Chiefs All-Decade Team - Running Backs
 

With the end of the decade, it's time for us to select our all-decade team for the 2010s. Credit to Direckshun for the idea; I'm just implementing it.

Here are the rules:

1. I'll put up lists of position groups one at a time.

2. Each list will contain guys who had at least one notable stat line in their career. I'll generally put them in descending order of some key stat.

3. The stats will contain ONLY their body of work between 2010 and 2019 for the Chiefs. No pre-2010 stats and no stats for other teams.

4. The number of roster spots will be the same as the number of roster spots on the 2019 Super Bowl roster for the Chiefs.

5. You can use whatever criteria you want to select the team. It can be total stats for the decade, it can be dominance in a shorter period, it can be playmakers who didn't screw up badly, whatever. It's your call. Feel free to use any criteria not listed in your decision. For example, if you know that Terrance Copper was an amazing blocker, you can build that into your decision.

6. In a subsequent poll we will determine which players are the starters on the all-decade team. In the first round, you're just going to fill the 53-man roster.

Our next position group is running backs. FOUR running backs will make the all-decade team. So pick FOUR running backs. It's your call on whether you want to have a fullback on the team, because I'm lumping them all together.

Administrative note: I cut the list off to include only guys who gained 350 yards or more from scrimmage during the decade, in case you're wondering why Darwin Thompson, Cyrus Gray, etc., aren't listed.

Crazy that either a fullback or Spencer Ware are a lock to make the all decade team.

I keep thinking how much fun this offense would be with a prime Jamaal Charles in the backfield.

Completely unstoppable is the answer.

I'm assuming that one of these three won't make the team between Hunt, Ware, and Sherman, but I think it's possible that Hunt is the odd man out. He only played in 27 games and his departure was not in the spirit of the all-decade team. But there's no denying that he was incredibly productive in those 27 games, leading the league in rushing in his lone full season, so who knows?

Kcnut, you get the williams you wanted? Seems like a strange choice over the williams that ran into chiefs immortality.

I legitimately don't remember Shaun Draughn. Who the hell is this guy??

Jamaal. He’s the best Chief back ever. I’ll die on that hill.

Hunt begrudgingly because **** that fool.

Ware he was really good for a few years.

Damien. Super Bowl bitches.

It would be filthy.

Fun fact. Damien Williams has the same amount of RECIEVING TDs in the playoffs as some say the greatest postseason WR ever in Julian Edelman

I apparently don't remember him, either, because for some reason I thought he had been a Bronco before he came to KC. He played for most of the other 31 teams, but not Denver. It looks like he got a little action with us during the season that Jamaal went down really early.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaun_Draughn

It's amazing to me how long guys can hold on to the dream. He was technically in the league for 8 seasons and only retired in 2018, though his last game action was in 2016.

And apparently you were very impressed with Peyton Hillis.

This is a fun one.

#1 Charles. Stud. Awesome.
#2 Hunt. Oh what might have been.
#3 Damien Williams. Dude is a stud when it matters, like playoff games and Super Bowls.
#4 Ware. Really a nice back. Great guy.

JC - I mean, duh
Kareem - As much of an idiot he was, he was damn good and he always fell forward.
Spencer Ware - dude can block, good receiver and damn tough
Damien - Super Bowl, and he performs in the biggest games as it has been point out.

I wanted to include Sherman, but it was hard for me to exclude Ware and Damien.

Jamaal's YPC average LMAO Guy was just.. different.

I went with JC for obvious reasons, K Hunt because he was the lead back on our all-time great offense of 2018, Damien Williams because of the postseason success, and Anthony Sherman with the fourth spot.

Obviously I couldn't throw Sherman in there as a halfback, but as far as fullbacks go, he's about as good as it gets in this era. He's been hanging on a pass-heavy, finesse offense for years now because he just gets the job done. There's room for guys like that on any roster.

Really wanted to put Sherman on the list. He always seems to be in the right place at the right time. But damn, 1td? I could have swore he had more than that.

Yep. I voted the same way for the same reasons.

This sums up my voting.

lol at jamaal charles ypc

I can't wait for QBs where I get to pick mahomes 3 times

Jamaal
Hunt (he can handle kicking duties too)
Damien
Sausage (could make a strong argument for Ware too)

Mahomes at QB with this group of backs would be insane.

