A good comment by reader Mark Growcott this week noted that running backs are catching a lot of passes so far in 2018. Mark noted that running backs have more catches through three weeks than in any season since 2010.

I went ahead and calculated the receptions per game by running backs, tight ends, and wide receivers for the first three weeks of each season since 2002. Since not every team played three games in the first three weeks of each season, the data is presented on a per-game basis. As you can see, 2018 is a great year for running backs in the receiving game, but… it’s also a great year for every position in the receiving game:

Teams completed 2,248 passes through three weeks, an average of 23.4 completed passes per team game, which — if it held — would break the record of 22.5 set in 2015 and 2016. As a result, just about every position is set to have record-breaking receiving numbers. It’s truly a case of a rising tide lifting all ships, although running backs may be a notable beneficiary as the short pass to the running back has replaced the handoff for several teams.  Alvin Kamara has 30 catches through three games, while Christian McCaffrey and Saquon Barkley are both averaging seven catches per game so far.