Career Leaders In Yards Per Carry (Era-Adjusted)

by Chase Stuart on June 24, 2015

In 2008, Jamaal Charles had 67 carries and averaged 5.33 yards per carry. Those 67 carries represent 5% of Charles’ career attempts to date (excluding playoffs). That season, the NFL league average was 4.20 yards per carry, which means Charles was 1.12 (after rounding) YPC above average in 2008, or 1.12 YPC above average on 5% of his career carries.

In ’09, Charles had 190 carries, representing 15% of his career YPC. He averaged 5.89 YPC, and the league average was 4.24, which means Charles was 1.65 YPC above average for 15% of his career carries.

In 2010, those numbers were 230, 18%, 6.38, and 4.21, so Charles was 2.17 YPC above league average on 18% of his career carries.

I performed that analysis for every season of Charles’ career — and every other player in NFL history — to determine each player’s career YPC average relative to league average. The table below shows the 200 running backs (by default, only the top 10 are shown) in pro football history with the most carries. The table is sorted by YPC over league average. Here’s how to read it. Jamaal Charles ranks 1st in YPC over league average. His first year was 2008 and his last year (so far) was 2014. For his career, Charles has 1,249 career rush attempts, which ranks 118th in pro football history. He has 6,856 yards, giving him a 5.49 career YPC average. His “expected” career yards per carry average — based on the league average YPC in each season of his career, weighted by his number of carries — is 4.21. Therefore, Charles has averaged 1.28 YPC above league average for his career, the highest rate in football history.

