There were 54 running backs in the NFL in 2015 who logged at least 100 scrimmage touches – that is, carries and receptions. None of them did more per touch with those opportunities than Charles Sims of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
In his first full NFL season after missing much of his 2014 rookie campaign with an ankle injury, Sims ran 107 times and caught 51 passes for a total of 1,090 yards. That's an average of 6.9 yards per touch, the highest in the NFL among running backs in 2015. Detroit's Theo Riddick was the only other back to top 6.5 yards per touch.
Most Yards Per Touch, NFL Running Backs, 2015
Player |
Team |
Rush |
Yds. |
Rec. |
Yds. |
Touch |
Yds. |
Avg. |
Charles Sims |
TB |
107 |
529 |
51 |
561 |
158 |
1090 |
6.9 |
Theo Riddick |
DET |
43 |
133 |
80 |
697 |
123 |
830 |
6.7 |
David Johnson |
AZ |
125 |
581 |
36 |
457 |
161 |
1038 |
6.4 |
Shane Vereen |
NYG |
61 |
260 |
59 |
495 |
120 |
755 |
6.3 |
Danny Woodhead |
SD |
98 |
336 |
80 |
755 |
178 |
1091 |
6.1 |
In terms of total yards from scrimmage, the Buccaneers had the most prolific duo of running backs in the NFL by a significant margin, with Sims (1,090) and Martin (1,673) combining for 2,763 yards. Martin pursued the NFL's rushing title right up until the final day of the season, eventually finishing 83 yards behind Minnesota's Adrian Peterson. That means the Bucs have still not had a rushing champion in team history, but Sims did give the team another rare category lead. He is just the second player in franchise history to lead the league's running backs in yards per touch. Here are the leaders from the last 20 years which include the other Buccaneer on the list, Michael Pittman.
Annual Yards Per Touch RB Leaders, 1996-2015
Player |
Year |
Team |
Touch |
Yds. |
Avg. |
Charles Sims |
2015 |
TB |
158 |
1090 |
6.9 |
Le'Veon Bell |
2014 |
PIT |
373 |
2215 |
5.9 |
Darren Sproles |
2013 |
NO |
124 |
824 |
6.6 |
Darren Sproles |
2012 |
NO |
123 |
911 |
7.4 |
Rashad Jennings |
2012 |
JAX |
120 |
413 |
3.4 |
Darren Sproles |
2011 |
NO |
173 |
1313 |
7.6 |
Darren Sproles |
2010 |
SD |
109 |
787 |
7.2 |
Justin Forsett |
2009 |
SEA |
155 |
969 |
6.3 |
Kevin Faulk |
2008 |
NE |
141 |
993 |
7.0 |
Jerious Norwood |
2007 |
ATL |
131 |
890 |
6.8 |
Jerious Norwood |
2006 |
ATL |
111 |
735 |
6.6 |
Michael Pittman |
2005 |
TB |
106 |
736 |
6.9 |
Brian Westbrook |
2004 |
PHI |
250 |
1515 |
6.1 |
Duce Staley |
2003 |
PHI |
132 |
845 |
6.4 |
Charlie Garner |
2002 |
OAK |
273 |
1903 |
7.0 |
Larry Centers |
2001 |
BUF |
114 |
780 |
6.8 |
Richie Anderson |
2000 |
NYJ |
115 |
916 |
8.0 |
Marshall Faulk |
1999 |
STL |
340 |
2429 |
7.1 |
Amp Lee |
1998 |
STL |
108 |
842 |
7.8 |
Barry Sanders |
1997 |
DET |
368 |
2358 |
6.4 |
Kimble Anders |
1996 |
KC |
114 |
730 |
6.4 |
You'll note that both Sims and Pittman are listed with averages of 6.9 yards per touch. Take it to another decimal point and you find that Pittman narrowly held on to the team record he set in that category in 2005. Pittman averaged 6.94 yards per touch; Sims comes in at 6.90 a decade later. What's interesting is how thoroughly those two seasons outpaced all the other contenders in franchise history.
Most Yards Per Touch, Buccaneers Running Backs, Single Season
Player |
Year |
Rush |
Yds. |
Rec. |
Yds. |
Touch |
Yds. |
Avg. |
M. Pittman |
2005 |
70 |
436 |
36 |
300 |
106 |
736 |
6.94 |
Charles Sims |
2015 |
107 |
529 |
51 |
561 |
158 |
1090 |
6.90 |
James Wilder |
1982 |
83 |
324 |
53 |
466 |
136 |
790 |
5.81 |
Mike Alstott |
1996 |
96 |
377 |
65 |
557 |
161 |
934 |
5.80 |
Bobby Rainey |
2014 |
94 |
406 |
33 |
315 |
127 |
721 |
5.68 |
James Wilder |
1981 |
107 |
370 |
48 |
507 |
155 |
877 |
5.66 |
James Wilder |
1987 |
106 |
488 |
40 |
328 |
146 |
816 |
5.59 |
Warrick Dunn |
1997 |
224 |
978 |
39 |
462 |
263 |
1440 |
5.48 |
James Wilder |
1989 |
70 |
244 |
36 |
335 |
106 |
579 |
5.46 |
Gary Anderson |
1990 |
166 |
646 |
38 |
464 |
204 |
1110 |
5.44 |
Sims's mark wasn't just the best of 2015, it was the top average by a running back in the last three seasons. It's the best yards-per-touch figure for an NFL running back since Darren Sproles went for 7.4 per touch with the New Orleans Saints in 2012. Sims's 2015 average is one of the 15 best of the NFL's last 20 years.
