Ryan Mathews

Philadelphia Eagles' Ryan Mathews posted a career-high five yards per carry in 2015, but because of limited usage, he totaled a career-low 41.5 yards per game. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

New players, petty drama and an unprecedented spending spree have diverted attention from Philadelphia Eagles running back Ryan Mathews this offseason. And that seems to be just fine with the veteran ball-carrier; he's prone to scrolling through his phone or calmly gathering his clothes whenever reporters stream into the locker room.

But regardless of whether he's making headlines, Mathews represents one of the Eagles' most intriguing storylines entering training camp, both on an emotional and football-specific level.

Mathews is 28, and for an NFL running back, that could mean he's about to plummet toward the end of his career. Or perhaps he can salvage a few years of his prime now that's in position to be Philly's starter and resurrect a professional tenure that's been interrupted time and again by injuries.

Either way, Mathews figures to play a big part in the Eagles' season. An ineffective running game derailed the team's 2015 campaign and expedited the dismissal of former head coach Chip Kelly. New man-in-charge Doug Pederson understands the value of a strong running game; plus, he's already pointed to Mathews as his most promising option to carry the load.

And according to advanced stats from Football Outsiders, that might be a sound decision.

Mathews spent most of last season as the Eagles' primary backup ball-carrier, playing behind the struggling DeMarco Murray. But when Mathews did get his chances in 2015, he often shined.

Football Outsiders uses a fancy stat -- defense-adjusted value over average (DVOA) -- to rate running back performances. The number takes into account the opposing defenses and game situation of each carry.

Last season, Mathews' 20.4 percent DVOA was the third-best mark among all NFL running backs with more than 100 carries.

Running back Team Carries Yards DVOA Le'Veon Bell Pit 113 556 28.1 percent Thomas Rawls Sea 147 830 26.4 percent Ryan Mathews Phi 108 539 20.4 percent David Johnson Ari 125 581 15.7 percent Jeremy Langford Chi 138 537 12.7 percent

Plus, Mathew's success rate -- a stat which takes down and distance into account -- ranked No. 5 among all running backs with more than 100 carries. Again, the numbers are per Football Outsiders.

Running back Team Success rate Thomas Rawls Sea 62 percent Charles Sims TB 57 percent David Johnson Ari 56 percent Rashad Jennings NYG 56 percent Ryan Mathews Phi 53 percent

Without a doubt, Mathews was one of the most statistically efficient running backs in the league last year, his first in Philadelphia, even though a lack of touches kept him from posting big numbers overall. Mathews' five yards per carry in 2015 were a career high, but because of limited usage, his 41.5 yards per game marked a career low.

The Eagles dealt Murray to Tennessee in March, leaving Mathews as the clear-cut top option to start in the fall. Philly also spent big money on free agent offensive guard Brandon Brooks this offseason in hopes of patching up an offensive line that weathered harsh criticism last season.

With more playing time and improved blocking, it's logicial to conclude Matthews has the potential for a big year in 2016. But as always with him, it depends on health.

The Fresno State product has earned an injury-prone label because he's only been healthy for all 16 games in a season once during his six-year NFL career. And he missed three games last year with the Eagles because of a concussion.

Still, Mathews has played in at least 12 games for all but one of his NFL seasons, so it's not as if the odds suggest he'll be too banged up to make any impact.

MORE: What Doug Pederson's history says about the Eagles' passing game

Another common concern for Mathews is that thought that his performance might begin declining after six years and 1,030 rushing attempts in the NFL.

But he hasn't shown signs of slowing down. His DVOA has been on a steady uptick the past three seasons, and his past two were his best in terms of statistical efficiency (Note: Mathews played for the Chargers from 2010 to 2014).

Mathews' recent performance hasn't hinted at a looming demise.

So he is likely to be a featured part of the Eagles offense next season. Pederson said he can see the team using a running back by committee but also would like to find a go-to ball-carrier, and Mathews is the only proven commodity on the roster.

Veteran Darren Sproles will be used in a variety of role as a pass-catcher, while rookie Wendell Smallwood and fourth-year pro Kenjon Barner will push for playing time.

But the central figure in the Eagles' running game will likely be Mathews, and when he's remained healthy, he's shown that he can be one of the more productive backs in the league.

-- @AaronKazreports