Running Back Rankings: The 32 best NFL running backs heading into 2021 @JdMckissic for 6 #SEAvsWAS FOX pic.twitter.com/dVGuOjCtKR. AS you noted, McCafferty was injured most of last season and I believe his imjuries were attributable to overuse. Coleman returns to the 49ers as part of their running back committee. 11. An incredibly important aspect of Minnesotas offensive game plan, as Cook goes, so will the Vikings in 2021. Anderson. Get the comprehensive list of every Running Back for each NFL pro football team. Allen made huge jumps in his on-field production, confidence and command of the offense last season. Josh Jacobs has eclipsed the 1,000-yard plateau in each of his first two seasons with the Raiders. * 21+ (19+ CA-ONT) (18+ NH/WY). Co-Host of the Bayou Blitz Podcast. In terms of the entire units right now, I take theRead more . 20. That's his 10th on the year and it is 27-16 #WashingtonFootball up on the Cowboys in Dallas. The 27-year-old Fournette is a 6-foot and 228-Lb. 4. But that's not going to last much longer. 6-keys: media/spln/nfl/reg/free/stories, at newsletter, Cowboys scouting report 2023: TCU iOL Steve Avila. https://cardswire.usatoday.com/lists/nfl-rb-rankings-nfc-west-chris-carson-raheem-mostert-kenyan-drake/, Cardinals given terrible marks by players on team report card, 4 of 101 best nicknames in NFL history belong to former Cardinals players, One free agent each NFL team should re-sign in 2023, GM, HC searches affected by Cardinals' reputation on compensation, DeAndre Hopkins trade could come before start of free agency, Eagles player takes shot at Jonathan Gannon on social media, Jonathan Gannon 'not sure' if DeAndre Hopkins will play for Cardinals in 2023, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. He's down 10 pounds. A daily roundup of all your Dallas Cowboys news from Blogging The Boys, By submitting your email, you agree to our, Blogging The Boys, a Dallas Cowboys fan community, Ranking the NFC East position groups: Running backs, Report: Cowboys prepared to place franchise tag on Tony Pollard if no deal reached by Tuesday. Behind Sanders, Philadelphia has third-year man Boston Scott and two unproven players in Jason Huntley and Kenneth Gainwell. 2021 NFC West running back rankings - Cards Wire 6. Jackson is a proven winner, too. While the Saints' two-headed monster at running back gives them the advantage over most teams, Kamara may not even be the most dangerous back in his own division. FantraxHQ - The Home of Fantasy Sports Analysis, 2021 Fantasy Running Back Depth Charts: NFC South, Top 500 Fantasy Baseball Dynasty Rankings, Fantasy 101: How to Play Rotisserie Baseball, 2023 Fantasy Baseball Position Eligibility, Fantasy EPL 101 How to Play Draft Premier League, 2023 Fantasy Baseball: Points Leagues Sleepers Hitters, Canadian Baseball Prospects and Team Canada World Baseball Classic Roster. A lot of people like to make it sound as if the Saints didn't have a featured back last year. Saints won, 31-17. At just 24 years old, Barkley is just getting started. 1 running back in 2020. 1 focus is this season. ET. The NFC West has a number of talented running backs. A leaky offensive line and an abysmal rushing game have left the Buccaneers with a one-dimensional attack over the last two seasons, allowing opponents to pressure now-former QB, Jameis Winston, into additional turnovers. It's that time of year again, when NFL players cast their votes to identify the best in the league heading into the 2022 NFL season. He is good but he might not be the same guy in another offense. The Cowboys get to pair Elliott with one of the better backup running backs in football in Tony Pollard. But, when you compare the teams running back groups altogether, theres no question the Cowboys have the best group in the division. Number one fumbling the ball, Elliott said when asked what his No. Chase Edmonds . Hes somehow managed to record at least 81 receptions in each of his first four seasons with the Saints while also rushing for 3,340 yards on the ground. Hubbard was a solid mid round choice and could prove to be a capable #2but hes just that right now: an unproven mid-round rookiebasically their version of KeShawn Vaughn last season. He looked way more confident andRead more , I might give you the Saints as having a better deeper RB room but not the Panthers. Which team had the most players ranked? His performance as the No. His downfield passing improved immensely in 2020, when he completed 26 passes of 20-plus yards, per Next Gen Stats, while also continuing to be a threat in the run game, with at least eight rushing TDs in each of his first three seasons. 2023 PewterReport.com All Rights Reserved. The running back appears to be in great shape, revealing during the Hall of Fame Game last week that he has lost 10lbs in preparation for the upcoming season. To go from barely average regular season play to elite in the playoffs was one of the weirdest things Ive seen in my time watching football. 