Do We NEED Five Running Backs?

Took a minute to google my question and I do not know the answer.

Bolden was listed as being on the patriots for 10 games, but he only has game stats for 8. Not sure if this applies in his case, but if a player is on the 53 and not activated for game day does it count as an eligible game?

DaBruinz said:

Here are the number of Receptions to RBs under McDaniels:
2005: 74
2006: 89
2007: 62
2012: 56

Here are the number of receptions to RB under O'Brien:
2009: 74
2010: 61
2011: 37

They both trend downward, but McDaniels still used the RB more than O'Brien. The reason for the trend downwards? In 2007, they Added Moss and Welker. In 2010, they added Gronkowski and Hernandez.

I think 50-70 receptions to RBs during the season, when you have the weapons of Gronk, Hernandez, Amendola, with the additions of Dobson, Boyce, Jones, Edelman and Ballard is about right..

Click to expand...

As your stats show and we've had discussions in the past about, the anomaly for the RB passes was obviously in the year 2011--when they only had 37.

All of the other years have shown to prove that they value throwing to the RB very highly.

I'm not sure about the anomaly of 2011..whether it had more to do with the 2010 addition of the 2 TE's, or it had more to do with our lead back in BJGE only snagging 9 passes?

Either way, I believe that 2011 with clearly the year that we can throw out and that you're definitely correct that we should clearly see between 55-75 RB catches.

willard said:

Took a minute to google my question and I do not know the answer.

Bolden was listed as being on the patriots for 10 games, but he only has game stats for 8. Not sure if this applies in his case, but if a player is on the 53 and not activated for game day does it count as an eligible game?

Click to expand...

Bolden is not PS eligible. He played in 10 games, including two where he played on STs but not offense, weeks 2 and 15.

DaBruinz said:

Here are the number of Receptions to RBs under McDaniels:
2005: 74
2006: 89
2007: 62
2012: 56

Here are the number of receptions to RB under O'Brien:
2009: 74
2010: 61
2011: 37

They both trend downward, but McDaniels still used the RB more than O'Brien. The reason for the trend downwards? In 2007, they Added Moss and Welker. In 2010, they added Gronkowski and Hernandez.

I think 50-70 receptions to RBs during the season, when you have the weapons of Gronk, Hernandez, Amendola, with the additions of Dobson, Boyce, Jones, Edelman and Ballard is about right..

Click to expand...

I also think alot of it has to do with situational play calling....

I am sure this will shake out in training camp.