His name was pronounce “drone” so that may be why.


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I think he was a Tar Heel too

Man, it's hard not to put Damien up there because where Jamaal was great in the regular season, he didn't do much for us in the playoffs.

But man, it's crazy to think about how unstoppable jamaal would have been if he had a real qb to take some guys out of the box.

I get all the votes for Hunt but I just couldn't go there. Jamaal is obvious, Damien was an easy choice, went with Sherman as an undersung hero for the team, and then struggled finding someone else really worthy. Wound up going Ware just because of how bad the rest of the list is.

I voted for three. Jamaal Charles, Anthony Sherman & Damien Williams


I just couldn't bring myself to vote for any others.

Where is CJ Spiller ? I know we signed and cut him and signed and cut him and signed and cut him but I think he holds the record for re~signing for the same team over and over ?

I went with Charles, Hunt, Damien Williams, and Sherman. I went with Sherman for my 4th over Ware because Sherman has been getting it done for a long time now while Ware had a couple of good seasons before he broke.

Ware's got my respect. He was a tough runner, great blocker and underrated receiver. He even came back during our SB season and helped keep us afloat for those few weeks.

Even the negatives for him, getting hurt, ended up being a net positive. If he didn't go down we don't plug Hunt in at the beginning of 2017 and maybe things don't work out the way they did, ending up with us winning the SB this year.

Yeah, I went with Ware over Hunt. Ware played more and had a YPC nearly as good, and Ware was on the field when we needed him. While I still think that Hunt got railroaded a bit, the fact is that he wasn't there when we needed him. I might have let that slide if I didn't have four other good prospects, but with Jamaal, Spencer, Damien, and Anthony I had the position covered.

And it looks like we've all forgiven Jamaal for his dalliance with the Denver devil.

Jamaal was very good, but best ever? Priest was awesome. So was Joe Delaney. So was Marcus Allen. So was Abner Haynes. Hard to say who was best. You can make a case for Damian Williams. He won a SB. These other guys did not.

Must have fat fingered that one when I pushed go.

Like I said this is a Hill I’m willing to die on. He picked up the tough yardage amazingly well, balance was as good as I’ve ever seen, speed was other worldly in his prime (reek exempted) and could get through a tiny crack.

Case in point, LJ outperformed your boy Priest. Then when Squirmin Herman Mother****ing Sack of **** Edwards wrecked the line LJ was horribad and Charles clicked off 5 ypa. I objectively believe you put Charles on any of those teams he outperforms you’re guys.

He was wasted almost entirely by Squirmin Herman Mother****ing Sack of **** Edwards and Scott Franchise Killer Pioli.

I’m pretty much in the minority on him, but like I said it’s a Hill I’m willing to die on.

I think Jamaal is the best Chiefs RB ever. Put him behind the OL that Priest had...2,000 yards easily. Jamaal would’ve gotten to the second level at will behind that line. Put T Rich in front of him too...holy shit.

I'll dive on the rampart next to you and nod in solidarity. We've had some great running backs, but Jamall is the best of them all.

I guess I should acknowledge that I never saw Abner Haynes play and he seems amazing. But I'll play the odds here and go with Jamaal.

That's all a good case. My old complaint with Charles was my same complaint with DT. He disappeared in the playoffs. Charles scored once against the Ravens at Arrowhead, our only score. He was knocked out of the Indy playoff game i believe twice. He just never seemed to be a factor when it mattered most. Same with DT. Never came up big in a playoff game. Whereas Damien Williams has shined in every game that mattered that he's played in.

Abner Haynes was one of two or three premier running backs in the early 1960's AFL. I suppose you need to judge each player within his era. Charles was a great player. Never got the Chiefs a championship. Haynes and Williams have. Not Charles' fault, but his performance in playoff games were inconsequential.

This works for me as well

Yeah, but Charles was never on a playoff team that had a chance.

If you're a defensive coordinator, do you concentrate your efforts on Matt Cassel or Jamaal Charles? How about Patrick Mahomes II or Damien Williams?

Damien's great so that's no slight against him at all, but Charles was a championship caliber running back who played on teams that had no shot at a championship.

