Never one to lack in confidence, Buffalo Bills’ running back LeSean McCoy made quite a statement last week. In an interview with Cari Champion of ESPN, McCoy stated that the best running back in the NFL isn’t Ezekiel Elliott, nor is it Le’Veon Bell; instead, it’s Shady himself.
"I still feel like healthy, there's no back that can touch me," McCoy said. "For sure. A healthy me, for 16 weeks, for sure."
McCoy continued to list his top backs in the league, starting with himself, and moving on to Le’Veon Bell of the Pittsburgh Steelers at number two saying, “He’s a bad boy.” Number three, according to Shady, is “that kid from Arizona,” David Johnson, and DeMarco Murray of the Tennessee Titans fourth. Ezekiel Elliott came in at number five, as McCoy said that he’d like to see ‘Zeke “do it again” in order to prove that his rookie season wasn’t a fluke.
While it’s hard to argue McCoy including himself in the conversation of the best in the NFL, one would be hard-pressed to find a talent evaluator who lists McCoy in front of either Bell or Johnson, and probably not Elliott, either. One “snub” from McCoy’s list is Jordan Howard of the Chicago Bears, another rookie who was second in the league in rushing yardage on a very bad (3-13) team.
McCoy ranked sixth in the NFL in rushing this season, compiling 1,267 yards in 15 games. Of all running backs in the top-ten, only Devonta Freeman had fewer carries (227) than McCoy’s 234; McCoy’s 5.4 yards per carry average was the best among top-ten backs. He also ranked fourth in rushing touchdowns, tenth in rushing first downs, and fifth in rushing yards per game. Shady ranked fifth in yards from scrimmage, behind Johnson, Elliott, Bell, and Murray.