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.
