By JOSH DUBOW
Led by free-agent bargains Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry, the number of big-play running backs is rivaling the number of high-production wide receivers for a change.
With two weeks remaining in the season, there are 11 players who have reached the 1,000-yard milestone in both rushing and receiving, a far cry from the pattern in recent seasons.
The last time there were as many 1,000-yard rushers as receivers in an entire season came in 2010 when there were 17 of each. While that might not happen this season, with more pass catchers nearing the mark than runners, it does figure to be far closer than it has been the last decade when there were more than twice as many receivers (233) hitting the mark than runners (110).
Baltimore Ravens RB Derrick Henry AP Photo/Stephanie Scarborough
The running renaissance is being led by Barkley and Henry, who have elevated their teams with their big-play ability after signing deals that are far smaller than the ones that go to top wideouts.
The Eagles’ Barkley leads the NFL in rushing with 1,838 yards and could become the ninth player in NFL history to reach 2,000 yards in a season. He still has an outside shot at breaking Eric Dickerson’s single-season record of 2,105 in a 16-game season in 1984. Barkley needs 268 yards to break that in a 17-game season.
Barkley has been a big-play threat all season, including a 68-yard TD run on Sunday against Washington. He’s the first player in NFL history with at least four TD runs of 65 yards or more in the same season.
The Ravens’ Henry has 1,636 yards rushing, making this the first season since 2012 with multiple backs topping the 1,600-yard mark. Henry became the fifth player to top 1,500 yards at least four times in a career and is one shy of Barry Sanders’ record of five. Dickerson, Walter Payton and Edgerrin James also did it four times.