Is Zeke a top 3 running back?

[gjkoeppen]

Is this a joke? Ever hear of attempts? I’ll clarify. Zeke had the most attempts, and a better O line, then any other back in 2016 and 2018. Barkley had less attempts, a much worse O line and more yards per carry.

How do you completely ignore the difference in O lines and attempts? I could also mention the fact that Zeke had 6 fumbles last year which led the league but I won’t because homers don’t like to acknowledge that either.

The very first thing that most people look at in any given year is who led or is leading the league in rushing. As far as the line, the Cowboys line was great in 2016 and then 2017 there was a 40% change for the entire year and a 60% change for almost half of it. The 2018 line still wasn't the line of 2016 with having their center gone for the season and the line not anywhere as good as 2016. As far as the fumbles, yes he had 6 but lost ONLY ONE. BTW Barkley had 2 fumbles and lost 1 or 50% of his fumbles. See you can make stats say anything you want them to.

 

[aria]

Lol, but you did mention it

Haha...someone got it! Guess I could have used the appropriate emoji but figured it was obvious

 

[G2]

Haha...someone got it! Guess I could have used the appropriate emoji but figured it was obvious

You did the right thing, why make so easy?

 

[aria]

The very first thing that most people look at in any given year is who led or is leading the league in rushing. As far as the line, the Cowboys line was great in 2016 and then 2017 there was a 40% change for the entire year and a 60% change for almost half of it. The 2018 line still wasn't the line of 2016 with having their center gone for the season and the line not anywhere as good as 2016. As far as the fumbles, yes he had 6 but lost ONLY ONE. BTW Barkley had 2 fumbles and lost 1 or 50% of his fumbles. See you can make stats say anything you want them to.

I’m not calling you a liar but someone is wrong about the fumbles. Regardless, Zeke still lead the league in fumbles by a wide margin.

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BarkSa00.htm

I also think part of the problem is how a lot of people use the 2016 O line as the bar when comparing every other year. 2016 they were arguably the best but that doesn’t mean they weren’t good in 2017 and 2018. They were still top 10 both years compared to the Giants who were close to bottom 10. So as far as my point goes, it doesn’t matter if they weren’t the best, they were literally twice as good as what Barkley was running behind.

 

[Sarge]

Be curious to see how Kamara does next year without Ingram.

Kamara, as a pure RB doesn't have the bellcow stats, but the Saints use the short passing game and his skill set to pick up yardage on the flats or short routes moreso than traditionally running the ball.

He has recorded 162 catches his first two years and 31 total TDs spliting time with Ingram.
His total yardage is at 3,150+ yards on 476 touches. 6.6 yards per touch.

Not saying he's better, but he has been used in a different way and has been great in his role.

We've already seen what Kamara can do without Ingram - the guy is a beast.

 

[Aerolithe_Lion]

Yeah, Le'Veon is the only sticking point. He could be 1st, or he could be 10th. Right now Zeke definitely has consistency over him or David Johnson.

 

[StuckMojo]

The 2018 O-line was nowhere close to being the best line

 

[G2]

The 2018 O-line was nowhere close to being the best line

I agree, there were some injuries and changes. It's hard to get any cohesiveness.

 

[CowboyRoy]

Correct, i would take Zeke over Barkley and Sanders. Because of the reason that I stated.

That's a very hometown opinion. But your entitled. I might even take Murray over Zeke.

 

[John813]

We've already seen what Kamara can do without Ingram - the guy is a beast.

Oh yea. Just meant like if he got the full load or 70-80% of the snaps over a full year.

 

[QuincyCarterEra]

We've already seen what Kamara can do without Ingram - the guy is a beast.

Yep, he's a top 2 RB for me.

Dude is a monster

 

[aria]

I’ve said several times I think Zeke is top 3, probably top 2 but I think Barkley is better. What I want to know is how do the people who throw around Zeke’s total rushing yards as the definitive answer to why he’s the best completely ignore how he had a much better O line than Barkley, fumbled the ball 6 times compared to Barkley’s ZERO, had more carries than Barkley hence the most yards and averaged less yards per carry than Barkley?

Anyone who has watched Barkley has seen what he has to work with compared to Zeke, if it were the other way around and Zeke had a better ypc average and less total yards behind a horrendous O Line then the some of you would be using the O line as the main excuse (justifiably so) as to why Zeke is actually the best but his numbers don’t reflect that. Why doesn’t that excuse apply to Barkley?

Why is it every time Zeke has a bad game (see Denver), the Rams, etc then the O line gets all the blame, it’s never Zeke’s fault, but when Barkley is still averaging more yards per carry and barely had less total yards compared to Zeke then the pitiful Giants O line never comes up as a deciding factor?

I’d like someone to answer this instead of ignoring it every time I bring it up, just like ignoring the difference in O lines, fumbles and ypc.

Still waiting...ZzzzzzzzzZzzzzzzz...

 

[Toruk_Makto]

Of course, silly question.
That "rule" doesn't apply when there are multiple running backs who produce behind mediocre offensive lines.
You've clearly and obviously made it seem that the vast majority need it. They just don't.

I mean you're wrong. No other position is as dependent on other players as rb. WR a distant second.

 

[G2]

Still waiting...ZzzzzzzzzZzzzzzzz...

I love Elliott, but I wonder how 50 yards helped vs. LA.

 

[beware_d-ware]

I think Zeke is a far more talented receiver than what we've seen thus far. He literally only has one catch in his career deeper than 5 yards, and that came on an audible by the quarterback. No one has even tried to tap that potential.

I mean, imagine if Alvin Kamara had been drafted by the Cowboys. He'd most likely be a "change of pace" back getting 50 carries a season. We don't even try to use our backs creatively.

Seems to me like Linehan had no idea how to use Zeke in the receiving game, and when he tried to make him a bigger factor in the passing game in the second half of this year, all he could think of was dump-offs. Give Zeke to Andy Reid, Sean McVay, or Sean Payton, and I bet you he goes nuts.

 

[Thomas82]

Zeke is the best back in the game and it isn't close.

That's it and that's all!!

 

[Thomas82]

Elliot is the best running back in the NFL and for anyone to say otherwise is flat out foolery

He has no glaring flaws....he can catch he can block he can run

There’s honestly no other running back I would rather have

My thoughts exactly!!

 

[keysersoze]

He's incapable

He even says Barkleys only big run was in the 4th quarter, but in the game script he posted on Barkley's very first run of the game in the 1st quarter he busted it for 26 yards lol.

I wouldn't waste my time with that guy.

You're right Barkley is a stud, luckily he plays the least important position.

17 carries 109 yards. One carry for 26 yards another for 68 yards. That’s 94 of 109 yards on 2 carries. Which leaves 15 yards on the other 15 carries. That’s an average back to me. Any Starting NFL RB does that. What’s so spectacular?

 

[InTheZone]

Barkley is his only competition. And we already know Barkley doesn't have the durability that Zeke has. People crying over Zekes 2nd contract, even from the day he was drafted, I wonder what they think of Barkley or any of the other top backs if they were here instead.

 

[aria]

Barkley is his only competition. And we already know Barkley doesn't have the durability that Zeke has. People crying over Zekes 2nd contract, even from the day he was drafted, I wonder what they think of Barkley or any of the other top backs if they were here instead.

LOL, doesn’t have the durability Zeke has? and how do you know this?

These homer comments are ridiculous, it’s like arguing with a 5 year old. Some of you just spout stuff off with absolutely zero to back it up. I can’t wait to hear how you know Barkley doesn’t have the durability Zeke has.