Carwell Gardner is a career quality starter — a running back whose body of work places Gardner in the top half of all players at the position historically. The Knox model values sustained contribution over flash, and Gardner's career arc reflects exactly that kind of reliable professional-grade performance.
Season totals or exact team stints. Career totals count each season once.
| Season | Age | Team | G | GS | Rushing | Receiving | Defense | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Att | Yds | TD | Y/A | TD% | 1D | 1D% | Fmb | Tgt | Rec | Yds | TD | Ctch% | Y/R | Y/Tgt | AirYd/T | 1D | Tkl | Solo | Ast | TFL | QBHits | Sk | Dis | Int | PD | FF | FR | TD | Sfty | |||||
| 1990 | 23–24 | BUF | 7 | — | 15 | 41 | 0 | 2.7 | 0.0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1991 | 24–25 | BUF | 16 | — | 42 | 146 | 4 | 3.5 | 9.5 | — | — | — | — | 3 | 20 | 0 | — | 6.7 | — | — | — | 10 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1992 | 25–26 | BUF | 16 | — | 40 | 166 | 2 | 4.2 | 5.0 | — | — | — | — | 7 | 67 | 0 | — | 9.6 | — | — | — | 8 | 8 | — | — | — | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1993 | 26–27 | BUF | 13 | — | 20 | 56 | 0 | 2.8 | 0.0 | — | — | — | — | 4 | 50 | 1 | — | 12.5 | — | — | — | 5 | 4 | — | — | — | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 1994 | 27–28 | BUF | 16 | — | 41 | 135 | 4 | 3.3 | 9.8 | — | — | — | — | 11 | 89 | 0 | — | 8.1 | — | — | — | 15 | 13 | — | — | — | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1995 | 28–29 | BUF | 15 | — | 20 | 77 | 0 | 3.9 | 0.0 | — | — | — | — | 2 | 17 | 0 | — | 8.5 | — | — | — | 7 | 4 | — | — | — | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1996 | 29–30 | BAL | 13 | — | 26 | 108 | 0 | 4.2 | 0.0 | — | — | — | — | 7 | 28 | 0 | — | 4.0 | — | — | — | 6 | 6 | — | — | — | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 1997 | 30–31 | SD | 5 | — | 7 | 20 | 0 | 2.9 | 0.0 | — | — | — | — | 2 | 10 | 0 | — | 5.0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Career | — | 101 | — | 211 | 749 | 10 | 3.5 | 4.7 | — | — | — | — | 36 | 281 | 1 | — | 7.8 | — | — | — | 54 | 38 | — | — | — | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | |
Career Value · VORP
29 career value over replacement — #2735 all-time of 4,695. 3.6/season above a replacement-level RB.
Pick #42 (Rd 2) · BUF · 1990 · +3.3 vs expected KV-H
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A running back with a above-average career — the kind of consistent contributor every roster needs. Solid availability (excellent availability over their career) added to their value.
Worth 29 points of value above a freely-available replacement running back — top 59% of all 4,695 ranked at the position. 6 of 8 seasons cleared the replacement bar, by +4.8 on average.See board →
Seasons above replacement
6 seasons × ~4.8 surplus ≈ VORP 29
Jeff Cothran
FB
90% match