Rk	Name	First Yr	Last Yr	Rsh	Rk Rsh	Rush Yd	YPC	Exp YPC	Diff
1	Jamaal Charles	2008	2014	1249	118	6856	5.49	4.21	1.28
2	Jim Brown	1957	1965	2359	27	12312	5.22	4.08	1.14
3	Barry Sanders	1989	1998	3062	6	15269	4.99	3.93	1.05
4	Gale Sayers	1965	1971	991	197	4956	5	3.95	1.05
5	Joe Perry	1948	1963	1929	43	9723	5.04	4.09	0.95
6	Paul Lowe	1960	1969	1026	182	4995	4.87	3.99	0.88
7	Robert Smith	1993	2000	1411	90	6818	4.83	3.96	0.87
8	Lenny Moore	1956	1967	1069	161	5174	4.84	4.05	0.79
9	Greg Pruitt	1973	1984	1196	129	5672	4.74	3.97	0.77
10	Adrian Peterson	2007	2014	2054	36	10190	4.96	4.21	0.75
11	Wendell Tyler	1977	1986	1344	101	6378	4.75	4	0.74
12	James Brooks	1981	1992	1685	58	7962	4.73	4	0.72
13	Stump Mitchell	1981	1989	986	200	4649	4.72	4	0.72
14	O.J. Simpson	1969	1979	2404	26	11236	4.67	4.01	0.67
15	Hugh McElhenny	1952	1964	1124	154	5281	4.7	4.05	0.65
16	Terrell Davis	1995	2001	1655	60	7607	4.6	3.96	0.64
17	Steve Van Buren	1944	1951	1320	105	5860	4.44	3.81	0.63
18	Tiki Barber	1997	2006	2217	29	10449	4.71	4.1	0.61
19	Charlie Garner	1994	2004	1537	72	7097	4.62	4.01	0.6
20	DeAngelo Williams	2006	2014	1432	84	6846	4.78	4.2	0.58
21	William Andrews	1979	1986	1315	106	5986	4.55	4	0.55
22	Billy Sims	1980	1984	1131	152	5106	4.51	3.99	0.52
23	Fred Taylor	1998	2010	2534	23	11695	4.62	4.1	0.51
24	Priest Holmes	1997	2007	1780	54	8172	4.59	4.09	0.5
25	Freeman McNeil	1981	1992	1798	51	8074	4.49	4.01	0.49
26	Clem Daniels	1960	1968	1146	149	5138	4.48	4.02	0.47
27	Dick Bass	1960	1969	1218	122	5417	4.45	4	0.45
28	Brian Westbrook	2002	2010	1385	95	6335	4.57	4.14	0.44
29	LeSean McCoy	2009	2014	1461	82	6792	4.65	4.22	0.43
30	Wilbert Montgomery	1977	1985	1540	71	6789	4.41	3.98	0.42
31	Eric Dickerson	1983	1993	2996	9	13259	4.43	4.01	0.42
32	Jonathan Stewart	2008	2014	1041	173	4825	4.63	4.22	0.41
33	Chris Warren	1990	2000	1791	52	7696	4.3	3.9	0.4
34	Tony Canadeo	1941	1952	1025	183	4197	4.09	3.7	0.39
35	Abner Haynes	1960	1967	1036	176	4630	4.47	4.08	0.39
36	Otis Armstrong	1973	1980	1023	184	4453	4.35	3.96	0.39
37	Jim Taylor	1958	1967	1941	42	8597	4.43	4.05	0.38
38	Ahmad Bradshaw	2007	2014	1052	168	4843	4.6	4.23	0.37
39	Ollie Matson	1952	1966	1170	137	5173	4.42	4.05	0.37
40	Walter Payton	1975	1987	3838	2	16726	4.36	3.99	0.36
41	Lawrence McCutcheon	1972	1981	1521	74	6578	4.32	3.97	0.35
42	Ahman Green	1998	2009	2056	35	9205	4.48	4.13	0.35
43	Darrin Nelson	1982	1992	1020	187	4442	4.35	4.01	0.35
44	Frank Gore	2005	2014	2442	24	11073	4.53	4.18	0.35
45	Tony Dorsett	1977	1988	2936	11	12739	4.34	3.99	0.35
46	Garrison Hearst	1993	2004	1831	48	7966	4.35	4.01	0.35
47	Marshall Faulk	1994	2005	2836	15	12279	4.33	3.99	0.34
48	Chris Johnson	2008	2014	1897	44	8628	4.55	4.22	0.32
49	Clinton Portis	2002	2010	2230	28	9923	4.45	4.14	0.31
50	Chuck Muncie	1976	1984	1561	69	6702	4.29	3.98	0.31
51	Arian Foster	2009	2014	1391	94	6309	4.54	4.23	0.31
52	Earl Campbell	1978	1985	2187	30	9407	4.3	4	0.3
53	Delvin Williams	1974	1981	1312	107	5598	4.27	3.97	0.3
54	Larry Csonka	1968	1979	1891	45	8081	4.27	3.99	0.28
55	Brandon Jacobs	2005	2013	1141	150	5094	4.46	4.19	0.28
56	John Henry Johnson	1954	1966	1571	68	6803	4.33	4.07	0.26
57	Thurman Thomas	1988	2000	2877	13	12074	4.2	3.94	0.26
58	Michael Turner	2004	2012	1639	64	7338	4.48	4.22	0.26
59	Gary Brown	1991	1999	1032	177	4300	4.17	3.91	0.25
60	Dexter Bussey	1974	1984	1203	126	5105	4.24	3.99	0.25
61	Craig Heyward	1988	1998	1031	178	4301	4.17	3.92	0.25
62	Herschel Walker	1986	1997	1954	40	8225	4.21	3.96	0.25
63	John David Crow	1958	1968	1157	144	4963	4.29	4.04	0.25
64	George Rogers	1981	1987	1692	57	7176	4.24	4.01	0.24
65	Larry Johnson	2003	2011	1427	89	6223	4.36	4.13	0.23
66	Leroy Kelly	1964	1973	1727	55	7274	4.21	3.98	0.23
67	Bob Hoernschemeyer	1946	1955	1059	164	4548	4.29	4.07	0.23
