While Mike Davis played well in McCaffrey's absence last season, no one can really replace CMC. Cowboys free agency 2023: Defensive lineman Arden Key provides versatility at a discount. Its a big offseason for the former third-round pick, and Vaughn should get plenty of opportunity to prove himself in the preseason. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. David Montgomery, Chicago Bears [CDATA[ In terms of the entire units right now, I take theRead more . He is great in short-yardage situations and can break away. New Orleans Saints collapse continues on Thanksgiving with fourth straight loss, Tom Brady gets Rob Gronkowski back, Buccaneers back in win column, Saints' Sean Payton defends 'super aggressive' approach after fans boo clock management, Why Saints quarterback Jameis Winston isn't motivated by revenge vs. Damien Harris, New England Patriots The latter question aside, there are plenty of valuable assets in the backfield of every NFL team. 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. Michael Turner, Atlanta. Trenton Cannon If it were purely up to on-field performance, Dalvin Cook would certainly find himself a bit higher than No. Follow Ledyard on Twitter at @LedyardNFLDraft. Caleb Huntley Like, in terms of entire unit, I cant in good faith grade the Panthers #1. 20 and 11. The former second-round pick rushed for 867 yards, averaging 5.3 yards per carry, and scored six touchdowns on the ground. Wayne Gallman, a 27-year-old running back, was waived by the NFC South franchise on Saturday afternoon, according to reports. Keith Smith His power is perfect complement to Williams' speed. Though he took a step backward in terms of average yards per carry in Year 2, Jacobs added more dynamics to his game in 2020. The Panthers crown jewel. 2023 PewterReport.com All Rights Reserved. . Drake has yet to put together a great full season, but will get his chance as the Cardinals' No. @EzekielElliott's ready to go in 2021. : @ProFootballHOF Game on FOX pic.twitter.com/5UU3CkoIro. It seems like Tony Pollard will be with the Cowboys at least through 2023. A: . They have CMC and then a bunch of question marks. Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts After becoming just the fourth player in league history to surpass 1,000 yards rushing and receiving in the same year, McCaffrey signed a 4-Yr $64 million dollar contract extension this offseason that makes him the highest-paid back in the NFL. He has been more productive than Darrell Henderson. You'll now receive the top Cards Wire stories each day directly in your inbox. Alex Armah Then there are RB-friendly systems that will likely see Trey Sermon, Michael Carter, and Kylin Hill as names to know. 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. NFL Network's "Top 100 Players of 2021" continues Sunday, Aug. 22. An incredibly important aspect of Minnesotas offensive game plan, as Cook goes, so will the Vikings in 2021. Jacobs is a skilled runner in space, losing very little speed through his breaks. (via @NFL) pic.twitter.com/hIRCqWUuda. Pollard is only going to get better as his role in the offense expands. Further, the Falcons are going to be bad this year. Jeremy Bergman provides five items that he believes should have been handled differently by the "Top 100 Players of 2022" voters. 1 running back in 2020. The second-year man, out of . Elliott has now hauled in multiple receiving touchdowns and at least 300 receiving yards in four of his five seasons. The guy was a totally different player. RB1. He's still going to get plenty of carries in a ball-control offense and could even get some time at fullback. He may never reach the level of success he saw in his rookie season, but Elliott proves that his place on the roster matters. A quality running back is a scarce fantasy asset. With that in mind, NFL Network analyst Maurice Jones-Drew provides his own ranking of the league's top 10 players 25 and younger heading into the 2021 regular season. 26. The Falcons general manager said the organization would not close any doors when working to fill out the quarterback position. Peyton Barber will return after leading the team with 234 carries for 871 yards and five touchdowns. 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. A lot has changed since the end of the 2020 season, when Watson led the league in passing yards (4,823). For a reminder of what I look for in each category, click here. Top 32 running backs for the 2021 NFL season | 1-10, Top 32 running backs for the 2021 NFL season | 11-32. 40 and 31. 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. 19. 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. Atlanta has been held to less than 100 yards rushing in 22 of their last 32 games, including 12 games last season. Which team had the most players ranked? Perhaps Im being too bearish on Davis outlook, but RB34 for his situation this year doesnt seem out of the question. With that in mind, NFL Network analyst Maurice Jones-Drew provides his own ranking of the league's top 10 players 25 and younger heading into the 2021 regular season. 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. Hes 28 years old, and getting his first real shot at being a starting running back for the entire season. He was a mere 4 yards away from 1,000 yards in his rookie season, but more impressively, has averaged 5.2 yards per carry for his entire career. Thats not to say Davis is a slouch, as the veteran filled in admirably for Christian McCaffrey last season in Carolina. 