NFL Playoffs Rushing Yards Leader Odds
Over the past five NFL seasons, the leading postseason rusher played at least three playoff games. Colin Kaepernick (2012 – 264 yards) still holds the NFL record for rushing yards in a single postseason by a quarterback. The following season, he posted the second-best total (243) in the history of the league. As a result, no quarterback over the past 35 years has been the top postseason rushing leader.
Here’s a look at the previous five winners:
• 2021 Joe Mixon (262 yards)
• 2022 Leonard Fournette (300 yards)
• 2019 Derrick Henry (446 yards)
• 2018 Sony Michel (336 yards)
• 2017 Leonard Fournette (242 yards)
Here are the complete odds at SI Sportsbook, along with my top four selections.
2023 NFL Playoffs Rushing Yards Leader Odds
Christian McCaffrey +450
Miles Sanders +600
Josh Allen +600
Isiah Pacheco +850
Joe Mixon +900
Jalen Hurts +1200
Devin Singletary +1300
Dalvin Cook +1400
Ezekiel Elliott +1400
Elijah Mitchell +1400
Tony Pollard +1400
Austin Ekeler +1800
Leonard Fournette +2000
Rachaad White +2200
Lamar Jackson +2200
J.K. Dobbins +2200
Travis Etienne Jr. +2500
Saquon Barkley +2500
James Cook +2500
Kenneth Walker III +3000
Daniel Jones +4500
Patrick Mahomes +6600
Jerick McKinnon +6600
Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers (+450)
Over the past five games, Christian McCaffrey gained 439 rushing yards on 84 carries (5.2 yards per rush). The 49ers enter the postseason as the 2-seed in the NFC. His first matchup versus the Seahawks (423/2,100/19 – 5.0 yards per carry) points to a winning day, but San Francisco will rotate in Elijah Mitchell. The Cowboys (4.4), Vikings (4.5), Buccaneers (4.5), Eagles (4.6), and Giants (5.2) all rank poorly in yards per rush allowed. San Francisco looks poised to play three games in the postseason, giving McCaffrey the firepower to lead the NFL in postseason rushing yards.
Joe Mixon, Cincinnati Bengals (+900)
Joe Mixon led the league in rushing yards (262) in the postseason in 2021 but he needed four games to achieve that feat. His path this year requires a similar road map, but he must get off to a good start versus the Ravens. In his two matchups against Baltimore this season, Mixon gained 105 yards on 25 carries. In addition, the Ravens have the third-best rushing defense in the NFL (406/1,566/11 – 3.9 yards per rush). If Cincinnati wins, its next dance should be in Buffalo. The Bills have played from the lead in most games, leading to them facing the lowest number of rushing attempts (387) in the NFL. If the Bengals win in Buffalo, Mixon becomes a live option to finish near the top of the standings in the postseason in rushing yards.
Austin Ekeler, Los Angeles Chargers (+1,800)
Austin Ekeler finished the regular season ranked 18th in rushing yards (915) due to the Chargers featuring him more in the passing game (107/722/5). Only twice this season did he gain more than 100 yards (16/173/1 and 10/122/2), while averaging only 12 rushes per game. The Jaguars held him to five yards on four carries in Week 3. Jacksonville ranked 12th in rushing yards allowed (470/1,951//14 – 4.2 yards per rush). If Los Angeles wins on the road, it has plenty of experience against the Chiefs. For Ekeler to have any chance of posting the most rushing yards in the postseason, the Chargers must play four games.
Travis Etienne Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars (+2,500)
The road through the playoffs for the Jaguars starts with a home game versus the Chargers and then a potential trip to Kansas City if they win. In Week 3, Jacksonville drilled Los Angeles on the road (38-10). The Jaguars ran the ball well (36/151/1), but James Robinson led the team in chances (17/100/1). The Chargers finished the regular season 26th in rushing defense (457/2,478/17 – 5.4 per rush), with nine offenses gaining more than 150 yards rushing. The Chiefs played well versus the run over the first four games (79/263/2), but they have shown some cracks over the past 13 weeks (LV – 24/155/1; TEN – 29/172/2; CIN – 34/152/1). Travis Etienne Jr. gained more than 100 yards in four home games, so he may very well be the clubhouse leader in rushing yards after Week 1 of the playoffs. The bottom line is: Can the Jaguars win two games in the postseason? I view them as a better team than the Chargers, so I have a dollar and a dream.
Best Bet: Christian McCaffrey (+450)
Dark Horse: Travis Etienne Jr. (+2500)
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