Modern analytics and advanced stats have helped us understand and evaluate the Running Back (RB) position much better than with traditional stats alone. Metrics like Football Outsiders’ Adjusted Line, Open Field and Breakaway Yards are great examples, especially when trying to isolate the responsibility given to a RB vs an OL. Others that hone in on RB value on a given play, like Pro Football Focus’ Running Grades really zoom in on judging RB ability, and help peel away value provided from good/bad OL blocking. Below we take a crack at RB Advanced Stats with “RB Yardage Ownership“. Similar to looking at a QB’s yards before and after the point of completion (Air yards vs YAC), RB Yardage Ownership (RBYO) finds the portion of rushing yards the RB made after contact (relative to yards before contact) on average.
Here is how 2020 RBYO Leaderboard shaped up:
| Player (RB Only > 50 att.) | Tm | YBC/att | YAC/att | Yardage Ownership |
| Tony Pollard | DAL | 0.71 | 3.59 | 83% |
| Cordarrelle Patterson | CHI | 0.66 | 2.97 | 82% |
| Jordan Wilkins | IND | 0.75 | 2.92 | 80% |
| Wayne Gallman | NYG | 1.01 | 3.63 | 78% |
| Mike Davis | CAR | 0.93 | 2.96 | 76% |
| Le’Veon Bell | KC | 0.99 | 3.01 | 75% |
| Kareem Hunt | CLV | 1.07 | 3.18 | 75% |
| Kalen Ballage | LAC | 0.87 | 2.46 | 74% |
| Duke Johnson Jr. | HST | 0.81 | 2.25 | 74% |
| Benny Snell Jr. | PIT | 0.87 | 2.44 | 74% |
| Derrick Henry | TEN | 1.42 | 3.94 | 73% |
| David Montgomery | CHI | 1.18 | 3.15 | 73% |
| Todd Gurley II | ATL | 0.96 | 2.52 | 72% |
| Josh Jacobs | LV | 1.08 | 2.82 | 72% |
| Nick Chubb | CLV | 1.56 | 4.06 | 72% |
| Joshua Kelley | LAC | 0.89 | 2.30 | 72% |
| Devin Singletary | BUF | 1.24 | 3.17 | 72% |
| Ronald Jones | TB | 1.44 | 3.65 | 72% |
| Leonard Fournette | TB | 1.07 | 2.71 | 72% |
| Frank Gore | NYJ | 0.99 | 2.50 | 72% |
| James Robinson | JAX | 1.28 | 3.18 | 71% |
| Kerryon Johnson | DET | 1.00 | 2.48 | 71% |
| Joe Mixon | CIN | 1.05 | 2.55 | 71% |
| Ezekiel Elliott | DAL | 1.19 | 2.82 | 70% |
| Giovani Bernard | CIN | 1.01 | 2.35 | 70% |
| Carlos Hyde | SEA | 1.35 | 3.05 | 69% |
| Christian McCaffrey | CAR | 1.19 | 2.63 | 69% |
| Austin Ekeler | LAC | 1.43 | 3.14 | 69% |
| Phillip Lindsay | DEN | 1.34 | 2.92 | 69% |
| La’Mical Perine | NYJ | 1.14 | 2.48 | 68% |
| Melvin Gordon III | DEN | 1.47 | 3.11 | 68% |
| Zack Moss | BUF | 1.39 | 2.90 | 68% |
| James Conner | PIT | 1.39 | 2.87 | 67% |
| Clyde Edwards-Helaire | KC | 1.45 | 2.98 | 67% |
| Dalvin Cook | MIN | 1.66 | 3.33 | 67% |
| Jeff Wilson Jr. | SF | 1.60 | 3.16 | 66% |
| Chris Carson | SEA | 1.63 | 3.20 | 66% |
| Cam Akers | LA | 1.47 | 2.84 | 66% |
| Samaje Perine | CIN | 1.65 | 3.13 | 65% |
| Gus Edwards | BLT | 1.74 | 3.28 | 65% |
| Adrian Peterson | DET | 1.37 | 2.55 | 65% |
| Boston Scott | PHI | 1.65 | 3.03 | 65% |
| Aaron Jones | GB | 1.95 | 3.54 | 64% |
| J.D. McKissic | WAS | 1.53 | 2.76 | 64% |
| Alexander Mattison | MIN | 1.63 | 2.90 | 64% |
| Miles Sanders | PHI | 1.90 | 3.38 | 64% |
| Brian Hill | ATL | 1.70 | 2.95 | 63% |
| Justin Jackson | LAC | 1.69 | 2.88 | 63% |
| Devonta Freeman | NYG | 1.19 | 2.00 | 63% |
| Jamaal Williams | GB | 1.58 | 2.66 | 63% |
| Kenyan Drake | ARZ | 1.51 | 2.49 | 62% |
| Myles Gaskin | MIA | 1.58 | 2.54 | 62% |
| Rex Burkhead | NE | 1.58 | 2.51 | 61% |
| Peyton Barber | WAS | 1.10 | 1.65 | 60% |
| Sony Michel | NE | 2.28 | 3.41 | 60% |
| Damien Harris | NE | 2.02 | 3.02 | 60% |
| Darrell Henderson | LA | 1.82 | 2.70 | 60% |
| Alfred Morris | NYG | 1.75 | 2.58 | 60% |
| Alvin Kamara | NO | 2.01 | 2.97 | 60% |
| Mark Ingram II | BLT | 1.69 | 2.46 | 59% |
| Devontae Booker | LV | 1.87 | 2.68 | 59% |
| Nyheim Hines | IND | 1.76 | 2.51 | 59% |
| Jonathan Taylor | IND | 2.09 | 2.95 | 59% |
| Jerick McKinnon | SF | 1.65 | 2.28 | 58% |
| J.K. Dobbins | BLT | 2.54 | 3.47 | 58% |
| Chase Edmonds | ARZ | 1.98 | 2.64 | 57% |
| Latavius Murray | NO | 1.96 | 2.53 | 56% |
| Matt Breida | MIA | 1.90 | 2.41 | 56% |
| David Johnson | HST | 2.10 | 2.61 | 55% |
| Antonio Gibson | WAS | 2.11 | 2.56 | 55% |
| Salvon Ahmed | MIA | 1.93 | 2.32 | 55% |
| D’Andre Swift | DET | 2.16 | 2.41 | 53% |
| Malcolm Brown | LA | 1.97 | 2.18 | 53% |
| Raheem Mostert | SF | 2.55 | 2.46 | 49% |
| Ty Johnson | NYJ | 2.44 | 2.26 | 48% |
| Ito Smith | ATL | 2.37 | 1.89 | 44% |
A couple of interesting takeaways:
-Raheem Mostert being one of only 3 RBs with a higher YBC than YAC helps finally evaluate his true value to the run game in SF
-Seeing Gurley’s 72% vs Ito Smith’s 44% is fascinating when you take in account they are on the same team, and have vastly different YBC numbers
-Mark Ingram vs JK Dobbins is interesting as their overall YPC numbers were almost identical, yet with almost a full yard difference between “how they got there”
Do remember, this isn’t a final judgement by any means on RB running ability, rather a starting point of context to help separate not only value, but HOW RB’s are racking up their yards, in RB Yardage Ownership.