Tennessee Titans: What Does a Successful Season for RB Darrynton Evans Look Like?
The lightning to the thunder. The jelly to the peanut butter. The Robin to the Batman. Whatever you want to call Darrynton Evans, a lot of Titans fans are excited about what he could bring to the table as Derrick Henry's backup. He's an explosive runner and a talented pass-catcher out of the backfield. He […]
The lightning to the thunder. The jelly to the peanut butter. The Robin to the Batman. Whatever you want to call Darrynton Evans, a lot of Titans fans are excited about what he could bring to the table as Derrick Henry's backup. He's an explosive runner and a talented pass-catcher out of the backfield. He brings a different dynamic to the offense than Henry, and both can be extremely effective.
Evans did not play a very big role in 2020. That wasn't by coaches' choice though; rather, he struggled with some injuries. Especially as a rookie, the team certainly did not want to rush him back and risk further injury.
So far in camp, he looks healthy and ready to provide to the team in every way that he can. That role may include some work on special teams as well.
From an offensive standpoint, what exactly does a "successful" season look like for the Titans backup running back?
For me, as this is a preview, I'm regarding his "success" based on the production that other backup running backs have provided in recent seasons behind top, bell-cow RBs. I'm also taking into account playing time for the starter and main backup on these teams. Basically, can he replicate the numbers that other talented backups have produced in limited playing time?
Last season, the top three teams in the NFL in rushing were Baltimore, Tennessee, and Cleveland, respectively. Baltimore is a unique rushing attack with QB Lamar Jackson, so they don't fit the criteria. Cleveland is also a special case because they have a top RB in the league in Nick Chubb, but the workload is much more balanced between him and backup Kareem Hunt than other situations that include a top RB.
Fifth-place on that list from last season is the best comparison. That team is the Minnesota Vikings, and their star running back is Dalvin Cook. Cook was the second-leading rusher in the league last year and the only other RB other than Derrick Henry with 300+ carries.
Cook's primary backup was Alexander Mattison. Mattison has owned that role for the past two seasons under Cook, and his production is very similar in both. His work has been effective, too. That's the key part. He has provided good insurance on Cook when he needed a breather or missed time with injury.
Last year, Mattison ran for 434 yards on 96 attempts and caught 23 passes for 207 yards. He recorded three total touchdowns.
Evans can replicate, and probably outproduce, that stat line if given the opportunities to do so. For comparison, the secondary RB behind Henry last season was Jeremy McNichols. He totaled 204 rushing yards and 55 receiving yards on about half of the touches that Mattison got for the Vikings. Although, QB Ryan Tannehill's wheels did eat into some of those possible attempts.
Many expect Evans to play a larger role than McNichols this season if he stays healthy. That's why the Titans selected him in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft. His success would make life easier on Henry as well as keeps him fresher play-to-play and game-to-game.
Another situation to look at is the 2019 Dallas Cowboys running back duo. Of course, Ezekiel Elliott was the lead back with 1777 all-purpose yards on 355 touches. Then-rookie Tony Pollard was his backup, and he totaled 455 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the ground. Through the air, there wasn't too much production. Pollard had fifteen grabs for 107 yards and one TD.
As you can see, those stats for Pollard are almost identical to Mattison's for Minnesota in 2020. The craziest part? The Cowboys were also fifth in rushing during the 2019 season. Both rushing attacks were lethal and benefitted from good, but not mind-boggling, production from their backup running back.
Keep in mind that Cowboys fans clamored for an increased workload for Pollard following that 2019 season. He was intriguing at times in 2020 as well.
Could that type of electric play come from Darrynton Evans this season? He'd be yet another weapon for a Titans offense that many believe can be both high-flying and gritty for the foreseeable future.
Featured Image via USA TODAY-Sports