14. The NFL's top running backs will take center stage when the 2021 season returns. Its usually the hot hand that will get a majority of the carries in a specific game, so its hard to project their totals. Ranking the running backs in the NFC West | Cards Wire Between the Panthers, Falcons, Saints, and the Bucs, the NFC South has a plethora (SAT word for yall) of backfield candidates to use in your lineups. 8. Steven Jackson . 1 back against the Giants showed he can be good. All Rights Reserved. The Buccaneers had the worst rushing attack in the division last year, averaging 95.2 yards per game, which were the fourth-fewest among all NFL teams. Touchdown Antonio Gibson! 26. The highly-anticipated return of Saquon Barkley to the field in 2021 should refamiliarize the general fan with one of the most talented all-around backs in the league. Expect more usage from the powerful Latavius Murray after his second offseason in the team's system along with a big rebound in performance from Alvin Kamara. Seattle won 28-26. Caleb Huntley Kamara, a 3rd-round pick from Tennessee in the 2017 draft, beat out McCaffrey for 2017 Offensive Rookie of the Year honors and is a vital part of the New Orleans offense. Darrell Henderson, Los Angeles Rams A: . The best NFL player at every age, from 21-44 - ESPN Which 10 players make up Nos. Damien Harris, New England Patriots Troymaine Pope. Freeman should be back healthy for 2019, and the Falcons are a better team with him on the field. The fifth-year back is a very good, not elite pure runner, but an outstanding pass-catcher. Though they do it in different ways, one thing is for sure about these top 10 theyre a threat to take it to the house on every play. Jerious Norwood, Atlanta. He barely played in three games a season ago and still scored 6 total touchdowns. He also has quads you should google right at this moment. Kenyan Drake, Las Vegas Raiders It's that time of year again, when NFL players cast their votes to identify the best in the league heading into the 2022 NFL season. Pollard is only going to get better as his role in the offense expands. Episode 7 of the "Top 100 Players of 2022" airs on Sunday, revealing two productive QB-pass catcher combos in the players' list between Nos. You'll now receive the top Cards Wire stories each day directly in your inbox. Gus Edwards, Baltimore Ravens 40 and 31. Please enter a valid email and try again. This man is the alpha and the omega of fantasy running backs. Hes recorded 43 scores on the ground and another 15 through the air, proving to be a touchdown machine in the Saints offense. Kenyan Drake, Cardinals. He was hurt visually all of last year, and while Im obviously not projecting that this year, his handcuff would be Chubba Hubbard should that happen again. Saints then Panthers, because of the depth. 50 percent of the Panthers offensive plays went through him the prior season and when a player starts getting injuries from overuse, they generally don stop or go away. Brown is a solid short-yardage back to have on the roster. Who is the best? Jonathan Stewart, Carolina. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports, https://cardswire.usatoday.com/gallery/ranking-the-nfc-west-running-backs/, Cardinals given terrible marks by players on team report card, 4 of 101 best nicknames in NFL history belong to former Cardinals players, One free agent each NFL team should re-sign in 2023, GM, HC searches affected by Cardinals' reputation on compensation, DeAndre Hopkins trade could come before start of free agency, Eagles player takes shot at Jonathan Gannon on social media, Jonathan Gannon 'not sure' if DeAndre Hopkins will play for Cardinals in 2023, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Ito Smith carried the ball 90 times for 315 yards and four scores during his rookie season, and Brian Hill ran wild in a Week 16 game against the Panthers, gaining 115 yards on just eight carries. The New Orleans Saints have won the last three NFC South titles because they have one of the most talented rosters in the league. Which team boasts three representatives? The Panthers' overall rushing production dropped in 2019 because of the loss of QB Cam Newton and an offensive line that struggled. We'll continue our NFC South positional rankings today with running backs. It would not be the same as drafting a RB with the fourth overall pick. The second-year man, out of . Sign up for our newsletter and get every update delivered to your inbox! Which NFC South team has the best running game heading into the 2020 NFL season? It was Thomas and he's solid. To qualify, a player will have to be 25 or younger as of Sept. 9, when the 2021 season is scheduled to kick off. Check out all the features Fantrax has to offer, and we think youll be singing a different tune for next season. A quality running back is a scarce fantasy asset. 