The top running backs from the 2022 NFL season in yards per route run

Yardage or reception totals don’t always paint the full picture of a player's productivity in a given season. In order to get a clearer picture and highlight players who perhaps deserve more snaps, we need to look at how productive a player was on a per-snap basis.

PFF’s yards per route run metric divides a player's receiving yards total by the number of routes they ran, providing a better indicator of production than yards per reception or even yards per target. Here are the top 10 running backs (with a minimum of 30 targets) in that category from the 2022 regular season.

1. Derrick Henry, Tennessee Titans

YPRR: 2.08

Henry saw just 39 targets across 191 routes in 2022, but he made the most of them, totaling 398 yards on 33 receptions.

2. Breece Hall, New York Jets

YPRR: 2.00

Hall was productive both as a rusher and receiver before an injury ended his rookie campaign, picking up 218 receiving yards from just 109 routes.

3. Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers

YPRR: 1.83

One of just two running backs to see 100 or more targets in 2022, McCaffrey led all players at the position with 741 receiving yards from 405 routes run.

4. Nyheim Hines, Buffalo Bills

YPRR: 1.77

Traded midseason, Hines was on the field for just 136 receiving snaps but hauled in 30 of his 37 targets for 241 yards.

5. Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints

YPRR: 1.66

Kamara's 513 receiving yards finished fifth among all running backs in 2022, even though his 295 routes run ranked 15th at the position.

6. D’Andre Swift, Detroit Lions

YPRR: 1.65

Over 14 games, Swift saw 63 targets from 236 snaps as a receiver, turning them into 48 receptions for 389 yards.

7. Austin Ekeler, Los Angeles Chargers

YPRR: 1.63

Ekeler led all running backs in targets (123) and receptions (107), trailing only McCaffrey at the position in receiving yards (709). His 436 routes run also led the position.

8. Ameer Abdullah, Las Vegas Raiders

YPRR: 1.57

Abdullah was on the field for just 134 receiving snaps this past season and turned 32 targets into 25 receptions for 211 yards.

9. Tony Pollard, Dallas Cowboys

YPRR: 1.51

Pollard picked up 371 yards from 39 catches and 245 routes. This is another category where he led teammate Ezekiel Elliott, who averaged just 0.39 yards per route run on the season.

10. Jerick McKinnon, Kansas City Chiefs

YPRR: 1.50

McKinnon was on the field for 343 receiving snaps this past season, ranking seventh at the position, with his 513 receiving yards trailing just McCaffrey, Ekeler and Leonard Fournette.