1. Jamaal Charles. Awesome, game changing back. IF you give him the ball. A great deal of Reid Era losses frustrated me when Jamaal would end the losing effort with like 7 touches.

2. Damien Williams. In the biggest games, this dude delivers. 11 TDs in a single postseason ties him for 1st all time with Terrell Davis, and that game he put up in the Superbowl, just spectacular.

3. Kareem Hunt. Shame about this kid. He's a legitimate stud on the field. Just had not matured enough to be the teammate off the field we needed him to be. The guy could do it all. He cheated himself out of a ring.

4. Spencer Ware. Decent back that gave it his all when called upon. Injuries really derailed this guy as he was emerging for us.

I’m with Buehler, not even Delaney was as electric as JC... only 3-4 other guys boast that kinda ypc, it’s rarified air even among HOFers

Rain man makes a great point below. That Indy thing he was in concussion protocol on like the second offensive snap or something stupid.

That Ravens game we were totally outmatched. Like I said, if you put that dude on this team, he makes Williams look silly. And I love me some Williams.

What that dude did on the field was different.

Another thing to consider is Williams had 120 rush/receiving attempts in the playoffs. 320 total offensive snaps. Jamaal Charles has 14 total rush/receiving attempts and they didn’t keep track of total snaps back then.

What would Charles’ performance look like with Williams’ volume?

Let’s look at the individual stats. In that Balt game he was 9/82 rushing (9.1 yards per attempt!). 1-2 passing for 15 yards (15 yards per attempt). Indy he had 3 rushes for 18 yards. All told he was putting up 8.3 yards per rush and 15 yards per catch. Williams through his notably good playoff performances was averaging 4.39 yards per rush and 8.59 yards per catch.

I think looking at playoff totals by themselves doesn’t give you the whole picture. In conjunction with Rain Mans team evaluation (which makes Jamaals averages all the more impressive) and my volume numbers it’s really hard to compare the two just on Playoff Performances.

Like I said it’s not a popular opinion but I just can’t get over the eye test with what Jamaal did on pure garbage teams as the only weapon.

Charles goes down for me as the best Chief RB of all time as well. The way he made a horrible line look like all pros was remarkable. I wish he would've got to play on our better teams.

Same.

WHAT KIND OF HILLBILLY PICKS SPENCER WARE OVER SHERMAN WTF

I hear you, but Sherman’s not a running back

Let’s meet in the middle and call him the best fullback since TRich

Completely agree. Love Sherman but he is no TRich.

Jason Dunn as well

Seeing how this has become more of a the greatest Chiefs RB.....

1.Jamaal Charles his 5.4 career avg is historically great.
2.Abner Haynes with a solid 4,8 career avg and the guy could do it all. First "STAR" of the AFL
3.Priest Holmes, what's not to like?
4.Christian "Nigerian Nightmare" Okoye....freak of nature
5.Larry Johnson he could have done more.

One thing about the Chiefs is they have had a TON of running backs, who remembers Herman Heard how about Woody Green?

If not for an injury Mack "The Truck" Lee Hill would be up there, he was amazing but just two seasons.

Joe Delaney?

Charles, Williams, Hunt & Ware.

Joe Delaney was not human! Run so good he made teams look like twigs when he ran.

I know you and I are the same generation...can't believe you didn't mention Mike Garrett....Curtis McLinton.....Ed Podolak

Sorry...I just can't vote for Hunt in any way shape or form

Charles. Williams, Sherman and Ware for me.

When it comes to the Super Bowl win getting it for Andy was job 1.

After that you just have to be happy for the guys who toil with very little fanfare and yet do so much for the team. Guys like Schwartz and Colquitt who have played so long and worked hard to get to what we achieved today.

But if I think the guy who best epitomizes Kansas City and its fans it is Anthony Sherman. Hard working...small fan fare but everyone loves him.

That's why he got my vote.

Why did someone not vote for Jamaal Charles? LOL

Over 1100 yards rushing and 200 yards receiving his rookie season, a pro bowler. What a tragedy.

Okay, the all-decade team is Jamaal, Damien, Kareem and Spencer. Ware and Sherman fought an epic battle for that final spot, but Ware ended up pulling away slightly.