9. NFL Running Back - Players Rosters - National Football League - ESPN Alex Armah Jeff Demps. The soon-to-be 26-year-old, who requested a trade earlier this offseason, is at Texans camp -- practicing sparingly -- while allegations of sexual assault and harassment made in the 22 lawsuits filed against the quarterback remain under investigation. Metcalf has delivered in every aspect since he walked shirtless into a meeting at the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine with the team that would later draft him. This backfield is chaos and I hate it. All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. Earnest Graham, Tampa Bay. For the newest installment of Fantraxs fantasy running back depth charts series, were going to delve into the NFC South. If it were purely up to on-field performance, Dalvin Cook would certainly find himself a bit higher than No. Antonio Gibson, Washington Football Team The sixth-year running back has already recorded 5,860 rushing yards and 55 touchdowns, having produced at least 1,500 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns in each of the last two seasons. The WFTs running back group is led by the versatile 23-year-old Antonio Gibson. Atlanta also drafted Qadree Ollison and Marcus Green, further bolstering their depth. Dwayne Washington If he falls to you, feel free to take him. 3. McCaffrey is the only running back in NFL history to record back-to-back seasons with at least 100 catches from 2018 to 2019. Who has the most career 200 receiving yard games? Atlanta hopes to limit Gurley's touches by finally getting a full season from Ito Smith, a promising power back who has been plagued by injury over his first two seasons. NFL Network's 'Top 100 Players of 2022' has been unveiled. 2021 Fantasy Tight End Depth Charts: NFC South, Free Agent Tight End Predictions for 2023, Superflex Dynasty Rankings: 2023 Offseason Update, Dynasty Football Rankings: 2023 Offseason Update, Free Agent Wide Receiver Predictions for 2023. Reggie Bonnafon Were anxiously awaiting multiple returns to the field for some of the leagues top running backs, none more so than Christian McCaffrey. Whether in the backfield or lining up in the slot. 16. Alvin Kamara has gotten plenty of attention during his first two seasons with the Saints, but Christian McCaffrey has been every bit as impressive in his first two years in Carolina. 27. [CDATA[ Pierre Thomas, New Orleans. He had a brief fumbling problem but is consistent. Who is the best? DeAngelo Williams, Carolina. Gonzalez recalls matchup with Drake London during his days with Colorado. He would have easily been a 1000 yard back if not for CoRead more , Youre seeing our RBs the same way I do Dr.D. With that in mind, Maurice Jones-Drew provides his ranking of the top 10 QB-pass catcher duos heading into 2022. Henry will not go down on first contact and routinely churns out first down after first down if hes not scoring touchdowns. To qualify, a player will. And you nailed it, RoJo comes back every year improved. Every Thursday until the season begins, Ill be going through each position group in the NFC South, ranking them by team from fourth to first. When hes on the field, theres no disputing that Saquon Barkley is one of the best five running backs in football. John Raine, Falcons RB Mike Davis Photo by: USA Today. Oct 6, 2019; New Orleans, LA, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Ronald Jones (27) runs the ball against New Orleans Saints defensive back Chauncey Gardner-Johnson (22) in the second quarter at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Gibson also caught 36 passes for 247 yards, bringing his total yards to 1,042 in just 14 games. Can he be a regular special teamer? Although the running back position has become a bit marginalized in recent seasons, the NFC South boasts some of the league's top young backs. Ranking NFL divisions by running backs: Christian McCaffrey, Alvin 29. Top 5 Running Backs in the NFC South. Falcons Released Veteran Running Back On Saturday NFL+ gives you the freedom to watch LIVE out-of-market preseason games, LIVE local and primetime regular season and postseason games on your phone or tablet, the best NFL programming on-demand, and MORE! Unthinkable! However, in 13 games he only managed to get 39 carries. Its a big offseason for the former third-round pick, and Vaughn should get plenty of opportunity to prove himself in the preseason. Hes recorded back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons and combined for 25 rushing touchdowns the past two seasons. Hunt was terrific in Kansas City for his first two seasons, totaling well over 2,100 yards on the ground and 16 touchdowns. Michael Carter led film session with running backs as RB coach Taylor Embree and wife welcomed baby . Davis finished the year with career highs in snaps, carries (165), yards (642), touchdowns (six) catches (59), receiving yards (373) and receiving touchdowns (two). He rushed for 772 yards on a whopping 5.6 yards per attempt last season. 30. Hell turn a routine carry into a long touchdown within the simplest crease in the offensive line. They did. The 2020 Saints have two running backs who could start for most NFL teams, including a three-time Pro Bowler in Alvin Kamara, one of the most dangerous weapons in football. He's still something of a secret to a lot of people. Which team has the most wins as home dogs since 2016? I expect RB26 and RB28 this year with a full year together. