Can This Second-Year Running Back Surprise Jets Fans?

While it’s no surprise that the New York Jets are planning to run a backfield-by-committee approach this season, most believe that it should only be composed of two star players: Breece Hall and Braelon Allen. Utilizing the run game more often can make the Jets a more well-rounded offense and give opposing defenses plenty to worry about. However, if the Jets truly want to turn opposing defenses on their heads, it would be wise to keep second-year running back Isaiah Davis in the mix as well. Although Davis might not have the explosive, home-run ability that Hall has, and doesn’t have the large sample size that Allen does, his reliability and consistency in limited opportunities are intriguing enough to include him in the conversation. 

While Davis didn’t find himself on the field too often during his rookie season, he made his presence known when he did. In just 30 attempts, he rushed for 174 yards, with an average of 5.8 yards gained per attempt. This was the fifth-best in the league when compared to 91 other running backs with at least 30 carries. Even more notable is the fact that Davis gained at least four yards in 18 of his 30 attempts, which is a 60% success rate. Put into perspective, the league average is just 46.7%. Although it is a small sample size, these stats suggest that Davis can be a key contributor if he is added to the group and sees the field more often. 

While the Jets have discussed that they intend to emulate the same backfield approach that the Detroit Lions use, there’s no reason why they have to follow their methods entirely. While the Lions use a backfield approach that gives Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery equal snaps, it would make more sense for the Jets to give Davis a shot in addition to Allen and Hall. Especially in shorter yardage situations, Davis could bring a reliability aspect to the field. All three backs bring something different to the table, and together, they could make the Jets’ run game dangerous and formidable to opposing defenses.