68	Corey Dillon	1997	2006	2618	20	11241	4.29	4.07	0.22
69	Maurice Jones-Drew	2006	2014	1847	46	8167	4.42	4.21	0.21
70	Cookie Gilchrist	1962	1967	1010	190	4293	4.25	4.04	0.21
71	Shaun Alexander	2000	2008	2187	30	9453	4.32	4.11	0.21
72	Fred Jackson	2007	2014	1279	114	5646	4.41	4.21	0.2
73	Calvin Hill	1969	1981	1452	83	6083	4.19	4	0.19
74	Emmitt Smith	1990	2004	4409	1	18355	4.16	3.98	0.19
75	Willie Parker	2004	2009	1253	117	5378	4.29	4.12	0.18
76	Mike Garrett	1966	1973	1308	109	5481	4.19	4.01	0.18
77	LaDainian Tomlinson	2001	2011	3174	5	13684	4.31	4.14	0.17
78	Robert Newhouse	1972	1983	1160	140	4784	4.12	3.97	0.15
79	J.D. Smith	1956	1966	1100	157	4672	4.25	4.11	0.14
80	Don Perkins	1961	1968	1500	77	6217	4.14	4.02	0.13
81	Ricky Watters	1992	2001	2622	19	10643	4.06	3.93	0.13
82	Reggie Bush	2006	2014	1266	116	5465	4.32	4.2	0.12
83	Franco Harris	1972	1984	2949	10	12120	4.11	3.99	0.12
84	Gerald Riggs	1982	1991	1989	39	8188	4.12	4	0.11
85	Roger Craig	1983	1993	1991	38	8189	4.11	4	0.11
86	Deuce McAllister	2001	2008	1429	88	6096	4.27	4.16	0.11
87	Greg Bell	1984	1990	1204	124	4959	4.12	4.01	0.11
88	Matt Snell	1964	1972	1057	166	4285	4.05	3.95	0.11
89	Joe Cribbs	1980	1988	1309	108	5356	4.09	4	0.1
90	Neal Anderson	1986	1993	1515	76	6166	4.07	3.98	0.09
91	Ray Rice	2008	2013	1430	86	6180	4.32	4.23	0.09
92	Marcus Allen	1982	1997	3022	8	12243	4.05	3.97	0.08
93	Terry Allen	1991	2001	2152	32	8614	4	3.92	0.08
94	Stephen Davis	1996	2006	1945	41	8052	4.14	4.06	0.08
95	Marshawn Lynch	2007	2014	2033	37	8695	4.28	4.2	0.08
96	Ted Brown	1979	1986	1117	155	4546	4.07	4	0.07
97	Jim Nance	1965	1973	1341	102	5401	4.03	3.96	0.07
98	Johnny Hector	1983	1992	1051	169	4280	4.07	4	0.07
99	Carl Garrett	1969	1977	1031	178	4197	4.07	4.01	0.06
100	Mark van Eeghen	1974	1983	1652	61	6651	4.03	3.97	0.06
101	Joe Washington	1977	1985	1195	131	4839	4.05	3.99	0.06
102	John Williams	1986	1995	1245	120	5006	4.02	3.97	0.05
103	Lorenzo White	1988	1995	1062	163	4242	3.99	3.94	0.05
104	Ronnie Brown	2005	2014	1281	112	5391	4.21	4.16	0.05
105	Leroy Hoard	1990	1999	1008	192	3964	3.93	3.9	0.04
106	Jamal Lewis	2000	2009	2542	22	10607	4.17	4.14	0.04
107	Jamal Anderson	1994	2001	1329	103	5336	4.02	3.98	0.03
108	Tommy Mason	1961	1971	1040	174	4203	4.04	4.01	0.03
109	Warrick Dunn	1997	2008	2669	18	10967	4.11	4.08	0.03
110	Matt Forte	2008	2014	1817	50	7704	4.24	4.22	0.02
111	Curt Warner	1983	1990	1698	56	6844	4.03	4.01	0.02
112	Ottis Anderson	1979	1992	2562	21	10273	4.01	4.01	0
113	Mike Pruitt	1976	1986	1844	47	7378	4	4	0
114	Dorsey Levens	1994	2004	1243	121	4955	3.99	3.99	-0.01
115	Harvey Williams	1991	1998	1021	186	3952	3.87	3.88	-0.01
116	Emerson Boozer	1966	1975	1291	110	5135	3.98	3.99	-0.01
117	Duce Staley	1997	2006	1430	86	5785	4.05	4.06	-0.01
118	Ricky Williams	1999	2011	2431	25	10009	4.12	4.13	-0.01
119	Curtis Martin	1995	2005	3518	3	14101	4.01	4.02	-0.02
120	Steven Jackson	2004	2014	2743	16	11388	4.15	4.18	-0.03
121	Clarke Hinkle	1932	1941	1171	136	3860	3.3	3.33	-0.03
122	Johnny Johnson	1990	1994	1046	170	4078	3.9	3.93	-0.03
123	Marion Barber	2005	2011	1156	146	4780	4.13	4.17	-0.03
124	Sam Cunningham	1973	1982	1385	95	5453	3.94	3.97	-0.03
125	Tony Galbreath	1976	1987	1031	178	4072	3.95	3.98	-0.03
126	Kevin Mack	1985	1993	1291	110	5123	3.97	4	-0.04
127	Joe Morris	1982	1991	1411	90	5585	3.96	4	-0.04
128	Earnest Byner	1984	1997	2095	33	8261	3.94	3.99	-0.04
129	Rick Casares	1955	1966	1431	85	5797	4.05	4.1	-0.04
130	Travis Henry	2001	2007	1488	80	6086	4.09	4.14	-0.05
131	Edgerrin James	1999	2009	3028	7	12246	4.04	4.09	-0.05
132	Jerome Bettis	1993	2005	3479	4	13662	3.93	3.98	-0.05
133	Christian Okoye	1987	1992	1246	119	4897	3.93	3.99	-0.06
134	Chester Taylor	2002	2011	1160	140	4740	4.09	4.15	-0.06
