2.4 1 0 0.0
Brandon Bolden NE 4 9.3 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0
Mike Tolbert CAR 4 8.9 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0
Doug Martin TB 3 11.1 1 33.3 0 0.0 0 0 0.0
Stepfan Taylor ARI 3 10.0 1 33.3 3 7.0 3 2 66.7
Marion Grice SD/ARI 3 10.0 1 33.3 1 2.3 0 0 0.0
Cyrus Gray KC 3 7.9 1 33.3 0 0.0 0 0 0.0
Bilal Powell NYJ 3 7.0 1 33.3 2 4.2 2 0 0.0
Antone Smith ATL 3 13.0 0 0.0 1 4.5 1 0 0.0
Theo Riddick DET 3 7.9 0 0.0 6 15.4 5 3 60.0
C.J. Spiller BUF 3 7.9 0 0.0 2 4.9 2 1 50.0
Robert Turbin SEA 3 5.7 0 0.0 1 2.9 1 1 100.0
Fozzy Whittaker CAR 2 4.4 1 50.0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0
Chris Ogbonnaya CAR 2 4.4 1 50.0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0
Dexter McCluster TEN 2 8.7 0 0.0 5 15.2 3 0 0.0
C.J. Anderson DEN 2 6.9 0 0.0 2 3.3 2 0 0.0
Danny Woodhead SD 2 6.5 0 0.0 2 4.8 1 0 0.0
Jed Collins DET 2 5.3 0 0.0 1 2.6 1 1 100.0
Bryce Brown BUF 2 5.3 0 0.0 2 4.9 1 0 0.0
James Develin NE 2 4.7 0 0.0 1 2.2 1 0 0.0
Peyton Hillis NYG 2 4.7 0 0.0 1 2.0 0 0 0.0
Erik Lorig NO 2 4.3 0 0.0 1 2.2 0 0 0.0
Orleans Darkwa MIA 2 3.3 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0
Jackie Battle TEN 1 4.3 1 100.0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0
De’Anthony Thomas KC 1 2.6 1 100.0 1 2.6 1 0 0.0
Darrel Young WAS 1 2.6 1 100.0 2 6.3 1 1 100.0
Maurice Jones-Drew OAK 1 7.1 0 0.0 1 4.2 1 0 0.0
Ka’Deem Carey CHI 1 4.8 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0
Jordan Todman JAC 1 4.3 0 0.0 1 4.3 0 0 0.0
Lance Dunbar DAL 1 3.7 0 0.0 2 5.6 2 0 0.0
Joseph Randle DAL 1 3.7 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0
Jonathan Grimes HOU 1 3.4 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0
Adrian Peterson MIN 1 3.3 0 0.0 1 4.0 1 0 0.0
Shaun Draughn CHI/SD 1 3.2 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0
Ryan Mathews SD 1 3.2 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0
Trey Watts STL 1 3.1 0 0.0 2 8.0 2 0 0.0
DuJuan Harris GB 1 2.8 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0
Anthony Sherman KC 1 2.6 0 0.0 2 5.3 2 1 50.0
George Winn DET 1 2.6 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0
Dan Herron IND 1 2.4 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0
Henry Hynoski NYG 1 2.3 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0
James White NE 1 2.3 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0
Travaris Cadet NO 1 2.1 0 0.0 3 6.5 2 1 50.0
Austin Johnson NO 1 2.1 0 0.0 2 4.3 2 1 50.0
Cedric Peerman CIN 1 2.1 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0
Christine Michael SEA 1 1.9 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0
Ray Agnew CLE 1 1.7 0 0.0 1 3.3 0 0 0.0
Joe McKnight KC 0 0.0 0 0.0 2 5.3 2 2 100.0
Devonta Freeman ATL 0 0.0 0 0.0 3 13.6 3 1 33.3
Leon Washington TEN 0 0.0 0 0.0 1 3.0 1 1 100.0
Marcel Reece OAK 0 0.0 0 0.0 2 8.3 1 0 0.0
Jorvorskie Lane TB 0 0.0 0 0.0 1 3.1 1 0 0.0
Robert Hughes ARI 0 0.0 0 0.0 2 4.7 1 0 0.0
Derrick Coleman SEA 0 0.0 0 0.0 1 2.9 1 1 100.0
Patrick DiMarco ATL 0 0.0 0 0.0 2 9.1 1 1 100.0
Michael Cox NYG 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0
Kyle Juszczyk BAL 0 0.0 0 0.0 3 7.5 2 1 50.0
Will Ta’ufo’ou JAC 0 0.0 0 0.0 1 4.3 0 0 0.0
Montell Owens DET 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0
Will Johnson PIT 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0
Dri Archer PIT 0 0.0 0 0.0 1 1.7 1 0 0.0

