Fantasy Football: 5 Running Backs Who Easily Outperformed Their 2016 Preseason Rankings
Isaiah Crowell, Cleveland Browns
Isaiah Crowell is the only other running back on this list who was his team's primary rusher in all 16 games. However, the fantasy world didn't know that entering the season. He got only 48.6 percent of the Cleveland Browns' carries in 2015 thanks to the immediate impact of rookie Duke Johnson (379 rushing yards on 104 carries, along with 534 receiving yards).
The timeshare was not only expected to continue, but also sway more in Johnson's direction. That's why Crowell had an average preseason ranking of 102 among the five websites mentioned earlier and an average ADP of 123.7, while Johnson's preseason ranking was 67 with an 89.3 ADP. But it was Crowell who saw his carries increase in 2016 (up to 56.5 percent), while Johnson's carries dropped to 20.8 percent.
Here's a 2016 statistical breakdown between the running back tandem.
| Player | Rushes | Yards | TDs | Avg. | 20-plus | Fumbles | Rec. | Rec. yards | Rec. TDs | Targets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Isaiah Crowell | 198 | 952 | 7 | 4.8 | 8 | 2 | 40 | 319 | 0 | 52 |
| Duke Johnson | 73 | 358 | 1 | 4.9 | 2 | 1 | 53 | 514 | 0 | 72 |
The biggest difference for Crowell was his ability to break the long run. He rushed for 20 or more yards 8 times, which ranked 5th among NFL running backs. That helped him average 4.8 yards per carry, which also landed him in the top 10 (9th) and was a full yard better than his 2015 average.
Considering Crowell had 198 carries this season, here's a mind-boggling statistic from Pro Football Focus.
47.5 percent of Isaiah Crowell’s rushing yards this season came on 16 carries.
— PFF Fantasy Football (@PFF_Fantasy) January 2, 2017
Crowell finished 55th overall in standard-league scoring and was a top-15 fantasy back. He was 15th among backs in standard leagues and 14th in PPR leagues.
