Things often run in cycles in the NFL and 2017, in my opinion, was the year of the scatback.
A scatback is of course a smallish running back who is fast and elusive, rather than big and strong. Especially in the season just ended, scatbacks made quite a name for themselves – but mostly as receivers.
Here are some of them, and how they performed as receivers in 2017:
Alvin Kamara (5’10”, 215) – 81 catches as a rookie for the Saints, caught over four-fifths of balls thrown to him, had more yards through the air than on the ground
Christian McCaffrey (5’11”, 205) – 80 catches for the Panthers, with all but 75 of his 651 yards coming after the catch
Duke Johnson (5’9”, 210) – 74 catches for the lowly Browns; 694 receiving and 348 rushing yards
LeSean McCoy (5’11”, 210) – 59 grabs for the Bills; 441 receptions in his nine-year career
Kareem Hunt (5’10”, 216) – another precocious rookie and instant Pro-Bowler, 53 catches for the Chiefs, 455 yards, three TDs – one a 78-yard scamper
James White (5’10”, 205) – 56 catches, his third consecutive productive receiving year for the Pats
Tarik Cohen (5’6”, 181) – the speedy rookie had 53 catches for the Bears
Theo Riddick (5’9”, 201) – 53 catches for the Lions; 80 catches for 697 yards in 2015
Jerick McKinnon (5’9”, 205) – 51 catches in his fourth year with the Vikes
Giovani Bernard (5’9”, 205) – 43 catches for the Bengals; he’s caught 39 or more passes in all four years with Cincinnati
Devonte Freeman (5’8”, 206) – 36 catches for the Falcons; 240 catches in his four years in the league
J.