Most Yards Per Touch, NFL Running Backs, Single Seasons, 1996-2015
Player |
Year |
Rush |
Yds. |
Rec. |
Yds. |
Touch |
Yds. |
Avg. |
Richie Anderson, NYJ |
2000 |
27 |
63 |
88 |
853 |
115 |
916 |
8.0 |
Amp Lee, STL |
1998 |
44 |
175 |
64 |
667 |
108 |
842 |
7.8 |
Darren Sproles, NO |
2011 |
87 |
603 |
86 |
710 |
173 |
1313 |
7.6 |
Darren Sproles, NO |
2012 |
48 |
244 |
75 |
667 |
123 |
911 |
7.4 |
Darren Sproles, SD |
2010 |
50 |
267 |
59 |
520 |
109 |
787 |
7.2 |
Marshall Faulk, STL |
1999 |
253 |
1381 |
87 |
1048 |
340 |
2429 |
7.1 |
Danny Woodhead, NE |
2010 |
97 |
547 |
34 |
379 |
131 |
926 |
7.1 |
Kevin Faulk, NE |
2008 |
83 |
507 |
58 |
486 |
141 |
993 |
7.0 |
Jamaal Charles, KC |
2010 |
230 |
1467 |
45 |
468 |
275 |
1935 |
7.0 |
Larry Centers, WAS |
2000 |
19 |
103 |
81 |
600 |
100 |
703 |
7.0 |
Charlie Garner, OAK |
2002 |
182 |
962 |
91 |
941 |
273 |
1903 |
7.0 |
Michael Pittman, TB |
2005 |
70 |
436 |
36 |
300 |
106 |
736 |
6.9 |
Marcel Reece, OAK |
2012 |
59 |
271 |
52 |
496 |
111 |
767 |
6.9 |
Charles Sims, TB |
2015 |
107 |
529 |
51 |
561 |
158 |
1090 |
6.9 |
Larry Centers, BUF |
2001 |
34 |
160 |
80 |
620 |
114 |
780 |
6.8 |
By running for 529 yards and gaining another 561 on receptions, Sims became just the fourth running back in Buccaneer history to surpass 500 yards in both manners in the same season. James Wilder first did it in 1984 (1,544 rush, 685 rec.), followed by Warrick Dunn in 1999 (616, 589) and Michael Pittman in 2003 (751, 597). Sims is the first to do so while averaging at least 4.5 yards per carry and at least 10 yards per reception. In fact, that's not a terribly common feat league-wide. Sims's 2015 season is just the 30th to qualify since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger and just the 12th in the last 20 years.
NFL RBs, 500 Rush Yards, 4.5 YPC, 500 Rec. Yards, 10.0 YPR, Single Season, 1996-2015
Player |
Team |
Year |
Rush Yds. |
Avg. |
Rec. Yds. |
Avg. |
Charles Sims |
TB |
2015 |
529 |
4.9 |
561 |
11.0 |
Le'Veon Bell |
PIT |
2014 |
1361 |
4.7 |
854 |
10.3 |
LeSean McCoy |
PHI |
2013 |
1607 |
5.1 |
539 |
10.4 |
Matt Forte |
CHI |
2010 |
1069 |
4.5 |
547 |
10.7 |
Darren McFadden |
OAK |
2010 |
1157 |
5.2 |
507 |
10.8 |
Chris Johnson |
TEN |
2009 |
2006 |
5.6 |
503 |
10.1 |
Tiki Barber |
NYG |
2004 |
1518 |
4.7 |
578 |
11.1 |
Charlie Garner |
OAK |
2002 |
962 |
5.3 |
941 |
10.3 |
Tiki Barber |
NYG |
2000 |
1006 |
4.7 |
719 |
10.3 |
Marshall Faulk* |
STL |
2000 |
1359 |
5.4 |
830 |
10.3 |
Marshall Faulk* |
STL |
1999 |
1381 |
5.5 |
1048 |
12.1 |
Garrison Hearst |
SF |
1998 |
1570 |
5.1 |
535 |
13.7 |
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers uncovered an explosive new option in their offense in 2015. Given his per-touch results this past fall, Sims could be one of the league's best backfield dual threats for years to come.