5 Injury Prone Running Backs: Can Christian McCaffrey Play 17 Games in 2022?
Year in, year out star running backs are sidelined with injuries, as the physical toll of the position wreaks havoc on backfields annually.
In fact, just three running backs started all 17 games last season: Jonathan Taylor, Najee Harris, and Ezekiel Elliott. Joe Mixon, Austin Ekeler, Melvin Gordon, and Devin Singletary were the only four to start 16.
Teams have turned more and more to the running-back-by-committee approach as a result, and Taylor and Harris were the only two rushers to receive over 300 carries. Just Mixon and Antonio Gibson topped 250 totes.
Head coaches and offensive coordinators are now aware of the physical demands of the position, and balancing the backfield workload is more common than ever.
Still, having your best players on the field is integral to winning, and it’s a number of the league’s best rushers who carry the largest risk to miss time due to injuries again this season.
Here’s a look at five injury-prone running backs, and their respective rushing yards prop totals from FanDuel Sportsbook.
5 Injury Prone Running Backs
Christian McCaffrey, Carolina Panthers
With 23 games missed over the past two years after leading the NFL in touches and yards from scrimmage in 2019, McCaffrey is set to lead the Carolina backfield once again to start the 2022 season.
The organization brought in 26-year-old rusher D’Onta Foreman to compete with sophomore Chuba Hubbard for secondary work, but neither project to significantly cut into a healthy McCaffrey’s workload.
Head coach Matt Rhule is reportedly on the hot seat, and the acquisition of quarterback Baker Mayfield suggests the Carolina brass are looking for improved results this year. With that in mind, McCaffrey is likely to be heavily involved in the offense, which heightens the undersized rusher’s injury risk.
2022 Rushing Yards Total: Over 925.5 (-112)
Dalvin Cook, Minnesota Vikings
Despite failing to play a full season through his first five years in the league, Cook has established himself as an elite RB and a key cog in Minnesota’s offense. He’s finished second in 2021 and fifth in 2021 in rushing yards after all.
What’s curious is that until last year, the dropoff to No. 2 back Alexander Mattison hasn’t been dramatic, as the backup averaged 4.6 yards per carry through his first two seasons in the league.
While Mattison averaged an uninspiring 3.7 yards per tote in 2021, first-year head coach Kevin O’Connell could still opt to lose some efficiency by turning to Mattison more frequently as a means to keep Cook healthy.
2022 Rushing Yards Total: Over 1150.5 (-112)
Saquon Barkley, New York Giants
After tearing the ACL in his right knee during just the second game of the 2020 season, Barkley sustained an ankle injury last year and missed another four games. He wasn’t as efficient or explosive when on the field in 2021 with just 3.7 yards per carry.
There’s a reason for optimism, though. The Giants remained committed to improving their offensive line during the offseason, and first-year head coach Brian Daboll should inject creativity and improvement to the entire offense after spending the previous four years as the offensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills.
Don’t forget, Barkley paced the NFL in yards from scrimmage as a rookie in 2018, and he’s now two years removed from the ACL tear and expected to be fully healthy for the start of the 2022 campaign.
2022 Rushing Yards Total: Over 850.5 (-112)
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Elijah Mitchell, San Francisco 49ers
The 2021 sixth-round selection from the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns took advantage of his opportunities last season and averaged 4.7 yards per carry and found the endzone five times on the ground. Mitchell projects to open the season atop the San Francisco depth chart, which is a favorable setup for rushers.
However, he suited up for just 11 games — 10 starts — as a rookie and missed time with a laundry list of injuries, including a shoulder stinger, a concussion, a broken finger, a knee injury, and injured ribs.
Durability is a legitimate concern heading into Mitchell’s second season, and the 49ers also selected RB Tyrion Davis-Price out of LSU in the third round, 93rd overall in the 2022 NFL Draft to add even more backfield competition.
2022 Rushing Yards Total: Over 900.5 (-112)
Leonard Fournette, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Another five-year veteran who’s failed to play an entire season since entering the league, Fournette missed four regular-season games with a hamstring strain before returning to score twice during the postseason loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
Fournette also earned offseason headlines for arriving at mandatory minicamp weighing approximately 260 pounds. He’s reportedly already shed weight since and said he played last season at 245 pounds. He rushed for a career-high 4.5 yards per carry and added 69 receptions for 454 yards through the air in his second year with Tampa.
Most importantly, though, he earned the trust of QB Tom Brady and Fournette projects to be heavily involved in the offense again to start the 2022 season.
2022 Rushing Yards Total: Over 775.5 (-112)
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