7 Paths to Climbing the Running Back Depth Chart
6. Replacement-Level Starter is Outplayed
This is the scenario that most fantasy footballers love to attempt to predict: a suspect starter is usurped by an off-the-radar talent due to performance. However, the number of occurrences doesn't match the amount of hype often dedicated to this phenomenon:
| Player | Player Takeover |
|---|---|
| Javorius Allen | Alex Collins |
| Paul Perkins | Orleans Darkwa |
| Orleans Darkwa | Wayne Gallman |
| Eddie Lacy | Chris Carson |
| Doug Martin | Peyton Barber |
| Rob Kelley | Chris Thompson |
Buck Allen took over the Baltimore backfield due to injury, but Alex Collins’ 4.6 yards per carry catapulted him into the driver seat of feature back duties. The New York Giants searched for weeks for a usable running back to begin the season, including presumed starter Paul Perkins. However, Orleans Darkwa took the backfield over from Weeks 5 to 11 before a lost season incentivized the coaching staff to give an extended look to Wayne Gallman.
In Seattle, it was Lacy, Rawls, and C.J. Prosise who showed nothing desirable before rookie Chris Carson took over. Carson was beginning to play serviceably behind Seattle’s poor offensive line before suffering a season-ending broken ankle.
Doug Martin played so poorly that he was duty-bound to be replaced by whoever challenged him. That person was Peyton Barber in 2017.
Though “Fat Rob” was the presumed starter in Washington to open the season, a combination of poor health and a brilliant Chris Thompson fully derailed his season. Thompson led the Washington backfield in scoring in six of seven games to open the season.
Lesson: There are bad running backs throughout the NFL. Assuming that coaches will strictly play the better player at all times is a fallacy. Confirmation bias, salary or sunk costs, and general hopefulness from management make it very difficult for ineffective starters to be replaced by play alone. Devontae Booker (Denver), D'Onta Foreman (Houston), and Marlon Mack (Indianapolis) are prime examples of hopeful contenders to starting roles behind ineffective starting running backs. None of these player saw significant usage.
