Fansided

5 most overpaid running backs in the NFL

By Rucker Haringey

Fantasy Football: MIAMI, FL - DECEMBER 23: Leonard Fournette #27 of the Jacksonville Jaguars looks on against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium on December 23, 2018 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Fantasy Football: MIAMI, FL - DECEMBER 23: Leonard Fournette #27 of the Jacksonville Jaguars looks on against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium on December 23, 2018 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 5
Next
FOXBOROUGH, MA – DECEMBER 23: Ufomba Kamalu #97 of the New England Patriots attempts to tackle LeSean McCoy #25 of the Buffalo Bills during the first half at Gillette Stadium on December 23, 2018 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
FOXBOROUGH, MA – DECEMBER 23: Ufomba Kamalu #97 of the New England Patriots attempts to tackle LeSean McCoy #25 of the Buffalo Bills during the first half at Gillette Stadium on December 23, 2018 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /

3. LeSean McCoy

This is the point on the list where we take a pretty big jump in terms of compensation. The Bills are on the hook to pay McCoy over $9 million in 2019. That makes him the third highest paid running back in the game. There was a time when he was worthy of that type of ranking, but he’s well past his prime now.

The Bills certainly had their struggles on offense in 2018, but McCoy wasn’t a positive influence on the unit. He only managed to average a paltry 3.2 yards per carry on 161 rushing attempts. He pitched in another 238 yards through the air, but that still only gave him a total of 752 total yards in 14 games.

That’s well below average production for an NFL running back. It’s nowhere near the sort of output Buffalo needs from one of the highest paid rushers in the league. The only good news for the Bills front office is that “Shady” is in the last year of his current deal. There’s a significant chance they’ll trade him during the preseason, but even if they don’t, this will be his last year tormenting their salary cap.

Some Bills fans are harboring optimism that McCoy can have a renaissance year in 2019, but that’s a very unlikely outcome for a 30-year-old running back. He’s best suited to play a part-time gig for a productive offense moving forward. That’s certainly not worth $9 million and change per season.

Home/NFL