Maurice Jones-Drew is one of the most versatile players in the NFL. He's also versatile when it comes to fantasy scoring. Jones-Drew scores a ton of touchdowns, runs for a bunch of yards, and is one of the best receiving backs in football. In fact, he's been one of the most balanced fantasy RBs in the history of the game.
I looked at all running backs and noted what percentage of their fantasy points came from rushing yards, receptions/receiving yards, and rushing/receiving touchdowns (using 0.5 PPR scoring). The table below shows the percentages for all 87 RBs to accumulate 200 points of VBD since 1970 (players who entered the league before 1970 are included, but their seasons before that year are not), along with an overall rating. That rating represents the difference between a player getting exactly one-third of his FPs in any one category and his actual number. The smaller the number, the more balanced a player's production:
Player |
Years |
Rsh |
Rec |
TD |
Rating |
Chuck Foreman |
1973-1980 |
39% |
32% |
30% |
11% |
Dalton Hilliard |
1986-1993 |
38% |
31% |
29% |
11% |
Maurice Jones-Drew |
2006-2009 |
39% |
28% |
33% |
12% |
Marshall Faulk |
1994-2005 |
39% |
34% |
26% |
14% |
Ron A. Johnson |
1969-1975 |
40% |
29% |
30% |
14% |
Ted Brown |
1979-1986 |
37% |
37% |
26% |
15% |
Dorsey Levens |
1994-2004 |
41% |
32% |
27% |
16% |
Calvin Hill |
1969-1981 |
41% |
31% |
27% |
16% |
Brian Westbrook |
2002-2009 |
38% |
37% |
25% |
17% |
Neal Anderson |
1986-1993 |
42% |
29% |
29% |
17% |
Marcus Allen |
1982-1997 |
41% |
28% |
29% |
17% |
Herschel Walker |
1986-1997 |
40% |
36% |
24% |
19% |
James Brooks |
1981-1992 |
44% |
30% |
26% |
21% |
Priest Holmes |
1997-2007 |
44% |
25% |
31% |
22% |
LaDainian Tomlinson |
2001-2009 |
44% |
23% |
32% |
22% |
Larry Brown |
1969-1976 |
44% |
28% |
27% |
22% |
Terry Metcalf |
1973-1981 |
38% |
40% |
21% |
23% |
Earnest Byner |
1984-1997 |
42% |
36% |
21% |
23% |
Roger Craig |
1983-1993 |
40% |
38% |
22% |
24% |
Greg Pruitt |
1973-1984 |
42% |
35% |
20% |
24% |
Chuck Muncie |
1976-1984 |
45% |
24% |
30% |
24% |
Domanick Williams |
2003-2005 |
46% |
30% |
24% |
26% |
Lorenzo White |
1988-1995 |
47% |
30% |
24% |
27% |
Billy Sims |
1980-1984 |
47% |
27% |
26% |
27% |
Ricky Watters |
1992-2001 |
47% |
29% |
24% |
27% |
Edgar Bennett |
1992-1999 |
42% |
38% |
19% |
27% |
James Wilder |
1981-1990 |
41% |
39% |
19% |
27% |
Greg Bell |
1984-1990 |
47% |
20% |
33% |
28% |
Lydell Mitchell |
1972-1980 |
45% |
35% |
20% |
28% |
Charlie Garner |
1994-2004 |
44% |
36% |
19% |
28% |
Floyd Little |
1967-1975 |
47% |
28% |
24% |
28% |
Joe Cribbs |
1980-1988 |
48% |
30% |
22% |
29% |
William Andrews |
1979-1986 |
48% |
32% |
20% |
29% |
Wilbert Montgomery |
1977-1985 |
48% |
27% |
24% |
30% |
Wendell Tyler |
1977-1986 |
48% |
21% |
30% |
30% |
Tiki Barber |
1997-2006 |
46% |
36% |
18% |
31% |
Pete Johnson |
1977-1984 |
44% |
17% |
39% |
32% |
Duce Staley |
1997-2006 |
49% |
34% |
