Best running backs

Take a look at how they stack up. Chicago Cardinals, ; L.

There's plenty of talent in this group, including some breakout stars from last season and some players looking to shine even brighter in different roles or a new school. And we have a pair of teammates that make up a formidable duo in what should be a powerhouse backfield. We polled our resident college football experts, asking them to rank their top 10 running backs entering the season. Points were assigned based on their votes: 10 points for first place, nine for second place and down to one point for 10th place. Also: Ranking the top 10 QBs. Gordon, a 6-foot-1, pound junior, exploded on the scene last season -- a true breakout story.

Best running backs

The running back position has changed a great deal over the past few decades. There were NFL teams that built their identities around one workhorse back running into the middle of an offensive line over and over. There were many that deployed fullbacks as essential cogs of their offense. A steady four-yard average per play was rarely a bad thing; the goal was moving the chains. The modern NFL values versatility and explosion to a very different degree. Running backs are now evaluated for their receiving ability to nearly the same degree as their running skills. We also know or think we know that blocking has a great deal more to do with an effective running game than the back himself does — which has led to teams allocating more resources elsewhere on the offense. Eight guards and 24 offensive tackles have reached or exceeded that salary. Regardless, running backs remain important — and the position is actually quite deep. With that in mind, our writers listed their best 10 based on their confidence in each RB were he to take the field for a game next week.

Big West.

Before we go, though, I am once again tackling the mountainous task of ranking every running back who started a game in the '23 season. Here is my pecking order, 1 to McCaffrey was the best running back in the league from start to finish, beginning the campaign with a season-high rush yards and a touchdown in a Week 1 romp and ending it as the only non-quarterback on the MVP finalist list. McCaffrey led the league in rushing yards, touches, scrimmage yards and scrimmage touchdowns. He made it easy to rank him No. The Rams shipped Cam Akers to Minnesota early in the season, putting all their eggs in Williams' basket.

Man, what a rough week for NFL backfields with a number of players who were performing at a career-best pace suffering injuries. Atlanta's Cordarrelle Patterson and Denver's Javonte Williams are top of mind, with both being regulars in my running back rankings through the first quarter of the season. Patterson will spend at least the next four weeks on injured reserve after injuring his knee prior to Sunday's win over Cleveland. Patterson did play in the game, finishing with 38 yards and a TD on nine carries, but his injury opens the door for young running backs Tyler Allgeier and Caleb Huntley. Williams emerged as the team's RB1 in after splitting carries with Melvin Gordon in his rookie season. Injuries are easily my least favorite part of football season, and you'll notice that my RB rankings at the quarter mark have endured quite the shuffle from last week due to these injuries. If there is a silver lining here, it's that we get to spotlight others who've stepped up in recent weeks. Let's take a look. His rankings are based on this season's efforts alone.

Best running backs

His rankings are primarily based on this season's efforts. Here is MJD's list in Week Christian McCaffrey is in a league of his own when it comes to running backs in It set a tone right out of the gate, and he continued to chop up the Seahawks defense throughout the contest, finishing with yards on 16 carries. That ties him for the most in a single season in Dolphins franchise history, matching Mark Clayton With 96 rush yards in the game, Mostert surpassed his previous season-high rushing yards mark in , and there are still four games left in

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Adam Alexander. He did not break 1, yards in either year, and he only broke 20 carries in a game once, so there are some concerns about how well he will do as a lead back. Bob Pockrass. Alex Curry. The semifinalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of will be announced later this month. Uru PD. David Montgomery. Rivers played sparingly for the Rams, with his best outing coming in Week 18, when Los Angeles rested its starters. Newcastle's Neto dilemma, Kelleher could complete sensational move to Premier League rival. Benson has some talent as a pass catcher and enough protection ability to warrant a role as a complementary three-down option. What's next for them? J1 League.

We all love best-of lists, but what if people around the NFL created their own?

The second-year pro exceeded expectations by racking up plus scrimmage yards in nine of 12 games played, which helped him finish the season as the league leader in rush yards per game Greek Cup. He can balance through contact but is unlikely to move NFL piles. Cincinnati Bengals. One year after claiming the league rushing title, Jacobs crashed back to Earth and looked like the player he was in Terry Bradshaw. He does have incredible speed and elusiveness, though, so the upside is enough to intrigue some offenses. Gus Johnson. Jaylen Warren. The Raiders need to figure out how to make Jacobs happy financially if they want to compete for a playoff spot in the NFC West. While he ran with improved patience and set up blockers more diligently in '23, he ran with a greater sense of urgency the year prior and proved he could create explosive plays without as much help from his offensive line. Jones was in and out of the lineup due to injury this season.