4.0 Yards per Carry

Starting running backs should meet several basic qualifications when they have their seasons judged. While an average of 4.5 to 5.0 yards per carry is preferred, the lowest bar for starting running backs is at roughly 4.0 yards per carry.

While Michel averaged 4.5 yards per carry as a rookie, his average dipped to 3.7 this past season. That’s not an acceptable number for a starting running back.

Pittsburgh’s James Conner got harassed by the media last year for missing games but also because he struggled running the ball. Conner averaged 4.0 yards per carry. Even LeSean McCoy, who looked like he was running on fumes at times, averaged 4.6 yards per carry in Kansas City’s offense.

Michel also faces pressure to live up to his draft stock. The former Georgia Bulldog heard the Patriots call his name at 31st overall in 2018. He was the third running back drafted, trailing Saquon Barkley and Rashaad Penny. However, Michel’s Georgia teammate, Nick Chubb was the fourth running back taken.

Last year, Chubb averaged 5.0 yards per carry on his way to a 1,498-yard, Pro Bowl season. If Michel can’t drag his average back up to 4.0, then the Patriots could decline the young running back’s fifth-year option after the 2020 season.