Cheesehead
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- Mar 19, 2019
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This is how the running back position has evolved in today's NFL. The job description has expanded past running, protecting the football and pass blocking. The best of the best have to run routes as efficiently as receivers – and catch the football.
That's the direction the league has trended over the past decade – more running backs, running more designed routes, catching more passes. No longer are running backs considered to be just emergency check-down options. They're field-tilters.
According to Pro Football Focus, the top 25 pass-catching running backs combined for 9,261 receiving yards in 2009. Last year? That swelled to 11,302 yards with All-Pro Christian McCaffrey surpassing 1,000 yards receiving individually.
This Sunday in New Orleans, the Packers will be staring across the field from one of the NFL's other elite pass-catching backs in Alvin Kamara, who has more receiving yards (146) than yards on the ground (96) through the first two games of the year.
"Running backs like Alvin Kamara … he's an athlete out there," said Packers linebacker Christian Kirksey. "When you split him out, that's what makes him one of the better running backs in the league when he can come like a receiver.
"That's why he can take over games because he can do both. It's definitely a challenge when you have a guy like that."