The NFL offseason was fairly tumultuous for C.J. Anderson. Originally in free agency, the Denver Broncos didn't sign him, leading to him signing an offer sheet with the Miami Dolphins.
The Broncos did eventually match that offer sheet thus guaranteeing his return to the team. But they followed that by drafting Devontae Booker in the fourth round of the NFL Draft, leading to thoughts of a shared backfield.
Anderson owners were thrilled when he opened the season on a tear, amassing 232 total combined yards and 3 total touchdowns in Weeks 1 and 2.
However, in the last three weeks, things have gotten complicated for Anderson owners. Booker's snap rate has increased from 10% in Week 1 to 41% in Week 5. Moreover, Booker's been a more effective running back with his chances.
If we remove Booker's single fumble from Week 1, this is how his performance compares to Anderson's.
| Rushing NEP | Rushing NEP per Rush | Rushing Success Rate | Reception NEP | Reception NEP per Target | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C.J. Anderson | -9.33 | -0.11 | 34.54% | 6.24 | 0.33 |
| Devontae Booker | 2.07 | 0.07 | 46.43% | 3.01 | 0.33 |
Basically, when Booker's gotten the rock, he's been more efficient than Anderson by a mile in terms of Rushing NEP per rush. And he's been way more reliable in moving the chains, besting Anderson's 34.54% Success Rate by nearly 12 percentage points.
With Booker's snap rate increasing with each game and his overall effectiveness eclipsing Anderson's, Anderson owners have reason to be concerned that their star may soon find himself in a dreaded timeshare.