Jamaal Charles or Shaun Alexander? The NFL Stat Breakdown

This is as close as it gets. Jamaal Charles and Shaun Alexander split the statistical categories evenly — 3 apiece — making this one of the most genuinely contested RB comparisons in NFL history. When the numbers are this balanced, the debate comes down to which statistics matter most to you.

Shaun Alexander's Rush Touchdowns of 100 compared to Jamaal Charles's 44 represents a 127.3% advantage — dramatically better than their counterpart in this critical category. Both players exceed the RB career average of 40 in this category, but Shaun Alexander leads by 127.3%. It is the single most decisive number in this comparison and the clearest statistical argument for Shaun Alexander's edge.

The most competitive category in this matchup is Games Played, where Jamaal Charles posts 119 against Shaun Alexander's 123 — a gap of just 3.4%. Shaun Alexander can point to this as evidence that the overall comparison is closer than the final 3-3 tally suggests. In any debate, Games Played is the statistical ammunition for the Shaun Alexander side.

Running back careers are defined by efficiency as much as volume. Yards per carry separates elite backs from good ones, while receiving ability from the backfield has become increasingly valuable in the modern NFL.

With categories split evenly, this comparison ultimately comes down to which statistics matter most to you. Shaun Alexander claims the tiebreaker through Rush Touchdowns advantage — a 127.3% edge — but reasonable people can, and do, argue both sides of this NFL debate.