A Look Back At The Only Eight NFL Players To Score More Than Saquon Barkley's 74 Fantasy Points In Back-To-Back Games
Ric Tapia. Getty Images.42.2. 31.8. Those are Barkley's numbers looking back two weeks in standard scoring. Many running backs hit the 40-mark. In fact, it happens at least once or twice a season. But what about a rolling-two game stretch? I had to hit the spreadsheet to see where this ranks all-time and was a little surprised it's only ninth most ever for a running back or receiver. Which means, presumably, anyone.
It's Monday on Thanksgiving week. So what else are you going to do in the office? Let's run through those other eight.
#8 - Corey Dillon 74.2 Points (Weeks 13 and 14, 1999)
George Gojkovich. Getty Images.Corey Dillon was an absolute brut. It's a shame he spent his first seven years locked into some of the worst Cincinnati Bengals teams ever, but at least he escaped to win a ring with Brady in 2004. But for two back-to-back games late in the 1999 season, Dillon carried these Bengals on a plow with 133 and 192 rushing yards in respective weeks along with five total touchdowns. The Bengals would score 44-points in both victorious home games (49ers and Browns) that would account for half their entire season's wins.
While Dillon would set his career high for carries in that 2004 season with the Patriots, you have to wonder what his legacy could have looked like had he played for a legitimate football team during his prime. He would score 12, 12, and 13 rushing touchdowns during his three season with the Patriots to end his career. And tack on two more receiving.
#7 - Derrick Henry 76.8 Points (Week 14 and 15, 2018)
Sam Greenwood. Getty Images.Derrick Henry always killed the Jaguars. It was something else. No team was happier to see him leave Tennessee as he started his two-game stretch torching them in Week 14 for 238 yards and four touchdowns in a 30-9 win. He would follow that up in Week 15 with 170 and two touchdowns vs Giants. What a absolutely thrilling start to the fantasy playoffs. Although I think most playoffs started in Week 15 back before they added the extra game.
#6 - Jamaal Charles 79.3 Points (Weeks 14 and 15, 2013)
Thearon W. Henderson. Getty Images.Easily the first player that came to your mind when reading this blog headline, Jamaal also saved his two-game stomping for the fantasy playoffs. 150 on the ground and a sprinkle of eight through the air with two touchdowns got things going vs Washington before he hauled in eight catches for 195 and four touchdowns vs the Raiders. Give the Raiders some credit for holding him to 20 yards on eight carries though. I guess.
#5 - Todd Gurley 81.6 Points (Weeks 15 and 16, 2017)
Steve Dykes. Getty Images.What is it with running backs just going OFF during fantasy playoffs? December football, baby. That's what. Ground and pound. At Seattle to start things out, Gurley racked up 152 on the ground, and 28 through the air with four total scores. He'd follow that up with 118 on the ground, 158 through the air and two scores the following week vs the Titans. That'd be Week 16 - the fantasy championship game (unless you play in some cracker jack league that ends the week the football season ends).
#4 - Dalvin Cook 83.8 Points (Weeks 8 and 9, 2020)
Patrick McDermott. Getty Images.Returning from being out of the Week 6 lineup, Dalvin Cooked the Packers after the Vikings Week 7 bye with 163 yards on the ground and another 63 through the air. Four total touchdowns was the cherry on top. Nothing like getting a little rest. He would go on to put 206/2 on the ground the following week vs the Lions and 46 receiving.
#3 - Mike Anderson 84.5 Points (Weeks 13 and 14)
Tom Hauck. Getty Images.37 rushes in a single game is pretty crazy. But when you only have 30 the immediate week before, I guess you're all rested up. That was the world for running backs back at the turn of the century. Mike Anderson would have four games in his rookie 2000 season eclipsing 30 rushes as Mike Shanahan had found his next Terrell Davis.
OK back to Mike's stats. 195 yards on those 30 carries in Week 13 with two touchdowns and 14 receiving yards. Follow that up with 251 in his 37-carry game vs the Saints in Week 14, four touchdowns and - what the hell - tack on five more receiving yards. And if there's any relevant time to crush best back-to-back-to-back fantasy performances, I'm putting my money on him at #1 as he added 131/2 in Week 15.
#2 - Doug Martin 84.6 Points (Weeks 8 and 9, 2012)
Ezra Shaw. Getty Images.Since he was on my team, I remember exactly where I was when I watched rookie Doug Martin shake off the draft bust label he earned from the start of year and put on one of the better rushing performances of all time in Oakland. I was in an Decatur, Georgia coffee shop with my then girlfriend/now wife wearing headphones and watching football on some assuredly illegal stream while pumping my fists like an idiot as she studied away for her graduate courses. It's all about being present, fellas.
45. 67. 70. 1. Doug e Doug's touchdown yardage for his four scores on that Week 9 thriller in Oakland. But that game was the encore. He was already coming off a hot 135/1 (ground) and 79/1 (air) game the week before to complete his runner-up 84.6 point stampede. Probably why I was so locked in to clicking those little x's while getting lit of lattes.
Alright - here we go. The all-time NFL record for most fantasy points scored by a receiver/running back (or probably anyone to be honest).
#1 - Priest Holmes 86.5 Points (Weeks 7 and 8, 2004)
Brian Bahr. Getty Images.No one's higher than a Priest. Just an absolute animal. The Chiefs would win 56-10 vs Atlanta in game one of this streak in which Holmes solved for four scores, and 180 total yards. The encore would be vs the Colts in a 45-35 win where he'd stack another 225 yards and three scores. That's over 400 yards of offense during a two game stretch. For one player.
Honorable mentions
Let's run through names you're probably wondering about to bring this home.
2020 Alvin Kamara's six touchdown fantasy championship (I know where I was too on that best Christmas of all time). He came in 15th place at 70.8 points.
Calvin Johnson - the top receiver on this list comes in 21st place (68.4 points in weeks 7 and 8, 2013)
Josh Gordon - Yeah his 2013 season wasn't bad either. 23rd place at 67.8 (weeks 12 and 13). Oh yeah and again in 2013 at rank 44 (62.6 points) for Week 13 and 14. Might give Mike Anderson a run for his money after all for the rolling-three game record. Gordon was so good fantasy managers like myself would chase this production for almost a literal decade hoping there was something left. Almost a literal decade. Like, we just gave up on him a couple year ago. Is he on team by the way?
Larry Johnson - #10 at 72.1 (weeks 16 and 17, 2005). Chiefs mid aughts running backs man.
LaDainian Tomlinson - #69 (59.3 points) Still probably the fantasy GOAT. I had him on all my teams when I first started playing and this dude was just a fucking gazelle on the field. Suprised he wasn't a little higher on this list.
Marshall Faulk - Didn't make the top-100. 48.1 was his best back in weeks 5 and 6, 1995.
Shaun Alexander - Top two-game stretch was 71.2 from that classic 5-score game in 2002.