10-1? Dominating the game's top defensive backs with ease week in and week out, Metcalf is becoming the gold standard at the receiver position. Alvin Kamara and Christian McCaffrey have been stars . You can almost guarantee a youngster will step up this season that isnt on our preseason list of top running backs. The NFL voted this offseason to relax its restrictions on what number positional players can wear and folks are wasting no time calling dibs on a new look heading into 2021. Carolina Panthers Christian McCaffrey Chuba Hubbard Trenton Cannon Reggie Bonnafon Spencer Brown Rodney Smith Mikey Daniel Darius Clark Mason Stokke This is it. The former fourth-round pick showed some really good signs last season, rushing for 435 yards and scoring four touchdowns. Akers will likely become the Rams top running back as a rookie. He hauled in 33 receptions out of the backfield and scored 5 more touchdowns on the ground than his rookie season. The sky is the limit for Jones as the clear No. McCaffrey has averaged 135.2 scrimmage yards per game since 2018 (most in the NFL over that span), and I don't see that figure dropping when he takes the field in September. When hes on the field, theres no disputing that Saquon Barkley is one of the best five running backs in football. Antonio Gibson, Washington Football Team 40-31? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Among the 12 backs who made our top 10 list, based on ties, Michael Turner (29), Steven Jackson (27) and Frank Gore (27) rank as the old men. newsletter, Cowboys scouting report 2023: TCU iOL Steve Avila. 2023 NFL Enterprises LLC. Dillon is waiting in the wings in the Green Bay running backs room. Ronald Jones II Fournette had an attitude change after his chatRead more . Ive already ranked the top 100 fantasy running backs in the NFL, but why not break this down by division? The NFC West has some talented running backs in the conference. Saints Head Coach Sean Payton prefers to use multiple running backs in his offensive system. Your fantasy football league wasnt hosted on Fantrax last season? And you nailed it, RoJo comes back every year improved. Ty Montgomery He is good but he might not be the same guy in another offense. 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. The age listed under each player's name is the age he will be on Sept. 9. But he still can hurt you out of the backfield, at times, as much as any running back in the league. 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. 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. Say what?! At just 24 years old, Barkley is just getting started. window.__mirage2 = {petok:"i3qTWjOb77Y_2FA32To_S3YkBupgZWPCJqJ_QqFFyr0-1800-0"}; Jon Ledyard is PewterReport.com's newest Bucs beat writer and has experience covering the Pittsburgh Steelers as a beat writer and analyzing the NFL Draft for several draft websites, including The Draft Network. 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. FantraxHQ - The Home of Fantasy Sports Analysis. 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. Whether in the backfield or lining up in the slot. The highest non-starter on this list, Kareem Hunt packs half of the punch for the leagues top RB duo in Cleveland. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. 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. Edmonds will be the unquestioned No. Armah comes over from Carolina to be the next Payton fullback and add to New Orleans outstanding special teams. Tampa Bay Buccaneers. So, who are the best wide receivers in football entering the 2022 season? I stand by that, but after the CMC gap, Alvin Kamara is in the next tier. For the newest installment of Fantraxs fantasy running back depth charts series, were going to delve into the NFC South. He's a fullback, but he belongs on this list. Mikey Daniel Mandatory Credit: Derick Hingle-USA TODAY Sports. 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. 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! Falcons GM takes AtlantaFalcons.com behind the scenes of one of the most important moments for draft prospects at the combine: The formal interview. His greatest attribute might be his ability to make defenders miss. Would love your thoughts, please comment. I dont entirely know what to make of Mike Davis. Of course, with Alvin Kamara still around it doesn't much matter who the No. In 2020, it looks a little different as Todd Gurley and David Johnson are no longer in the division. Give him 325 carries and he'll give you 1,500 yards. 2 back in Arizona this season behind Kenyan Drake. John Raine, Falcons RB Mike Davis Photo by: USA Today. Though his days as an elite runner may be behind him, Zekes durability and well-rounded ability were on display in 2020. 30 and 21. Pierre Thomas, New Orleans. Carolina's offense is almost solely on the shoulders of McCaffrey, who may be the only back in the league more versatile than the Saints Kamara. 2 back is. Tony Jones 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. When you carry the ball, you kind of carry the whole hope of the whole team, organization and fan base. 27. