You can almost guarantee a youngster will step up this season that isnt on our preseason list of top running backs. 15. Of course, with Alvin Kamara still around it doesn't much matter who the No. Theres even more to do about whether or not running backs matter entering the year. . His production has resulted in two Super Bowl appearances (one win), a league MVP award in 2018 and a contract extension worth nearly half a billion dollars. Between his durability and the Cardinals running scheme that gives him open spaces to run, he might end up leading the NFC West in rushing. 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. 6. Touchdown Antonio Gibson! With coaching staff in place, what's next for Carolina Panthers? 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. Its taken him a couple seasons, but hes our best pure runner. 1 back against the Giants showed he can be good. Names like Javonte Williams in Denver, Rhamondre Stevenson in New England, or Jaret Patterson in Washington are likely to surface before too long. Would love your thoughts, please comment. Mandatory Credit: Derick Hingle-USA TODAY Sports. Jonathan Stewart, Carolina. He tallied 7.5 sacks, 12 QB hits, 10 tackles for loss and four forced fumbles for Washington's top-five unit last season. The other nine are 25 or younger. In his first two seasons, he's recorded 2,518 receiving yards and 20 receiving touchdowns (including the playoffs), evidence that he deserves to be considered among the game's elite, thanks to a combination of his size (6-foot-4, 229 pounds), near-Olympic-caliber speed and confidence. Gambling problem? Hes 28 years old, and getting his first real shot at being a starting running back for the entire season. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports. Im higher on Rojo than most but much will depend on what version of Fournette the Bucs get. However, in 13 games he only managed to get 39 carries. 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. So far, there are has been a wide array of veterans (and rookies) electing to take advantage of this new rule. July 23, 2021 4:45 pm MT. Despite having a solid season on the ground, Sanders receiving totals did drop drastically. newsletter, Cowboys scouting report 2023: TCU iOL Steve Avila. The Saints possess a luxury none of their other division rivals to have in the way of a powerful offensive line that takes over games. The fifth-year back is a very good, not elite pure runner, but an outstanding pass-catcher. Pretty fair rankings. Like, in terms of entire unit, I cant in good faith grade the Panthers #1. If he falls to you, feel free to take him. He threatens opposing defenses not only out of the backfield but also when lining up both from the slot and outside as a receiver. Can he be a regular special teamer? Now what did they get wrong? 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. Hes coming off one of the worst injuries in sports, so well just have to wait if the star running back will be able to stay on the field in 2021. 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. He had a brief fumbling problem but is consistent. 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. The NFC West has some talented running backs in the conference. It is important to note that Los Angeles Rams running back Cam Akers will not be on the list, as he tore his Achilles and will not play this coming season. His importance to the Panthers' offense can't be overstated. Its not far-fetched to think the best two receiving backs in the league reside in the NFC South. They also add an underrated balance to their lethal offense with an effective running game that keeps defenses off balance. Cowboys free agency 2023: Defensive lineman Arden Key provides versatility at a discount. Cowboys rumors: No progress towards Leighton Vander Esch deal, Donovan Wilson deal unlikely. NFC West. Still, this is McCaffrey's show. All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. Hunt was terrific in Kansas City for his first two seasons, totaling well over 2,100 yards on the ground and 16 touchdowns. Alvin Kamara and Christian McCaffrey have been stars . Sign up for the Cards Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. Pollard made some explosive plays just like the one shown below. 27. Who has the best running backs in the NFC East? Since entering the league in 2018, Chubb has forced 168 missed tackles, second-most in the NFL behind only Derrick Henry, according to Pro Football Focus. Follow Ledyard on Twitter at @LedyardNFLDraft. Before we get into the full list of which players are making the change, let's take a quick look at what numbers are now available to specific positions. Tony Jones bucs Derrick Ward, Tampa Bay. PewterReport.com prides itself on being the most complete, comprehensive news source covering the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and delivering inside scoop on the team found nowhere else. An elusive rusher, Hunt is perhaps even better through the air and after the catch. section: | slug: nfl-jersey-numbers-heres-a-running-list-of-players-who-have-decided-to-make-a-switch-beginning-in-2021 | sport: football | route: article_single.us | Steven Jackson . Atlanta has been held to less than 100 yards rushing in 22 of their last 32 games, including 12 games last 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. C.J. Atlanta Falcons. The New Orleans Saints have won the last three NFC South titles because they have one of the most talented rosters in the league. The 27-year-old Fournette is a 6-foot and 228-Lb. Let us know in the comments section what you think of our rankings. 