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The Eagles’ LeSean McCoy is on the record saying that he is the best running back in the league.
“Check the numbers, ” McCoy said.
So what did we do? We checked the numbers. Here’s what we found.
- In 2013, McCoy led the league in rushing yards with 1,607. The next closest number was 1,339, belonging to Chicago’s Matt Forte
- He averaged 5.1 yards per attempt in 2013. While that didn’t lead the league — he finished fifth — he was ranked first among running backs that had over 250 rushing attempts.
- On that topic, McCoy also accumulated the most rushing attempts in the league with 314 total.
- With his 533 receiving yards supplementing his 1,607 rushing yards, McCoy also led the league yards from scrimmage.
Based off last season alone, McCoy is spot on with his declaration. However, he went as far as to say that in the past three seasons, he is the league’s best running back. That’s a much bolder statement, especially when when considering Adrian Peterson’s historic campaign two seasons ago. So, let’s compare the two running backs over the past three seasons.
LeSean McCoy from 2011-2013:
- 3,756 rushing yards, 4.7 yards per carry, 28 rushing touchdowns
- 154 receptions, 1,227 receiving yards, 8 receiving touchdowns
- 4,983 yards from scrimmage
Adrian Peterson from 2011-2013:
- 4,333 rushing yards, 5.1 yards per cary, 34 rushing touchdowns
- 87 receptions, 527 receiving yards, 3 receiving touchdowns
- 4,860 yards from scrimmage
The numbers tell us that Adrian Peterson has been significantly better at running the ball the past three seasons, though much of that has to do with his ridiculous 2012 season in which he averaged 6 yards per carry and totalled 2,097 rushing yards. But, in today’s NFL, running backs are required to do much more than simply run with the ball. They’re being asked to catch at a much higher rate. This is where McCoy holds the edge over Peterson. The Eagles’ offense makes sure to involve McCoy in both the rushing and passing game, which has allowed McCoy to gain more total yards from scrimmage in the past three seasons, though the margin is pretty slim.
Which running back would I take? Probably McCoy. There’s no disputing Peterson is a better runner, but I’ll always choose versatility.
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