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. Grant Gordon takes a look at the players' list by the numbers. After rushing for more than 1,100 yards in 2018, he topped that with 1,230 in 2019. Chris Carson, Seattle Seahawks 2004-2023 CBS Interactive. 4 spot on this list, but his career is currently in limbo. Shouldnt both be equally important? On this roster, theyre together, and neither has a defined role. Saints then Panthers, because of the depth. His on-field play has been exceptional throughout his career, which is why he's in the No. Ovie Mughelli, Atlanta. Those people should review Fournettes passing stats with the Jags. 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. But if hes healthy, hes a rare breed of balance, strength, and elusiveness. 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. With coaching staff in place, what's next for Carolina Panthers? Episode 8 of the "Top 100 Players of 2022" airs on Sunday, revealing notable NFL siblings in the players' list between Nos. Who is the best? 2021 NFL preseason Week 1: What we learned about each NFC team, 2021 NFL preseason Week 1: What we learned about each AFC team, NFL player cuts tracker: Team-by-team roster moves, NFL's 30 best players over 30 entering 2021 season. 21. Mostert became the 49ers No. Garrett is a big reason why the Cleveland Browns' defense has improved in each of the last two seasons, jumping from 30th in total defense in 2018 to 22nd in 2019 to 17th in 2020. 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. He threatens opposing defenses not only out of the backfield but also when lining up both from the slot and outside as a receiver. No one should be surprised to see Mahomes, who barely qualifies for this list with his 26th birthday falling just eight days after the NFL Kickoff Game, in this spot. Brian Leonard. This man is the alpha and the omega of fantasy running backs. The Bucs would love to get him a hat on game days, but right now it feels unlikely to happen on a weekly basis. He's coming off a season in which he had 12 sacks, 18 QB hits and four forced fumbles while notching seven turnovers caused by pressure (most in the NFL), according to Next Gen Stats. Seattle won 28-26. Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Kansas City Chiefs Mike Davis Fullback Keith Smith has 12 career rushing attempts, but will mostly just contribute as a blocker. But that's not going to last much longer. Until then, however, weve only seen enough from one rookie running back to crack the top 32 in the NFL entering the season. 1. 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. He looked way more confident andRead more , I might give you the Saints as having a better deeper RB room but not the Panthers. With that in mind, Maurice Jones-Drew provides his ranking of the top 10 QB-pass catcher duos heading into 2022. Joe Mixon, Cincinnati Bengals For his career, the bruising back out of Ohio State now has 6,384 rushing yards and another 1,957 receiving yards with 56 total touchdowns. 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. By all accounts, Elliott has looked great during training camp. 18. Which 10 players make up Nos. NFL Players By Position - Running Back. 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. Pretty fair rankings. bulldozer with underrated open field agility. I rank him above Carlos Hyde simply because he is trending up, while Hydes career is on the back end and he will be a backup to Chris Carson. We should expect him to build off his rookie production, given what we've already seen this preseason. 2. 1 thing thats my focus this year is protecting the ball.. He makes mincemeat of defensive backs in space while possessing plenty of straight-line speed to outrun just about anyone on the field. If folks watch the game, theyd see that RoJo has some real skills running the ball inside and out with power, cutting and balance. If Mostert has his way, he might not even begin the season in the division. NFC South . (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images), Sep 15, 2019; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Rashaad Penny (20) runs on a, Sep 15, 2019; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Rashaad Penny (20) runs on a thirty seven yard touchdown run against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the third quarter at Heinz Field. When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. Which 10 players make up Nos. You won't want to miss a moment of the 2022 season! Smith had 41 carries and nine catches last season, but didnt really stand out. Since joining the Saints in 2017, Kamara has averaged over 5 yards per carry and has scored 31 touchdowns. Im anticipating a negative game script with the running game, considering theyll be down in plenty of 4th quarters. At 28 years old, Davis will be entering an NFL season as a teams feature back for the first time in his career. Cameron Artis-Payne is back after carrying the ball 19 times for 69 yards and a touchdown last season, and the Panthers added draft pick Jordan Scarlett and former Georgia running back Elijah Holyfield to the position group this offseason. 