Fred Taylor: Hall of Famer?

Apparently he's pissed bc he's not getting a long look.

Fred Taylor is Pissed at the Hall of Fame, is a Victim of Poor Career Timing

I remember clearly that guys in my fantasy league referred to him as Fraud Taylor, I guess bc they thought he was always dinged up and seemed to accumulate yards in meaningless games.

He had a bumpy career. He never led the league in rushing or touchdowns, once finished as the leader in yards per game (while also missing three games), and only finished with 66 rushing TDs in 13 years. He had some nice playoff games in his first two years in the league, but very little after that.

Fred Taylor Stats | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Only one Pro Bowl (I know, I know) and he obviously played in an era where backs were going off (Tomlinson, Edge, Holmes, Larry Johnson).

He's 17th all time in rushing, and everyone ahead of him (and some behind) are in Canton with the exception of Frank Gore and Edgerrin James. Edge will make the Hall eventually, Gore probably won't.

So is Fred Taylor a Hall of Famer? I say no. But I can understand the frustration with not even reaching a semifinalist list.

 

He would pull his hamstring walking up to the podium.

NO.

 

In the time it took to write this, Stacey Mack just vultured another 1-yard touchdown.

 

His Football Reference page lists Fragile Fred as a nickname.

Taylor did rush for over 1,100 yards in a season seven times and he averaged 4.6 yards per carry in his career.

 

One of our longtime fantasy football team names was Fred Taylor's Glass Groin.

 

He was a beast on some really great and underrated Jaguars teams. He probably deserves more of a look than he's getting.
That said, he was never better than sixth in rushing yards in any season, and only got into the top 10 in rushing touchdowns twice. He was OK as a receiver, but nothing spectacular in an era where receiving backs like Tomlinson, Faulk and Edge James shined. Throw in the well-earned reputation for injuries and he probably falls just on the wrong side of the cut line.

 

I'd put Gore in way before I'd put Taylor in.

 

Here are the 13 backs who were on the initial Hall of Fame nominee list (94 total players) from last year:

Shaun Alexander, Ottis Anderson, Tiki Barber, Larry Centers, Roger Craig, Terrell Davis, Eddie George, Edgerrin James, Daryl Johnston, Eric Metcalf (also WR/PR/KR), LaDainian Tomlinson, Herschel Walker (also KR), Ricky Watters

 

Taylor falls on the wrong side of the Hall line. 17th all-time rusher but only three seasons with more than eight TDs. 1 Pro Bowl, 1 second-team All-Pro.

Career similar players list is: Earnest Byner, Ottis Anderson, Eddie George, Herschel Walker, Warrick Dunn, Freeman McNeil, Curtis Martin*, Eric Dickerson*, John Riggins*, Larry Csonka*

I would put Gore in regardless of Taylor comp, but here it is:

Gore 13,065 yards on 2,965 carries (4.4), 9 1,000 yard seasons, 74 TDs, 414 catches for 3,427 yards, 16 TDs, 5 Pro Bowls, 1 second-team All-Pro
Taylor 11,695 yards on 2,534 carries (4.6), 7 1,000 yard seasons, 66 TDs, 290 catches for 2,384 yards, 8 TDs, 1 Pro Bowl, 1 second-team All-Pro

Taylor 17th in Yards, Gore is 8th. Last year he had 1,025 yards. Give him 630 in 2017 and he moves to fifth. If he has another 1,000 yard season, he goes to 4th.
Taylor is tied for 37th in rushing TDs. Gore is tied for 24th. Five more puts him in the top 20. 12 puts him in top 15.

 

Larry Centers and Eric Metcalf over Taylor? I'd have to look more closely at the numbers, but those stand out to me as the type of players who don't deserve a longer look than Taylor.

 

Centers is different because he's a fullback and they lump all the backs in one category.

Metcalf-Taylor comp

Metcalf 2,392 yards on 630 carries (3.8), 0 1,000 yard seasons, 12 TDs, 541 catches for 5,572 yards, 31 TDs, 3 Pro Bowls, 2 first-team All-Pro; 3,453 punt return yards, 5,813 kick return yards, 12 special teams TDs
Taylor 11,695 yards on 2,534 carries (4.6), 7 1,000 yard seasons, 66 TDs, 290 catches for 2,384 yards, 8 TDs, 1 Pro Bowl, 1 second-team All-Pro

Taylor is 50th in all-purpose yards. Metcalf is 15th