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. Michael Carter led film session with running backs as RB coach Taylor Embree and wife welcomed baby . Alvin Kamara and Christian McCaffrey have been stars since entering the league in 2017, and Devonta Freeman should be healthy after missing much of the 2018 season. The Panthers' crown jewel. 27. Gonzalez recalls matchup with Drake London during his days with Colorado. follow. His production will depend on his usage this coming season. But it remains to be seen, after he's missed time each of the last two seasons, if Freeman can stay on the field. This did not stop Barkley from totaling 1,441 yards from scrimmage, 1,003 rushing and 438 receiving, and eight touchdowns. Shouldnt both be equally important? So, who are the best wide receivers in football entering the 2022 season? Brown is a solid short-yardage back to have on the roster. How do we rank the running backs in the division entering 2020? ALVIN KAMARA, SAINTS. With just 889 career touches, Ekeler does not carry the same risk of slowing down as other similarly-aged running backs. The highest non-starter on this list, Kareem Hunt packs half of the punch for the leagues top RB duo in Cleveland. Mostert became the 49ers No. window.__mirage2 = {petok:"i3qTWjOb77Y_2FA32To_S3YkBupgZWPCJqJ_QqFFyr0-1800-0"}; 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. Give him 325 carries and he'll give you 1,500 yards. 21. He also has quads you should google right at this moment. Brad Hoover, Carolina. Also, I watched a good amount of Hawkins at Louisville and I think hes a very capable back that could eat into Davis carries. Tampa Bay hopes to provide newly signed and six-time Super Bowl champion QB Tom Brady with better support, and Brady has needed a productive rushing attack and stout offensive line as his play has dropped off in recent seasons. 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. 6-keys: media/spln/nfl/reg/free/stories, at 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. Hes recorded back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons and combined for 25 rushing touchdowns the past two seasons. Sign up for our newsletter and get every update delivered to your inbox! It would not be the same as drafting a RB with the fourth overall pick. The 27-year-old Fournette is a 6-foot and 228-Lb. Whether in the backfield or lining up in the slot. Allen made huge jumps in his on-field production, confidence and command of the offense last season. Joe Mixon, Cincinnati Bengals Fullback Keith Smith has 12 career rushing attempts, but will mostly just contribute as a blocker. After rushing for more than 1,100 yards in 2018, he topped that with 1,230 in 2019. But Im thinking 4th or 5th round at best. Bucs' Brady Was Already Thinking 2021 Hours After Super Bowl LV. Which 10 players make up Nos. 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. #WASvsDAL pic.twitter.com/i0xSK7ZDMN. Tampa Bays top four running backs are as locked in as any teams, but finding a real role for Vaughn when the season begins remains a mystery. In advance of the finale, Adam Schein provides his own personal top-10 list. Grant Gordon takes a look at the players' list by the numbers. He now will share carries with Carlos Hyde but should still be the Seahawks main runner and biggest producer. With just 3 fumbles to his credit, hes also a sure-handed first-down machine for Las Vegas. Earnest Graham, Tampa Bay. 19. FantraxHQ - The Home of Fantasy Sports Analysis. 2 back in Arizona this season behind Kenyan Drake. Barkley is essentially a full season removed from participating in live contact. 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. Last year, Kamara rushed for under 1000 yards with under 800 yards receiving. He had just under 700 yards rushing and just under 400 yards receiving. 20 and 11. For the newest installment of Fantraxs fantasy running back depth charts series, were going to delve into the NFC South. Chubb is no stranger to big plays and has scored 30 total touchdowns in just three seasons. His work may be diminishing in the passing game with Kareem Hunts emergence, but that may play to his real strength of punishing first and second-level defenders on the ground. Chase Edmonds . Hes recorded 43 scores on the ground and another 15 through the air, proving to be a touchdown machine in the Saints offense. Michael Chow/The Arizona Republic via USA TODAY NETWORK, Sign up for the Cards Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. The other nine are . Theyll hope Trenton Cannon, Rodney Smith, Reggie Bonnafon and Chuba Hubbard are able to step up. David Montgomery, Chicago Bears They were held below 100 yards rushing in just four games last season, losing 2, and compliment their 1-2 running back punch with the versatility and unpredictability of backup quarterback Taysom Hill. The third-round pick had a very productive rookie year in 2020, rushing for 795 yards and scoring an extremely . That wont change. Instead its his pass-catching skills, where he consistently creates separation as a route runner, even from a receiver alignment. A surprisingly large player for his size at 59, 208, Jones lowers the boom just the same as hell skirt by second-level defenders with speed. Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports. Ill be honest. Prosise Number one fumbling the ball, Elliott said when asked what his No. Unthinkable! It seems like Tony Pollard will be with the Cowboys at least through 2023. The addition of Cam Akers shows the Rams arent sure they can count on Henderson as more than a committee running back. If it were purely up to on-field performance, Dalvin Cook would certainly find himself a bit higher than No. 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. With the start of the 2021 NFL regular season less than a month away, we take a stab at ranking the NFC East position groups. 40 and 31. You'll now receive the top Cards Wire stories each day directly in your inbox. 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. Which 10 players make up Nos. Agree. 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! Najee Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers, XFL Fantasy Football Rankings Week 2: Josh Gordon, Jeff Badet, Max Borghi, and More, Final Fantasy PPR Rankings for the NFL Playoffs: Tony Pollard, Ezekiel Elliott, James Cook, and More, NFL All-Time RB Records: Season and Career Leaders, College football Week 6 live reactions, results, and takeaways. Drake has yet to put together a great full season, but will get his chance as the Cardinals No. He hauled in 33 receptions out of the backfield and scored 5 more touchdowns on the ground than his rookie season. Hes absolutely a first-round draft pick and provided youre not picking one overall, I think you can take him at any pick and nobody will shame you for it. The 2019 NFL MVP is a nightmare for defenses as a phenomenal rusher and improving passer, and we should see him make a leap in the passing game with more weapons around him in 2021. David Carr enlists the help of his brother, Raiders QB Derek Carr, to provide their ranking of the five best active NFL brother duos heading into the 2022 season. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account. I never like these RB unit rankings because are we weighting the guys in the unit differently? Which 10 players make up Nos. Arizona Cardinals Top RBs under contract for 2022: Eno Benjamin Key free agents: James Conner (UFA), Chase Edmonds (UFA), Jonathan Ward (ERFA) Conner was a revelation in the desert, racking up 18. 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. 17. At just 24 years old, Barkley is just getting started. 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. With an added dynamic out of the backfield, the trend of top backs being well-rounded continues. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. 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. 4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In terms of the entire units right now, I take theRead more . He may never reach the level of success he saw in his rookie season, but Elliott proves that his place on the roster matters. In 2020, it looks a little different as Todd Gurley and David Johnson are no longer in the division. A year without Drew Brees will ultimately be the telling chapter of Kamaras career. A lot has changed since the end of the 2020 season, when Watson led the league in passing yards (4,823). Chubb has been an instrumental part of the Browns' new winning culture as a focal point in Kevin Stefanski's offense. An asset in both the run and pass games, Chubb racked up 1,217 scrimmage yards and 12 touchdowns last season. Ive never been a fumbler. 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. He barely played in three games a season ago and still scored 6 total touchdowns. Devin Singletary, Buffalo Bills 25. Today we compare the running games of each team in the NFC South, with the opening of training camp right around the corner. 11. New Orleans can win games with a . If you cough it up and give it to the other team, youre letting everyone down so I mean thats the No. 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. As long as Jackson is on the field, Baltimore will have a chance. Elliott has now hauled in multiple receiving touchdowns and at least 300 receiving yards in four of his five seasons. Javian Hawkins Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports. His 643 rushing yards in eight games put him on a pace for nearly 1,300 yards. New Orleans Saints defensive end Trey Hendrickson (91) and defensive end Carl Granderson (96) defends on the play at Bank of America Stadium. However, he has yet to play a full 16 games for the Vikings and has missed 23 career games in his first four seasons with a variety of injuries. The latter question aside, there are plenty of valuable assets in the backfield of every NFL team. Dec 29, 2019; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey (22) runs after a reception in the third quarter. He has impressed both coaching staffs he has played for immensely. Nov 22, 2018; New Orleans, LA, USA; Atlanta Falcons running back Ito Smith (25) is tackled by New Orleans Saints strong safety Kurt Coleman (29) in the second half at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Though his days as an elite runner may be behind him, Zekes durability and well-rounded ability were on display in 2020. Hoover's not quite as dominant a blocker as Mughelli, but he's been very solid and dependable for a long time. For a reminder of what I look for in each category, click here. Then there are RB-friendly systems that will likely see Trey Sermon, Michael Carter, and Kylin Hill as names to know.