135	James Stewart	1995	2002	1478	81	5841	3.95	4.01	-0.06
136	Donny Anderson	1966	1974	1197	128	4696	3.92	3.98	-0.06
137	Michael Pittman	1998	2008	1392	93	5627	4.04	4.11	-0.07
138	Earnest Jackson	1983	1988	1059	164	4167	3.93	4.01	-0.08
139	Lydell Mitchell	1972	1980	1675	59	6534	3.9	3.98	-0.08
140	Dave Hampton	1969	1976	1148	148	4536	3.95	4.03	-0.08
141	Marion Butts	1989	1995	1345	100	5185	3.86	3.94	-0.08
142	Tony Collins	1981	1990	1191	132	4647	3.9	4	-0.1
143	Randy McMillan	1981	1986	990	198	3876	3.92	4.01	-0.1
144	Shonn Greene	2009	2014	993	196	4110	4.14	4.24	-0.1
145	Willis McGahee	2004	2013	2095	33	8474	4.04	4.15	-0.11
146	Joseph Addai	2006	2011	1095	158	4453	4.07	4.18	-0.11
147	Rodney Hampton	1990	1997	1824	49	6897	3.78	3.9	-0.12
148	Tyrone Wheatley	1995	2004	1270	115	4962	3.91	4.03	-0.12
149	Mike Thomas	1975	1980	1087	159	4196	3.86	3.98	-0.12
150	John Riggins	1971	1985	2916	12	11352	3.89	4.02	-0.12
151	Tom Matte	1961	1972	1200	127	4646	3.87	4	-0.13
152	Darren McFadden	2008	2014	1038	175	4247	4.09	4.22	-0.13
153	MacArthur Lane	1968	1978	1206	123	4656	3.86	4	-0.14
154	Floyd Little	1967	1975	1641	63	6323	3.85	4	-0.14
155	Ed Podolak	1969	1977	1157	144	4451	3.85	3.99	-0.14
156	Harold Green	1990	1998	1151	147	4365	3.79	3.94	-0.14
157	Mike Rozier	1985	1991	1159	143	4462	3.85	4	-0.15
158	Adrian Murrell	1993	2003	1375	97	5199	3.78	3.93	-0.15
159	Chuck Foreman	1973	1980	1556	70	5950	3.82	3.98	-0.15
160	Larry Brown	1969	1976	1530	73	5875	3.84	4	-0.16
161	Wendell Hayes	1963	1974	988	199	3758	3.8	3.97	-0.17
162	Rudi Johnson	2001	2008	1517	75	5979	3.94	4.11	-0.17
163	Julius Jones	2004	2010	1280	113	5068	3.96	4.13	-0.17
164	John Brockington	1971	1977	1347	99	5185	3.85	4.02	-0.17
165	Natrone Means	1993	2000	1409	92	5215	3.7	3.88	-0.18
166	Thomas Jones	2000	2011	2678	17	10591	3.95	4.15	-0.2
167	Pete Johnson	1977	1984	1489	79	5626	3.78	3.97	-0.2
168	Ken Willard	1965	1974	1622	65	6105	3.76	3.96	-0.2
169	Antowain Smith	1997	2005	1784	53	6881	3.86	4.06	-0.2
170	Alex Webster	1955	1964	1196	129	4638	3.88	4.09	-0.21
171	Kevan Barlow	2001	2006	1022	185	3984	3.9	4.12	-0.22
172	James Wilder	1981	1990	1586	67	6008	3.79	4.02	-0.23
173	Jim Otis	1970	1978	1160	140	4350	3.75	3.98	-0.23
174	Rob Carpenter	1977	1986	1172	135	4363	3.72	3.99	-0.27
175	Dave Osborn	1965	1976	1179	133	4336	3.68	3.95	-0.27
176	Johnny Roland	1966	1973	1015	188	3750	3.69	3.97	-0.28
177	Dalton Hilliard	1986	1993	1126	153	4164	3.7	3.97	-0.28
178	Mike Alstott	1996	2006	1359	98	5088	3.74	4.02	-0.28
179	Altie Taylor	1969	1976	1170	137	4308	3.68	3.99	-0.31
180	Edgar Bennett	1992	1999	1115	156	3992	3.58	3.89	-0.31
181	Rashard Mendenhall	2008	2013	1081	160	4236	3.92	4.23	-0.31
182	Cadillac Williams	2005	2011	1055	167	4038	3.83	4.15	-0.32
183	Jim Kiick	1968	1977	1029	181	3759	3.65	3.99	-0.33
184	Errict Rhett	1994	2000	1174	134	4143	3.53	3.87	-0.34
185	BenJarvus Green-Ellis	2008	2013	1008	192	3914	3.88	4.23	-0.35
186	Rickey Young	1975	1983	1011	189	3666	3.63	3.98	-0.36
187	Lamar Smith	1994	2003	1322	104	4853	3.67	4.04	-0.37
188	Sammy Winder	1982	1990	1495	78	5427	3.63	4	-0.37
189	Eddie George	1996	2004	2865	14	10441	3.64	4.03	-0.39
190	Anthony Thomas	2001	2007	1044	171	3891	3.73	4.13	-0.4
191	Ron Johnson	1969	1975	1204	124	4308	3.58	4	-0.43
192	James Jones	1983	1992	1010	190	3626	3.59	4.02	-0.43
193	Reggie Cobb	1990	1996	1065	162	3743	3.51	3.94	-0.43
194	Bill Brown	1961	1974	1649	62	5838	3.54	3.98	-0.44
195	Cedric Benson	2005	2012	1600	66	6017	3.76	4.2	-0.44
196	Leonard Russell	1991	1996	1164	139	3973	3.41	3.88	-0.47
197	Dick Hoak	1961	1970	1132	151	3965	3.5	4.01	-0.51
198	Karim Abdul-Jabbar	1996	2000	1004	194	3411	3.4	3.93	-0.53
199	Bill Mathis	1960	1969	1044	171	3589	3.44	4.01	-0.57
200	Billy Ray Barnes	1957	1966	994	195	3421	3.44	4.1	-0.66