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. The Cowboys get to pair Elliott with one of the better backup running backs in football in Tony Pollard. New Orleans can win games with a historically efficient passing attack, a much-improved defense, or a playmaking special teams squad. Instead its his pass-catching skills, where he consistently creates separation as a route runner, even from a receiver alignment. 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. 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. ET. 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. 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. 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. Darius Clark Hyde returns to the NFC West, having begun his NFL career with the San Francisco 49ers. His 643 rushing yards in eight games put him on a pace for nearly 1,300 yards. Matt Brown. New Orleans Saints defensive end Trey Hendrickson (91) and defensive end Carl Granderson (96) defends on the play at Bank of America Stadium. Kenyan Drake, Cardinals. Please check your email for a confirmation. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy. NFC South. Sign up for our newsletter and get every update delivered to your inbox! Its for this reason that my favorite strategy is to draft a running back with my first 4 picksregardless of league style (redraft, dynasty, etc.). He now will share carries with Carlos Hyde but should still be the Seahawks main runner and biggest producer. The other nine are . 31. Having a player like Chubb in the backfield makes life a lot easier for Baker Mayfield and the rest of the offense. 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. 28. Copyright 2019-2023. Co-Host of the Bayou Blitz Podcast. 30. With such a talented defense and a quarterback prone to turnovers, Washington likely will rely heavily on their running game this year to carry the load for their offense. Carolina claims the top spot in the division at running back, provided Christian McCaffrey stays healthy this season. That wont change. Buccaneers; . ESPN.com NFC North reporter, 2008-2013 . Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports. Drake has yet to put together a great full season, but will get his chance as the Cardinals No. 10 after earning Defensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2020. The competition with Fournette should produce a formidable tandem and best in our division. Dec 29, 2019; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey (22) runs after a reception in the third quarter. Fresh off signing a new contract, Allen will be well on his way to becoming one of the great quarterbacks of his era if he continues on this trajectory. Reggie Bonnafon Fantasy Fallout: With Gavin Lux Out, Could A Sleeper Emerge? Elliott spoke back in July about how not fumbling is his No. Please check your email for a confirmation. Theres much to do about the top running backs in the NFL entering the 2021 season. Akers almost enters the NFL in these rankings above Coleman but not quite. However, he only had one regular season game last year with more than 14 carries. Our resident cover man, Jason McCourty, ranks his top 10. Top 125 Starting Pitcher Rankings for 2023 Fantasy Baseball, Fantasy Baseball Dynasty League Strategy for 2023, NL Spring Training Battles with Fantasy Relevance, 10 Players Most Likely to See Their ADP Change Based on Spring Training Performance, FantraxHQ 2023 Fantasy Baseball Draft Kit, Top 300 Fantasy Baseball Dynasty Rankings, Compete for Cash Prizes in a Fantrax Classic Draft Contest, Get ready for the season with a mock draft on Fantrax.com, Create your own league or join an existing league with Fantrax Commissioner. Something went wrong. Not bad for a guy who has bounced around the league for six seasons. Were anxiously awaiting multiple returns to the field for some of the leagues top running backs, none more so than Christian McCaffrey. I expect RB26 and RB28 this year with a full year together. Montgomery has ideal traits for a Sean Payton offense, while Washington has flashed a few times in his career, and is a key special teamer. For him to step up like that at just 23 years old is a testament . Michael Smith. His second half of 2019 showed what he could be. He's 37-8 since becoming the Chiefs' starting quarterback in 2018 (most wins by a QB in the NFL over that span), and he ranks first in many passing metrics among QBs with a minimum of 100 pass attempts since '18. Which RB enters the season atop the list? 24 Year Old Running Backs 2021 In Nfc South | StatMuse Ronald Jones was 24 years old in the NFC South in 2021. I know everyone is waiting for wide receiver rankings, but well wait to see what happens with Julio Jones first. Henry will not go down on first contact and routinely churns out first down after first down if hes not scoring touchdowns. Nick Chubb is arguably the NFLs most elusive ball carrier. Tampa Bay may not have a star in their room, but theyve been the smartest team in the South for allocating less resources to the least valuable position on the field. Chuba Hubbard Saints won, 31-17. Now entering the final year of his contract, Kamara is expected to command somewhere between McCaffrey's deal and the 4-Yr $50M deal signed by RB Derrick Henry of the Tennessee Titans this week. They also add an underrated balance to their lethal offense with an effective running game that keeps defenses off balance.