NFL

9 NFL Veterans Whose Jobs Are Safe From 2017 Rookies

Joe Redemann  —  @TheIDPGuy May 12th, 2017
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​Ameer Abdullah

Small, slight running backs are always going to be second-guessed by analysts as not being able to carry a full three-down load as an NFL team’s lead back. The Detroit Lions have been looking for a new, bigger, more classic bell cow back to take over for Ameer Abdullah as the team’s early-down runner, but the speedy Abdullah escaped the draft with his position unquestioned.

That doesn’t mean he’s totally in the clear, given a just league-average Rushing Net Expected Points (NEP) per attempt in 2015, a major injury in 2016 that limited him to 18 carries, and the fact that he offers little in the passing game (12th-lowest Reception NEP per target among 44 running backs with 100 carries or more in 2015).

The Lions still look to be going with a multi-phase backfield between Abdullah, Zach Zenner or Dwayne Washington as the power back, and Theo Riddick as the receiver, but Abdullah hasn’t been outright replaced yet.

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