Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

With James Robinson being released by his third team in a year, I think we can all step back and ask "what was that?!" This guy went from complete afterthought UDFA, to 1000-yard featured back as a rookie, back to complete afterthought in a matter of two years. It made me wonder what are the most random 1000 yard rushing/receiving seasons ever. What other players have risen from little or no draft stock to drop a kilo, and then disappear again almost as quickly? Bonus points if they got it on terrible efficiency, and flamed out for non-injury reasons. I imagine we'll be looking at all modern-era players, so let's relive some recent fantasy waiver steal/draft bust nostalgia.

Big expectations for Peyton Hillis after a 1000 yard season in Cleveland. Didnt go exactly as planned.

Philip Lindsay started well for Denver but injuries ended his career

Rashard Mendenhall disappeared quickly for the Steelers after three decent seasons

I consider Barry Foster the first major big-contract running back bust for the Steelers.

What happened with Trent Richardson? Didnt even get to 1000 yards ...

Reuben Droughns parlayed a good rushing season in Denver to join the Browns, where after a decent rushing season, he was out of football three seasons later ...

Cadillac Williams was a huge bust for the Bucs after a 1000 yard season.

Steve Slaton was a cinderella RB for the Texans in 2008. He turned into a pumpkin after that ...

Mike Anderson was a tough RB for the Broncos but couldnt follow up his great year in 2000 succeeding Terrell Davis. To his credit he had another 1000 yard year in 2005.

Tatum Bell had a decent year for Denver in 2006 but was done with injuries in Detroit ...

Harold Green had high expectations taking over the RB job from James Brooks in Cincy, but after a decent season in 1992, fell off a cliff ...

Of course there was Ickey Woods, felled by injury and in 1968 Paul Robinson had a surprising rookie season but pedestrian after that.

Darren McFadden had 1000 yard years with the Raiders and Cowboys but was considered a bust ...

Brian wolf wrote: ↑Tue Aug 29, 2023 6:12 pm Steve Slaton was a cinderella RB for the Texans in 2008. He turned into a pumpkin after that ...

Mike Anderson was a tough RB for the Broncos but couldnt follow up his great year in 2000 succeeding Terrell Davis. To his credit he had another 1000 yard year in 2005.

Tatum Bell had a decent year for Denver in 2006 but was done with injuries in Detroit ...

I'm surprised you mentioned two Denver backs from the Shannahan/post Elway era, and neither one was Olandis Gary.
Granted, I don't like using the term "worst" to describe him, but he seems to fit the criteria. 1,100 yards in 12 games as a rookie in 1999, and he doesn't even crack 2,000 career rushing yards.

IIRC, in the 2000 opener, Terrell Davis had about 9 or 10 carries and left with an injury. Gary ran for 80 yards with a good YPC, but sustained a season-emding injury. Mike Anderson took over and hit 1,500 yards.

Haha ... forgot about Gary. Meanwhile the center blocking for all these backs including Davis and Portis,Tom Nalen, cant make the HOF.

Hillis, Slaton, and Lindsay (that dude had two 1k seasons?!) are perfect examples of this. Total rags to riches to rags again stories, very much like Robinson. At least Hillis is a well-known good guy... unlike Zac Stacy, who had 1k YFS as a rookie (barely missed in rushing), fell off even quicker, and turned out to be a thug to boot. Thank you Staced God!

All examples seem to be backs so far, any WR cases? They are much less replaceable in the modern NFL, so one may be hard-pressed to find guys just getting tossed aside for non-injury reasons. They also seem to rise from the ashes of UDFAdom far less frequently to set up such a collapse.

Mike Furrey immediately came to mind for a 1000 yard receiving season one year wonder. Was a DB for the Rams, heads over to the Lions in 2006, gets converted to WR and immediately posts a 98 catch 1000+ yard season. He got almost half his career receiving yardage this season and 6 of his 7 career TDs.

ChrisBabcock wrote: ↑Tue Aug 29, 2023 9:18 pm Mike Furrey immediately came to mind for a 1000 yard receiving season one year wonder. Was a DB for the Rams, heads over to the Lions in 2006, gets converted to WR and immediately posts a 98 catch 1000+ yard season. He got almost half his career receiving yardage this season and 6 of his 7 career TDs.

Furrey was a receiver in college, setting Gateway Conference records for career catches, yards and TDs in three seasons at Northern Iowa.