Pro Football Focus: LeSean McCoy Cracks List of Interesting Fantasy Stats
By Ryan Brennan
Pro Football Focus recently put together a list of 25 interesting fantasy football stats that everyone should see — a list that includes LeSean McCoy.
For those that had LeSean McCoy on their fantasy football team last season, you were most likely flip-flopping between being very happy and very frustrated. Luckily, the happiness was more frequent than the frustration and Pro Football Focus explains why.
In a recent article, PFF made a list of 25 fantasy football statistics that might surprise people. One of the players that was featured on the list was Buffalo Bills‘ very own LeSean McCoy, who was the Bills’ offensive MVP last season — in my opinion.
Here’s the outtake from the article that appeared on Pro Football Focus:
"After averaging just over 2.0 yards after contact per attempt in 2014 and 2015, LeSean McCoy managed 2.42 yards after contact last year. He also scored at a touchdown to yards rate of 1.03 percent, which was triple his 2015 rate."
There’s no doubt LeSean McCoy had one of his better seasons last year since joining the league in 2009. If you don’t believe me, look at the stats. He looked like his old self in Philadelphia, but even better at times.
Before last season, McCoy had achieved over 1,000 yards in a season four times — in 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2014. Let’s break down each of those seasons real quick:
2010: 15 games, 207 attempts, 1,080 yards, 5.2 avg., 7 TD, 48 first downs and 1 fumble
2011: 15 games, 273 attempts, 1,309 yards, 4.8 avg., 17 TD, 84 first downs and 1 fumble.
2013: 16 games, 314 attempts, 1,607 yards, 5.1 avg., 9 TD, 79 first downs and 1 fumble.
2014: 16 games, 312 attempts, 1,319 yards, 4.2 avg., 5 TD, 67 first downs and 3 fumbles.
Looking at those stats, LeSean McCoy‘s 2016 campaign most resembles his 2011 season.
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He only fell 4 touchdowns short of matching his 2011 total, had a similar yardage total — despite significantly less attempts, had a similar first down rate, recorded his longest TD run, had his highest yards per carry average since joining the NFL AND had room to grow (missing 2 games).
Here’s his stat totals for 2016:
2016: 15 games, 234 attempts, 1,267 yards, 5.4 avg., 13 TD, 55 first downs and 0 lost fumbles.
If McCoy had played that one game he sat out, he could’ve finished close to the 1,400-yard mark. Add in the half-game he missed, definitely could’ve surpassed that 1,400 mark for the second time in his career.
McCoy will look to build off a great season with the Buffalo Bills and will also look to provide more interesting fantasy stats for Pro Football Focus to dig up this season. He has reported to the offseason workouts and is ready to get to work.
After a less-than-impressive 2015 season with Buffalo, McCoy bounced back to his old self in 2016. I have no doubt that he will continue that success into this season. Here are my predictions for McCoy this season:
2017 Prediction: 14 games, 248 attempts, 1,128 yards, 4.5 avg., 9 TD, 60 first downs
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What are your predictions for LeSean McCoy this season? Leave your thoughts below!