I’m not a big fan of yards per rush as the primary measure by which we measure running backs, but it’s still interesting to look at the data (for less-popular measures of running back performance that I do find interesting, click here or here). Barry Sanders really stands out in just about every set of analysis one ever does on running backs, but he also is a huge beneficiary of the era adjustment: while he averaged just 0.03 YPC more than Adrian Peterson, the ’90s was a very different era for running backs. After making that adjustment, Sanders has a +0.30 edge on Peterson in YPC over average.

If you sort by the Rush column or the Rk Rsh column, you get a list of the career leaders in attempts. This is another area where Sanders really stands out: Fred Taylor ranks 23rd in career rushes and 23rd in YPC over league average: he’s the only player besides Sanders in the top 25 in both metrics. Several players — Curtis Martin, Jerome Bettis, Edgerrin James, John Riggins, Steven Jackson — rank in the top 20 in rush attempts, are in the Hall of Fame or are borderline HOFers, and yet have a career YPC average below league average (which is one of the reasons why YPC is not one of my favorite statistics).

Here’s another way to look at this data: I plotted each of the 200 players in the graph below. The X-axis displays career carries, from about 800 to 4500; the Y-Axis shows YPC relative to league average, from -0.8 to about 1.5

Pretty interesting: what do you guys think?

Oh, and Billy Ray Barnes? He’s another interesting story. He averaged 3.47 YPC but led the Eagles in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns from ’57 to ’61. But Philadelphia struggled to run the ball during those years, finishing with a 3.54 YPC average, the worst in the NFL. Of course, the Eagles also won the championship in 1960, so these were the glory years for Philadelphia.

Tagged as: Barry Sanders, Yards per rush

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