Top RB's in the NFL.......Run Ricky Run...?

[ncbillsfan]

Ricky should not be in the top 5.

1. LT
2. Holmes
3. Deuce
4. Jamal Lewis
5. Ahman Green
6. Portis
7. Alexander
8. Rickety Williams
9. Stephen Davis
10. Travis Henry

 

[TigerJ]

Here is the list of the eleven RBs with the most rushing yards, from the NFL's stats:


Player Team Yds Att Avg TDs Long
Jamal Lewis BAL 2066 387 5.3 14 82
Ahman Green GB 1883 355 5.3 15 98
LaDainian Tomlinson SD 1645 313 5.3 13 73
Deuce McAllister NO 1641 351 4.7 8 76
Clinton Portis DEN 1591 290 5.5 14 65
Fred Taylor JAC 1572 345 4.6 6 62
Stephen Davis CAR 1444 318 4.5 8 40
Shaun Alexander SEA 1435 326 4.4 14 55
Priest Holmes KC 1420 320 4.4 27 31
Ricky Williams MIA 1372 392 3.5 9 45
Travis Henry BUF 1356 331 4.1 10 64

Things that are immediately obvious. Ricky Williams just makes the top ten and Travis Henry just misses the list. Therefore, I won't argue that Travis is a top ten RB, even though he ran part of the season with a rib injury and part with a cracked bone in his lower leg, and missed one game altogether. Splitting carries with Willis McGahee, I doubt he will be a threat to crack the top ten in rushing yards this coming season either.

Ricky Williams ranked tenth in rushing yards. However, he was the worst by far on that list in terms of yards per carry. Granted he was a lot higher on that list, both in rushing yards and yards per carry. No doubt Miami fans will point out issues with the offensive line as a reason for the drop off. I'm sure that had something to do with it too. However, I think Ricky also had a noticeable drop in his own performance, and it remains to be seen whether last season was a fluke or the start of a trend. I would put him where the list from last season puts him, hanging on to tenth place by the skin of his teeth, and needing a better season to avoid slipping off altogether.

 

[MOULDSROCKS]

Travis Henry is stronger than Ricky Williams? Now I've seen it all... I love Travis and he's a great back and I wont say anything about his toughness that's for sure... But STRONGER than Ricky? I don't think so... I think the only guy that can even compare to Ricky's pure strength is Jamal Lewis... I don't think Roy Williams of Dallas would crumble in a head to head clash against Travis like he did on Thanksgiving against Ricky...

Maybe not, but Zach sure seems to bounce off him. I didn't say more powerful (Ricky is faster and thus proably makes him more powerful with a full head of steam... although TH may be the fastest RB in the NFL from 0-10 yards per one CBS anouncer). I said stronger. You can not tell me that Ricky benches and squats more than Henry who was the State Weightlifting Champion of Florida his junior and senior year in HS and can now bench 500 lbs, more than most lineman.

 

[saves]

:D
Are you sure about that?? :redeye:

at least hes not selling it coughcoughjamalcough

damn cold

 

[VJ1252]

Maybe not, but Zach sure seems to bounce off him. I didn't say more powerful (Ricky is faster and thus proably makes him more powerful with a full head of steam... although TH may be the fastest RB in the NFL from 0-10 yards per one CBS anouncer). I said stronger. You can not tell me that Ricky benches and squats more than Henry who was the State Weightlifting Champion of Florida his junior and senior year in HS and can now bench 500 lbs, more than most lineman.

Squats and Benches arent as important as rushing yards and TDs. Maybe Henry can play OL for you guys after McGahee takes his job.

 

[VJ1252]

Here is the list of the eleven RBs with the most rushing yards, from the NFL's stats:


Player Team Yds Att Avg TDs Long
Jamal Lewis BAL 2066 387 5.3 14 82
Ahman Green GB 1883 355 5.3 15 98
LaDainian Tomlinson SD 1645 313 5.3 13 73
Deuce McAllister NO 1641 351 4.7 8 76
Clinton Portis DEN 1591 290 5.5 14 65
Fred Taylor JAC 1572 345 4.6 6 62
Stephen Davis CAR 1444 318 4.5 8 40
Shaun Alexander SEA 1435 326 4.4 14 55
Priest Holmes KC 1420 320 4.4 27 31
Ricky Williams MIA 1372 392 3.5 9 45
Travis Henry BUF 1356 331 4.1 10 64

Things that are immediately obvious. Ricky Williams just makes the top ten and Travis Henry just misses the list. Therefore, I won't argue that Travis is a top ten RB, even though he ran part of the season with a rib injury and part with a cracked bone in his lower leg, and missed one game altogether. Splitting carries with Willis McGahee, I doubt he will be a threat to crack the top ten in rushing yards this coming season either.

Ricky Williams ranked tenth in rushing yards. However, he was the worst by far on that list in terms of yards per carry. Granted he was a lot higher on that list, both in rushing yards and yards per carry. No doubt Miami fans will point out issues with the offensive line as a reason for the drop off. I'm sure that had something to do with it too. However, I think Ricky also had a noticeable drop in his own performance, and it remains to be seen whether last season was a fluke or the start of a trend. I would put him where the list from last season puts him, hanging on to tenth place by the skin of his teeth, and needing a better season to avoid slipping off altogether.

A list of leaders in rushing yards isnt neccesarily a list of the best RBs. Do you really think that Ahman Green is better than LT? Or that Fred Taylor is better than Ricky?

 

[TigerJ]

No, VJ I don't think that rushing yards is the only criteria by which you measure the quality of a RB. I used the NFL stats as a place to start. Another criteria would be total yards from scrimage. Then you'd want to look at turnovers, an area where Travis Henry has admittedly had his troubles. Finally, you probably want to look at a running back's measurables. How fast is he? How big?

Hmmm? Ahman Green versus Ricky Williams. Green as I remember has sometimes had fumble problems. I don't know what his fumble stats have been in recent years. I know he is very fast, has very good size. His rushing yards in 2003 (his best season) beats Ricky Williams' best season (2002) by 30 and their respective yards per carry favor Green by 5.3 to 4.8 in their best seasons.

Besides his great 2002 season, Ricky has never rushed for more than 4 yards per carry over a full season. Ahman Green has never rushed for less than 4.3 yards over a season. Over the last four years looking at receiving yards, Ricky has not beaten Green in a single season and for the full four years Green's total is nearly 300 yards higher than Ricky's. Over the same four years, besides having the best single season, Ahman Green bests Ricky's total yards by a little over 200. Gee if it looks like a skunk and it smells like a skunk, you probably want to clear out when he points his business end at you and starts stamping his feet. As I said, I don't have fumbles available to compare, but in everything else it sure looks to me like Ahman Green is a better back. On what do you base your claim? Ricky Williams was drafted #1? He looks strong and runs fast? Big deal! Ultimately production is where its at. Plain and simple, Ahman Green has out produced Ricky over the long haul and his biggest season is bigger and more recent than Ricky's.

Looking at Fred Taylor's career, because he has wrestled with injuries the first four years of his career he is at something of a disadvantage. He doesn't have the huge season of either Green or Williams. In one of his injury shortened seasons he finished with a little under 4 yards per carry, but he only started 2 games before an injury ended his season. In every other season, he has an impressive 4.6 or better. He's also been a pretty good receiver. Because of injuries, I would probably concede Ricky is the better overall back, but it's not the slam dunk you obviously think it is.

BTW. I have not been an Ahman Green fan by any stretch of the imagination, and I haven't followed his career, but just looking at stats, and not just rushing yards per season, he is a terrific back.