This is exactly why I don't put much stock into preseason games, aside from seeing the amount of playing time players get. Dantrell Savage is the Kansas City Chiefs leading rusher though the first two preseason games - and we're having discussions around the site on whether or not Savage will even make the final 53-man roster.
Last season, Jackie Battle was the running back who got the most playing time in the final preseason game, when most of the starters are resting. Now, Battle is getting a good chunk of rushing attempts alongside Savage towards the beginning of the preseason.
And if it comes down to Dantrell Savage or Jackie Battle on this team, I think Battle wins out based on Haley's comments about his training camp play, his rushing attempts early on this preseason and Battle's ability to return kicks. Savage's kick returning ability must have been college only because he's not even back there taking kick or punt returns.
After the jump, feel free to reach ridiculous (or not so ridiculous) conclusions about the Kansas City Chiefs running backs based on their preseason stats.
Players are sorted from most to least rushing yards, from left to right.
| Rushing | D.Savage | J.Battle | L.Johnson | ||||||||||||||||
| Date | Opponent | No | Yds | Avg | LG | TD | No | Yds | Avg | LG | TD | No | Yds | Avg | LG | TD | |||
| 8/15 | Houston | 8 | 39 | 4.9 | 14 | 0 | 5 | 20 | 4.0 | 9 | 0 | 4 | 12 | 3.0 | 4 | 0 | |||
| 8/21 | @ Minnesota | 5 | 14 | 2.8 | 5 | 0 | 9 | 28 | 3.1 | 9 | 0 | 8 | 21 | 2.6 | 18 | 0 | |||
| TOTALS | 13 | 53 | 4.1 | 14 | 0 | 14 | 48 | 3.4 | 9 | 0 | 12 | 33 | 2.8 | 18 | 0 | ||||
| Rushing | T.Thigpen | Q.Lawrence | J.Williams | ||||||||||||||||
| Date | Opponent | No | Yds | Avg | LG | TD | No | Yds | Avg | LG | TD | No | Yds | Avg | LG | TD | |||
| 8/15 | Houston | 3 | 31 | 10.3 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -- | 0 | 4 | 9 | 2.3 | 5 | 0 | |||
| 8/21 | @ Minnesota | Inactive | 1 | 16 | 16.0 | 16 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 2.0 | 5 | 0 | |||||||
| TOTALS | 3 | 31 | 10.3 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 16 | 16.0 | 16 | 0 | 7 | 15 | 2.1 | 5 | 0 | ||||
| Rushing | M.Cassel | J.Charles | B.Croyle | ||||||||||||||||
| Date | Opponent | No | Yds | Avg | LG | TD | No | Yds | Avg | LG | TD | No | Yds | Avg | LG | TD | |||
| 8/15 | Houston | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1.0 | 2 | 0 | |||
| 8/21 | @ Minnesota | 2 | 13 | 6.5 | 11 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 2.0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| TOTALS | 3 | 13 | 4.3 | 11 | 0 | 6 | 10 | 1.7 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0.7 | 2 | 0 | ||||