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. Javian Hawkins Devontae Booker had a decent year as the backup in Las Vegas last season, but the fact of the matter is Barkleys ability to stay on the field will determine how successful their run game is. Running back rankings: NFC South | wtsp.com Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Stevie Scott, Saints RB Alvin Kamara Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR. An asset in both the run and pass games, Chubb racked up 1,217 scrimmage yards and 12 touchdowns last season. Posted by ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas We'll continue our NFC South positional rankings today with running backs. LB Von Miller, . Derrick Ward, Tampa Bay. Hyde returns to the NFC West, having begun his NFL career with the San Francisco 49ers. 20-11? Falcons ask Richardson who's faster, him or Kyle Pitts. Now what did they get wrong? Ollison and Brooks-James have combined for 33 career carries, and Hawkins and Huntley are rookies. Ranking the NFC South running backs - NFC South- ESPN Joe Mixon, Cincinnati Bengals NFC North Starters: Dalvin Cook ( Vikings ), Aaron Jones (. Scott has been around the league since 2018 and has had some production, five rushing TDs in 2019 and 374 rushing yards in 2020, but isnt going to scare a defense. Today we compare the running games of each team in the NFC South, with the opening of training camp right around the corner. 40-31? Today, we start by taking a look at the running backs. Which Of These 10 Running Backs 25 Or Younger Is Best In NFL? 19. Even with an injury-shortened season, McCaffrey has recorded 3,145 rushing yards, 29 rushing touchdowns, 2,672 receiving yards, and 16 receiving touchdowns in just four years. Its not far-fetched to think the best two receiving backs in the league reside in the NFC South. Im anticipating a negative game script with the running game, considering theyll be down in plenty of 4th quarters. Still, this is McCaffrey's show. Something went wrong. Since 2019, he's posted a 24-6 regular-season record as a starter and helped the Ravens to three straight postseasons, including his first playoff victory last January. Nick Chubb is arguably the NFLs most elusive ball carrier. He might not lead the division in rushing because of the addition of Hyde, but he enters the season as the best of the West. The 2 rookies to keep am eye on are Javian Hawkins-Atlanta and Chuba Hubbard-Carolina. Alvin Kamara and Christian McCaffrey have been stars . Elliott spoke back in July about how not fumbling is his No. Michael Smith. But if hes healthy, hes a rare breed of balance, strength, and elusiveness. As a team, the Giants scored 17 points or fewer in half of their games. Wayne Gallman, a 27-year-old running back, was waived by the NFC South franchise on Saturday afternoon, according to reports. 1 focus entering this season. Continuing my NFC South position group rankings, I've dug into each team's current crop of running backs to determine how they stack up. Akers almost enters the NFL in these rankings above Coleman but not quite. For him to step up like that at just 23 years old is a testament . Alvin Kamara is a ridiculously talented RB more than deserving of his place on the list of top running backs. When those RB injuries hit during the season (they always do), league-mates will be knocking down your door to get what you already have!!! Kamara had his stats hindered when Taysom Hill was QB, as he would vulture TDs and take carries away from Alvin. We are looking at overall depth right not starters? New Orleans has had just three seasons with a 1,000-Yd back during Payton's 14-Yr tenure with the team, yet are still perennially in the top half of the league in rushing. Top 15 Dynasty Running Back Rankings 2022: Jonathan Taylor, Javonte With just 3 fumbles to his credit, hes also a sure-handed first-down machine for Las Vegas. With amazing contact balance and tremendous lower body strength, no defender is safe from Barkeys highlight reel. Theres even more to do about whether or not running backs matter entering the year. Saints Head Coach Sean Payton prefers to use multiple running backs in his offensive system. New Orleans Saints defensive end Trey Hendrickson (91) and defensive end Carl Granderson (96) defends on the play at Bank of America Stadium. Drake has yet to put together a great full season, but will get his chance as the Cardinals' No. I dont care what the scoring of your league entails. The 2019 third-round pick was an intriguing player entering the NFL and ideally would have been more impactful, especially when Todd Gurleys knee became an issue. McCaffrey only played three games last season, and his loss was felt more acutely in the pass game than the run game. Derrick Henry is the undisputed workout king as well as the leagues top stiff-arm threat entering 2021. Ronald Jones, the Buccaneers' second-round draft pick in 2018, had a disappointing rookie season and gained just 44 yards and scored one touchdown on 23 carries. bucs bulldozer with underrated open field agility. He has impressed both coaching staffs he has played for immensely. CMC is absolutely this years RB1. Says he's the toughest matchup he had in college. Hes recorded 16 total