SideLion Report
FanSided

Detroit Lions running back carousel: Eight is not enough in 2019

By Payne Schanski

DETROIT, MI - DECEMBER 15: Wes Hills #36 of the Detroit Lions celebrates a third quarter touchdown during the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Ford Field on December 15, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. Tampa Bay defeated Detroit 38-17. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI - DECEMBER 15: Wes Hills #36 of the Detroit Lions celebrates a third quarter touchdown during the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Ford Field on December 15, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. Tampa Bay defeated Detroit 38-17. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 6
Next
Kerryon Johnson, Detroit Lions
Kerryon Johnson, Detroit Lions (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images) /

In case you’ve lost track, a review of the endless stable of running backs forced into action for the Detroit Lions this season and how each has done.

The 2019 Detroit Lions season has been unlike any other from the running back position, after starting the year off thinking this was an area where they were more or less set.

Combining an endless stream of injuries with some misplaced free agent signings, the Lions now find themselves so low on the RB depth chart that at this point they might find Jimmy Hoffa down there and give him some carries against Denver next.

For the 21st year in a row, it looks like the Lions will find themselves in the bottom half of the league rushing totals (fittingly, they’re 21st at the moment). As for the number of starting running backs used in one season stat, they have to be the league leaders in that category.

If it seems like they’ve had to dig deep to keep a quarterback on the field, consider they’ve nearly tripled that amount in starting running backs. Undrafted David Blough at quarterback? That’s nothing … the Lions have had four different undrafted guys take RB1 reps in the 2019 regular season.

To keep track of it all, I put together a brief recap of all eight of the Lions starting running backs this year, in chronological order.

I’m giving each of these guys a ‘question marks’ rating as well, as I get more and more confused each week trying to figure out who is running the ball, what happened to the last one, and how some of them are managing to get just as many yards and touchdowns as the starters.

RB1: Kerryon Johnson

2019 Season: 6 games, 308 yards, 2 touchdowns

Question marks: ? (Just one, as in, are we ever going to see a healthy season from the team’s 2018 breakout star?)

Kerryon confirmed the fears of many fans by going out with a season ending leg injury for the second year in a row. Even when healthy, Johnson was off to a slow start, going over 50 rushing yards only once. His best game, 125 rushing yards against Kansas City, was offset somewhat by an enormously costly goal line fumble in the 3rd quarter.

Home/Lions News