Top 10 Fantasy RB Seasons of 2016
David Johnson of the Arizona Cardinals delivered the number one fantasy running back season of 2016, scoring 406 fantasy points across 16 games for an average of 25 points per game. Ezekiel Elliott of the Dallas Cowboys finished second with 325 points, and Le'Veon Bell of the Pittsburgh Steelers took third with 315 points in just 13 games. Johnson's total stands as the clear standard for the season, with no other back within striking distance of his scoring.
What were the top 10 fantasy RB seasons of 2016?
The 2016 running back class was defined by one enormous season at the top. David Johnson scored 406 fantasy points, and the table below shows how the rest of the field chased him in vain. Ezekiel Elliott's 325 points would have led plenty of seasons, yet here it sits well behind the leader.
| Rank | Player | Team | Games | Points | Points Per Game | Best Week | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | 1 | David Johnson | Arizona Cardinals | 16 | 406 | 25 | 38 | | 2 | Ezekiel Elliott | Dallas Cowboys | 16 | 325 | 20 | 41 | | 3 | Le'Veon Bell | Pittsburgh Steelers | 13 | 315 | 24 | 52 | | 4 | LeSean McCoy | Buffalo Bills | 16 | 296 | 19 | 33 | | 5 | DeMarco Murray | Tennessee Titans | 16 | 294 | 18 | 28 | | 6 | Devonta Freeman | Atlanta Falcons | 16 | 284 | 18 | 34 | | 7 | Melvin Gordon | Los Angeles Chargers | 16 | 251 | 16 | 36 | | 8 | Mark Ingram | New Orleans Saints | 16 | 238 | 15 | 31 | | 9 | LeGarrette Blount | New England Patriots | 16 | 233 | 15 | 26 | | 10 | Jordan Howard | Chicago Bears | 15 | 230 | 15 | 30 |
Why David Johnson's 2016 was the season to beat
Johnson's 406 points put him in a tier of his own. Elliott, the runner-up, scored 325 points, and the gap between first and second was larger than the gap separating second place from seventh. Johnson also paired the top total with the top per-game average in the group at 25 points per game, so his ranking held up no matter how you sliced the numbers. His best week of 38 points was not even the highest single week on the list, which only underscores how consistently he produced rather than relying on one spike game.
The per-game column tells a different story at third place
Le'Veon Bell's 315 points came in only 13 games, and his 24 points per game ranked second among the group behind only Johnson. On a per-game basis, Bell was nearly Johnson's equal; on total points, he sat closer to fourth place than to first. His best week of 52 points was the largest single-game fantasy score by any running back on this list, well clear of Elliott's 41-point high.
Further down, the per-game column flattens almost completely. Mark Ingram, LeGarrette Blount and Jordan Howard all posted 15 points per game, with only their totals separating eighth through tenth place. Jordan Howard got there in 15 games for the Chicago Bears.
Where the 2016 running back field dropped off
The list splits into three bands. Johnson stood alone at 406. Elliott, Bell, LeSean McCoy, DeMarco Murray and Devonta Freeman clustered between 284 and 325 points, a tight race for places two through six. Then came the sharpest break in the table: Melvin Gordon's 251 points at seventh marked the edge of the tier, with Ingram, Blount and Howard filling out the bottom at 230 to 238 points. McCoy's 296 points edged Murray's 294 by the narrowest margin on the page, while Murray and Devonta Freeman landed on matching 18 points per game.
Common questions
Who was the number 1 fantasy running back in 2016?
- David Johnson of the Arizona Cardinals, with 406 fantasy points in 16 games and a best week of 38. His 25 points per game also led all running backs that season.
How many fantasy points did Ezekiel Elliott score in 2016?
- Ezekiel Elliott scored 325 fantasy points for the Dallas Cowboys in 2016, second among running backs, with a per-game average of 20 and a best week of 41 points.
Which running back had the biggest single fantasy week in 2016?
- Le'Veon Bell, whose best week of 52 points was the highest single-game total among the top ten running backs. Ezekiel Elliott's 41-point week was next, followed by David Johnson's 38.
Did every top 10 fantasy RB play a full season in 2016?
- No. Le'Veon Bell played 13 games and Jordan Howard played 15, while the other eight backs in the top ten each played 16 games. Bell still finished third in total points despite the shorter season.
Which teams had a top 10 fantasy running back in 2016?
- Ten teams placed a back in the top ten: the Arizona Cardinals, Dallas Cowboys, Pittsburgh Steelers, Buffalo Bills, Tennessee Titans, Atlanta Falcons, Los Angeles Chargers, New Orleans Saints, New England Patriots and Chicago Bears. Melvin Gordon's Los Angeles Chargers entry covers the club's 2016 season.
Was LeSean McCoy or DeMarco Murray better in 2016 fantasy?
- LeSean McCoy finished ahead on total points, 296 to 294, in one of the closest pairings on the list. McCoy also held the per-game edge at 19 points to Murray's 18.