touchdowns on receptions in four seasons and has proven to be an incredibly difficult task to bring down in space. Has shown flashes in a limited role, but you get the feeling the Falcons are going to watch Turner's carries closely this year and that could mean more for Norwood. Still, hes certainly proven to be as valuable as any running back in any backfield across the league. Earlier in this article, I mentioned that theres not another player that will command the percentage of his offense that CMC does. Murray is capable of carrying the load for a game or two, and has even made strides at receiver during his time in New Orleans. Fantasy Fallout: With Gavin Lux Out, Could A Sleeper Emerge? His production will depend on his usage this coming season. For a reminder of what I look for in each category, click here. Who has the best running backs in the NFC East? South Florida: Johnson, David: New Orleans Saints: Northern Iowa . #WASvsDAL pic.twitter.com/i0xSK7ZDMN. I tend to avoid taking either of them, but you cant deny there will be weeks that one of them will win you matchups. The former second-overall pick missed three games during 2019, followed up by missing 14 games after tearing his ACL in Week 2 of this past season. Which 10 players make up Nos. Alright, let's get into who is set to sport a new number! While Gurley looks to recapture the form that made him the NFL's most productive RB just a few seasons ago and Jones looks to establish himself, it appears that 2020 will once again be a battle between Alvin Kamara and Christian McCaffrey for running back supremacy in the NFC South. Here is my top 10: 1. Ive never been a fumbler. Young has the talent to rise to the top of this list one day, but he slots in at No. He hauled in 33 receptions out of the backfield and scored 5 more touchdowns on the ground than his rookie season. FILE - Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Leonard Fournette sprints to the end zone to score on a 27-yard touchdown run during the second half of the NFL Super Bowl 55 football game against. Washington pairs Gibson with JD McKissic, one of the better backup running backs in the league. The sixth-year running back has already recorded 5,860 rushing yards and 55 touchdowns, having produced at least 1,500 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns in each of the last two seasons. An elusive rusher, Hunt is perhaps even better through the air and after the catch. Pairing him with a rejuvenated Elliott is going to give the Cowboys not only the best running back group in the NFC East this season, but potentially one of the best groups in all of football. Though his days as an elite runner may be behind him, Zekes durability and well-rounded ability were on display in 2020. Lets take a look at CMCs stats for his last healthy season: ~1400 yards rushing, 15TDs, 1000+ yards receiving 4TDs. The 24-year-old running back is having one of the most dominant seasons in NFL history, leading the league in rushing yards (988), rushing TDs (13) and rushing yards per game (98.8). He threatens opposing defenses not only out of the backfield but also when lining up both from the slot and outside as a receiver. Atlanta Falcons. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. site: media | arena: nfl | pageType: stories | Devin Singletary, Buffalo Bills NFC South Bucs Falcons Panthers Saints NFC West Cardinals 49ers Rams Seahawks Colleges ACC Clemson UNC Big Ten Iowa Michigan Michigan St. Nebraska Ohio St. Penn St. Rutgers Wisconsin Big 12. Though he narrowly missed 1,000 yards last year, he chipped in with 50+ receptions out of the backfield for the third straight season. Those people should review Fournettes passing stats with the Jags. Darius Clark Ezekiel Elliott is coming off the worst season of his career, but the sixth-year pro seems well on his way to a huge bounce-back season. Instead well turn to running backs, where two teams in the division have a star ball carrier, while the other two rely on a committee approach to steer their run game. Everyone will remember his 29-carry, 220-yard performance in the playoffs, but he will still be a member of the running back committee in Kyle Shanahans offense. New Orleans Saints. Latavius Murray 2:23 pm ET, Jerry Jones believes Cowboys can keep Zeke and Pollard, NFL combine measurements for DBs: Full list of results, Jerry Jones believes Prescott can progress like Brady, NFL combine 2023 results tracker: Top performances, NFL combine 2023: Winners and losers from DB workouts, Report: Pollard to get franchise tag if deal isn't done, Tracking NFL players who switched jersey numbers, NFL combine: Winners and losers from DB workouts, Mock Draft: Panthers, Colts trade up for QBs, Rodgers' trade value, logistics, best fit, Top QB in draft: I definitely don't want to play for 1 team, Jerry Jones: Dak can get better with age like Brady, Report: Daniel Jones actually wants more than $45M per, Ex-Patriots star McGinest facing 8 years in prison, Jerry Jones: Cowboys can find way to keep both RBs. Hell consistently break through arm tackles the same as hell run around defenders with impressive elusiveness.