Comparing 2016 Player Performances to History: Part One-Running Backs

The 2016 season was nothing special as compared to the history of Fantasy Football.  Because I am a total geek, married with kids, and have nothing better to do, I created a massive spreadsheet that takes into account over 23,000 individual player seasons dating back to 1970.  I use the same statistical values and categories as my Total Insanity Football League so as to compare apples to apples.

That said, the world of the NFL is a great deal different now as compared to the 1970's.  First of all, the 16-game season began in 1978.  Prior to that year, teams played just 14 regular season games.  Secondly, the five-yard rule, which allows no contact on a receiver after he has moved more than five yards downfield, also went into effect in '78.  Since that season, it's been open warfare on defensive backs, to the point that a DB gets flagged for looking directly at a receiver downfield.  It's why on every incomplete pass, everybody looks around for a flag.

Because pass defense has been so hamstrung by rules changes, the NFL went from the three-yards-and-a-cloud of dust game it was through the 60's and 70's to five-wide formations and spread offenses and teams throwing in any and every down-and-distance situation.

So running backs, and we see this in the draft over the last few seasons, have been de-emphasized.  In fact, over the last five draft, just six running backs have been drafted in the first round.

The best in the business is the 86th overall selection in the 2015 draft, David Johnson of the Arizona Cardinals.  Johnson was the top running back in 2016, scoring 381 points; a nice year but only good enough for the 50th highest-scoring season in history.

To put Johnson's season into perspective, the top five running back seasons since 1970 are:

2006-LaDanian Tomlinson (473)
2000-Marshall Faulk (435)
2003-Priest Holmes (428)
2002-Priest Holmes (425)
2003-LaDanian Tomlinson (420)

For further perspective, LT's 2006 season was the fifth highest-scoring season of all-time, regardless of position, and the best non-quarterback season ever.

Ezekiel Elliott was the number-two scorer in 2016, with an impressive 317-point rookie season.  Historically, however, this doesn't even crack the top 225 all-time.

The 2016 top-five running backs:
1. David Johnson-Arizona (381)
2.  Ezekiel Elliott-Dallas (317)
3.  Le'Veon Bell-Pittsburgh (298)
4.  LeSean McCoy-Buffalo (283)
5.  DeMarco Murray-Tennessee (279)

Part Two will run later today with a historical comparison of the Wide Receiver position.