The 5 Best Rookie Running Back Seasons Over the Last Decade
3. Adrian Peterson, 2007
Adrian Peterson was highly touted coming out of Oklahoma and still somehow exceeded expectations in his rookie season. In November of 2007, ESPN analysts were already discussing Peterson as possibly being the best running back in the league.
His argument was made a whole lot stronger when he broke the NFL record for rushing yards in a game, piling up 296 rushing yards versus the Chargers to go along with 3 rushing touchdowns. Unfortunately for Peterson, he only had one more rushing performance of 100 or more yards in his last six games. Injury and ineffectiveness marred what could have been the greatest rookie running back season of the decade.
| Player | Rushing NEP | Rank | Rushing NEP/P | Reception NEP | Rank | Reception NEP/Target | Total NEP | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adrian Peterson | 19.01 | 5th | 0.08 | 24.08 | 6th | 0.86 | 43.09 | 7th |
"All Day" is not known for his receiving skills, but on only 19 receptions, Peterson made them count. His Reception NEP per target of 0.86 was the highest among all running backs with at least 25 targets. His Rushing NEP of 19.01 would have been ranked second in the NFL in 2015.
How did the rookie version of Adrian Peterson compare to his most recent season in 2015?
| Year | Rushing NEP | Rank | Rushing NEP/P | Reception NEP | Rank | Reception NEP/Target | Total NEP | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 19.01 | 5th | 0.08 | 24.08 | 6th | 0.86 | 43.09 | 7th |
| 2015 | 3.82 | 19th | 0.01 | 6.17 | 71st | 0.17 | 9.99 | 42nd |
Peterson had a good fantasy season in 2015, but it was due to volume, not efficiency. This is why I am avoiding him in 2016 drafts.
