Ranking the Top 15 Running Backs in the NFL

The NFL has so many talented running backs this season that it’s very tough to rank, but here we go anyway...

1. Christain McCaffrey, Carolina Panthers
2. Dalvin Cook, Minnesota Vikings
3. Josh Jacobs, Oakland Raiders
4. Nick Chubb, Cleveland Browns
5. Derrick Henry, Tennessee Titans
6. Saquon Barkley, New York Giants
7. Ezekiel Elliot, Dallas Cowboys
8. Matt Breida, San Francisco 49ers
9. Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints
10. Leonard Fournette, Jacksonville Jaguars
11. Chris Carson, Seattle Seahawks
12. Aaron Jones, Green Bay Packers
13. Marlon Mack, Indianapolis Colts
14. Todd Gurley, Los Angeles Rams
15. Le’Veon Bell, New York Jets

JUST MISSED THE CUT:

Mark Ingram, Baltimore Ravens

Phillip Lindsay, Denver Broncos

Joe Mixon, Cincinnati Bengals

Adrian Peterson, Washington Redskins

Devin Singletary, Buffalo Bills

REASONING:

Christian McCaffrey is a blatant, obvious choice here at #1. His stats speak for themselves as he is three yards away from first in rushing on three less carries.

What makes McCaffrey so special is his ability as a dual threat. CMC has 586 receiving yards this season as a receiver. This is also with star QB Cam Newton being sidelined. His resume should speak for itself.

Dalvin Cook is currently top five in rushing yards, but that does not show it all. Dalvin Cook is an elusive beast. He is very hard to tackle and you can see how good he is if you watch a Minnesota game. He also has 455 receiving yards which gets him up to nearly 1,500 scrimmage yards and that’s with one less game on his resume compared to the other backs.

Josh Jacobs is a superstar. He only has 12 career games under his belt, but this guy is a natural stud. I would also say that he has been underutilized which has not shown his full potential. Josh Jacobs currently ranks fourth in the NFL in rushing and that is including a forgettable performance against the NFL’s best run defense in the Jets. He’s showed that he can be a huge threat in the passing game also with 8.1 yards per reception. He only has 18 receptions on the season though. This guy is amazing to watch and is only going to get better with time.

Nick Chubb and Derrick Henry are both great power backs with a burst of speed that is just not fair. They run with poise and are both among the top five in rushing yards. (Chubb, 1st Henry, 3rd)

Don’t look at Saquon Barkley’s stats. He is arguably the best running back in the NFL when healthy. His runs are reminiscent of Barry Sanders and that is a huge label. He was sidelined earlier this season and has one of the NFL’s worst teams around him. He broke records last season as a rookie. If the Giants can put a formidable squad around him, he will be one of the best for years to come.

Ezekiel Elliott has been Ezekiel Elliott. He has been somewhat underperforming for his standards, but he ranks sixth in rushing yards. It is also expected every year though because he has arguably the best offensive line in the NFL. He also has fading-away MVP candidate Dak Prescott under center. Zeke is low in these rankings because he has more carries then backs like Dalvin Cook and Josh Jacobs, but is behind them in yards. He has all the remedies for success around him and while he’s not bad, he has the skill set to be way better.

Kamara only has 125 carries this season and he is averaging about 5 yards per carry. When Kamara is at the top of his game, he is arguably a top 3 running back, but this season we have yet to see that version. I believe he can bounce back easily with the Saints rolling to win after win.

Le’Veon Bell hasn’t been great this year, but he missed a whole year of football and plays behind a Jets offensive line who stinks. For having to learn a new playbook and get adjusted to new players, I’d say he’s doing pretty well. He also has over 300 receiving yards which keeps him in the discussion for top 15.

The rest of the running backs are performing, but they aren’t doing much special. Gurley has been a huge disappointment, and that can be in part to his arthritis. Young back Devin Singletary is averaging almost six yards per carry, which is crazy. The NFL is stacked with young playmakers which should make for a fun rest of the season.