A career average of 4.5 ypc is not an average NFL RB. That isn't even average starting NFL runningback, which I'll let you know are very different things. He has 3, soon to be 4, straight 1000 yard all purposes seasons, averaging 8.3TDs per year.

If you want to look at over all numbers and completely dismiss the fact that he has never come close to even 250 carries in a season, due to the fact that our passing offense has been one of, if not the most, prolific passing offenses in the history of the NFL over his career, then you can argue that his overall numbers aren't above a starting NFL RBs, then go ahead. But over the past 2-3 years he is a top 15 RB in the league statistically, and that is a verifiable fact.

If you get a guy who's playing this well in every aspect of what RBs do for your team on a reasonable contract 7 years after you draft a guy, that's better than most ROI on first round picks. Did the Saints draft a hall of fame RB? Of course not, so you didn't get the best return imaginable. Did we get Beanie Wells, Trent Richardson, Ryan Matthews, Knowshon Moreno, Donald Brown, Jahvid Best, Doug Martin? He's better than all those recent first round RBs. He's also not what Leonard, Melvin Gordon, or Todd Gurley will likely be. He's no super star.

But he is at the very worst an above average STARTING running back in the NFL, which let me reiterate, DOES NOT MAKE HIM JUST AN ABOVE AVERAGE RUNNING BACK. It means he's in the top half of the top quarter of NFL running backs over the past 3.5 years. His Rushing yardage totals and YPC say that, black and white, clear as day.

If you want to put on you LSU officially licensed earmuffs and blindfold and deny that indisputable fact, that's fine, but it doesn't change the facts.