2020 RB Yardage Ownership

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.

Image result for tony pollard

Here is how 2020 RBYO Leaderboard shaped up:

Player (RB Only > 50 att.)TmYBC/attYAC/attYardage Ownership
Tony PollardDAL0.713.5983%
Cordarrelle PattersonCHI0.662.9782%
Jordan WilkinsIND0.752.9280%
Wayne GallmanNYG1.013.6378%
Mike DavisCAR0.932.9676%
Le’Veon BellKC0.993.0175%
Kareem HuntCLV1.073.1875%
Kalen BallageLAC0.872.4674%
Duke Johnson Jr.HST0.812.2574%
Benny Snell Jr.PIT0.872.4474%
Derrick HenryTEN1.423.9473%
David MontgomeryCHI1.183.1573%
Todd Gurley IIATL0.962.5272%
Josh JacobsLV1.082.8272%
Nick ChubbCLV1.564.0672%
Joshua KelleyLAC0.892.3072%
Devin SingletaryBUF1.243.1772%
Ronald JonesTB1.443.6572%
Leonard FournetteTB1.072.7172%
Frank GoreNYJ0.992.5072%
James RobinsonJAX1.283.1871%
Kerryon JohnsonDET1.002.4871%
Joe MixonCIN1.052.5571%
Ezekiel ElliottDAL1.192.8270%
Giovani BernardCIN1.012.3570%
Carlos HydeSEA1.353.0569%
Christian McCaffreyCAR1.192.6369%
Austin EkelerLAC1.433.1469%
Phillip LindsayDEN1.342.9269%
La’Mical PerineNYJ1.142.4868%
Melvin Gordon IIIDEN1.473.1168%
Zack MossBUF1.392.9068%
James ConnerPIT1.392.8767%
Clyde Edwards-HelaireKC1.452.9867%
Dalvin CookMIN1.663.3367%
Jeff Wilson Jr.SF1.603.1666%
Chris CarsonSEA1.633.2066%
Cam AkersLA1.472.8466%
Samaje PerineCIN1.653.1365%
Gus EdwardsBLT1.743.2865%
Adrian PetersonDET1.372.5565%
Boston ScottPHI1.653.0365%
Aaron JonesGB1.953.5464%
J.D. McKissicWAS1.532.7664%
Alexander MattisonMIN1.632.9064%
Miles SandersPHI1.903.3864%
Brian HillATL1.702.9563%
Justin JacksonLAC1.692.8863%
Devonta FreemanNYG1.192.0063%
Jamaal WilliamsGB1.582.6663%
Kenyan DrakeARZ1.512.4962%
Myles GaskinMIA1.582.5462%
Rex BurkheadNE1.582.5161%
Peyton BarberWAS1.101.6560%
Sony MichelNE2.283.4160%
Damien HarrisNE2.023.0260%
Darrell HendersonLA1.822.7060%
Alfred MorrisNYG1.752.5860%
Alvin KamaraNO2.012.9760%
Mark Ingram IIBLT1.692.4659%
Devontae BookerLV1.872.6859%
Nyheim HinesIND1.762.5159%
Jonathan TaylorIND2.092.9559%
Jerick McKinnonSF1.652.2858%
J.K. DobbinsBLT2.543.4758%
Chase EdmondsARZ1.982.6457%
Latavius MurrayNO1.962.5356%
Matt BreidaMIA1.902.4156%
David JohnsonHST2.102.6155%
Antonio GibsonWAS2.112.5655%
Salvon AhmedMIA1.932.3255%
D’Andre SwiftDET2.162.4153%
Malcolm BrownLA1.972.1853%
Raheem MostertSF2.552.4649%
Ty JohnsonNYJ2.442.2648%
Ito SmithATL2.371.8944%
RBYO for 2020, min 50 carries

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.

Leave a Reply