The 5 Most Efficient Red-Zone Rushers in 2017

Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers

Rushing NEP per carry: 0.31

When speaking about the ground game of the Carolina Panthers, some people will often bring up, maybe in jest, that they have one of the best short yardage backs in the entire NFL in their quarterback. Lo and behold, it is not a joke. On a per-play basis, Cam Newton was the fifth-most efficient red zone runner among qualifying players in 2017.

Newton’s red zone Rushing Success Rate, the percentage of plays that resulted in positive NEP, is closer to the bottom than the top among qualifying players (41.67%). He offsets this in one vital area, though, which is namely touchdowns. Newton scored 6 touchdowns on his 28 attempts, giving him the eighth-best touchdown rate (21%) among our sample.