Projecting the Detroit Lions’ running back workload distribution

For the first time in many years, the Detroit Lions may have too many options at running back. With the additions of Kerryon Johnson and LeGarrette Blount to a backfield already home to Theo Riddick and Ameer Abdullah, there will be no shortage of resources for offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter in 2018.

By looking at the past few years of Lions running backs, we can see how Cooter prefers to split up his offense. A change in personnel may mean a change in strategy, but there are some patterns to uncover from recent history. Digging through the data points from 2015 to 2017 can give us somewhat of a starting point as we look toward this season.

In each of the past three seasons, the team…