Before we dig into the running back position, I feel it necessary to point out that 29.4 percent of Lynch’s red-zone rushing attempts and 44.4 percent of his red-zone rushing touchdowns this season came last week against the Giants. OK, now we can continue…

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the presence of Miller in second place on this list. Even more surprising is the number next to his attempts: 43.3. Yes, that is percentage of times the ball ends up in his hands on a rushing play in the red zone. (In other words, he isn’t even getting half of his team’s red-zone carries.) Miami is the only team with three running backs that have at least 10 rushing attempts inside the 20 (and that includes Moreno, who played only parts of three games and saw his last action in Week 6). For what it is worth, Miller collected 13 red-zone attempts in Weeks 7-9 before his bum shoulder limited him most of last week.

Owners looking for an explanation on McCoy’s fall from fantasy grace need to focus their attention somewhere else besides the red zone. Last year, “Shady” scored six times inside the 20 on 38 carries and five catches. Through nine games this season, he has 25 rushing attempts and three receptions inside the 20, putting him on a slightly better pace in terms of attempts (2.7-2.4 per game) and catches (.33-.31) than last year.

In case some people thought Lynch’s 10 carries inside the red zone was a bit of an uncommon occurrence, it’s not (at least not in the sense that backs don’t see that kind of workload on a semi-regular basis around the league.) Ingram had 11 carries and two scores in Week 9 while Jonas Gray (Week 8) and Joique Bell (Week 7) led the way with eight in the two weeks prior. Speaking of Ingram, there is no doubt his rise to fantasy prominence has been due to the coincidental absence of Pierre Thomas and Khiry Robinson. With that said, he is averaging four carries inside the 20 in the six games he has played thus far – a pace that has been kept by only one regular running back over a full year in the last four seasons (2011-14): Arian Foster averaged 4.6 such carries during his last16-game season in 2012.

West appears to be the leader in the Browns’ running back clubhouse at the moment, but be forewarned that Cleveland used formation (you are reading that right) to determine which back saw action on a given play against Cincinnati in Week 10. (West played in two-tight, two-wide formations, Tate was the man in three-wide packages, etc.) Things haven’t changed with the Browns; one quick look at the volume of touches that Browns’ backs are getting inside the 20 (Tate – 23 carries; West – 21 carries and three catches; Crowell – seven carries) makes any potential leader of the committee a desirable back to own in fantasy. It should also send a pretty clear message that if one of these backs puts together a couple of good games in a row, Cleveland will be tempted to stick with him. With matchups against Houston (11th-most points allowed to fantasy backs) and Atlanta (most RB points allowed), the stage is set for West to claim the lion’s share of the carries. HC Mike Pettine has said he wants one of these backs to stand out in practice, but he’ll be hard-pressed to go against his third-round rookie if he can string together three solid games together before the Browns face Buffalo in Week 13.

Some other notables before moving on:

  • Knile Davis has more red-zone touches (19) than Jamaal Charles (17);
  • Giovani Bernard – much like Ingram – remains firmly in the top 10 on this list despite missing multiple games;
  • Similarly, Rashad Jennings (18), who hasn’t played since Week 5, has one less touch in the red zone than Foster (19), who has only missed one game and been limited or sidelined in parts of two others.
  • Fred Jackson (one), Bobby Rainey (one) and Le’Veon Bell (zero) are the only backs in the league with at least 15 red-zone carries that have fewer than two rushing touchdowns.

QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs

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Doug Orth has written for FF Today since 2006 and has been featured in USA Today’s Fantasy Football Preview magazine since 2010. He has hosted USA Today’s hour-long, pre-kickoff fantasy football internet chat every Sunday over the past two seasons and appears as a guest analyst before and during the season on Sirius XM’s “Fantasy Drive” as well as 106.7 The Fan (WJFK – Washington, D.C). Doug is also a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association.