17% |
32% |
Deuce McAllister |
2001-2008 |
50% |
24% |
26% |
33% |
Thurman Thomas |
1988-2000 |
50% |
28% |
22% |
33% |
Ahman Green |
1998-2009 |
50% |
26% |
24% |
33% |
Ottis Anderson |
1979-1992 |
50% |
24% |
25% |
34% |
Warrick Dunn |
1997-2008 |
51% |
32% |
18% |
34% |
Steven Jackson |
2004-2009 |
50% |
28% |
22% |
35% |
Frank Gore |
2005-2009 |
51% |
27% |
22% |
36% |
John L. Williams |
1986-1995 |
34% |
51% |
15% |
36% |
Larry Johnson |
2003-2009 |
51% |
18% |
30% |
37% |
Freeman McNeil |
1981-1992 |
52% |
29% |
19% |
37% |
Jamal Anderson |
1994-2001 |
52% |
24% |
24% |
38% |
Ricky Williams |
1999-2009 |
52% |
23% |
24% |
38% |
Curt Warner |
1983-1990 |
52% |
19% |
29% |
38% |
John Riggins |
1971-1985 |
52% |
15% |
32% |
38% |
Edgerrin James |
1999-2009 |
53% |
24% |
23% |
39% |
Shaun Alexander |
2000-2008 |
50% |
14% |
36% |
39% |
Mike Pruitt |
1976-1986 |
53% |
23% |
24% |
39% |
Emmitt Smith |
1990-2004 |
53% |
17% |
30% |
39% |
Chris Warren |
1990-2000 |
53% |
23% |
24% |
40% |
Otis Armstrong |
1973-1980 |
53% |
23% |
23% |
40% |
Walter Payton |
1975-1987 |
53% |
22% |
24% |
40% |
Chris Johnson |
2008-2009 |
54% |
20% |
26% |
41% |
Tony Dorsett |
1977-1988 |
54% |
23% |
23% |
41% |
Terry Allen |
1991-2001 |
54% |
16% |
30% |
41% |
Curtis Martin |
1995-2005 |
54% |
22% |
23% |
42% |
Joe Morris |
1982-1991 |
55% |
15% |
31% |
43% |
Adrian Peterson |
2007-2009 |
55% |
15% |
30% |
43% |
Gerald Riggs |
1982-1991 |
55% |
17% |
28% |
44% |
Clinton Portis |
2002-2009 |
55% |
18% |
26% |
44% |
Stephen Davis |
1996-2006 |
55% |
16% |
28% |
44% |
Franco Harris |
1972-1984 |
55% |
17% |
27% |
44% |
Terrell Davis |
1995-2001 |
56% |
16% |
29% |
45% |
Eddie George |
1996-2004 |
56% |
19% |
25% |
45% |
Thomas Jones |
2000-2009 |
56% |
20% |
24% |
46% |
Lawrence McCutcheon |
1972-1981 |
56% |
24% |
20% |
46% |
Rodney Hampton |
1990-1997 |
57% |
18% |
25% |
47% |
Corey Dillon |
1997-2006 |
57% |
16% |
27% |
47% |
Barry Sanders |
1989-1998 |
58% |
18% |
25% |
49% |
Rudi Johnson |
2001-2008 |
58% |
12% |
30% |
50% |
Fred Taylor |
1998-2009 |
58% |
19% |
22% |
50% |
Eric Dickerson |
1983-1993 |
59% |
16% |
25% |
51% |
Garrison Hearst |
1993-2004 |
59% |
24% |
17% |
51% |
Eric Metcalf |
1989-2002 |
23% |
59% |
17% |
52% |
Robert Smith |
1993-2000 |
60% |
19% |
20% |
54% |
O.J. Simpson |
1969-1979 |
60% |
15% |
24% |
54% |
Jamal Lewis |
2000-2009 |
61% |
17% |
21% |
56% |
Earl Campbell |
1978-1985 |
61% |
9% |
29% |
57% |
Jerome Bettis |
1993-2005 |
62% |
11% |
26% |
59% |
Jones-Drew's ability to find the end zone, run for a ton of yards, and still be a huge threat in the receiving game make him one of the game's most well-rounded players. In every game last season, Jones-Drew scored a touchdown, had five receptions, or rushed for at least 60 yards. It's reasons like this which make MJD a top-three pick in every fantasy league this year.
Questions, suggestions and comments are always welcome to [email protected].