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. Say what?! A quality running back is a scarce fantasy asset. Cowboys rumors: No progress towards Leighton Vander Esch deal, Donovan Wilson deal unlikely. Drake has yet to put together a great full season, but will get his chance as the Cardinals' No. Chase Edmonds . 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. Its taken him a couple seasons, but hes our best pure runner. Antonio Gibson showed tons of promise in his rookie season, and JD McKissic is coming off a career year. Seven players 25 years old and younger make an appearance in the list, which is voted on by the players themselves, between Nos. To qualify, a player will have to be 25 or younger as of Sept. 9, when the 2021 season is scheduled to kick off. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. Sign up for the When you carry the ball, you kind of carry the whole hope of the whole team, organization and fan base. It would not be the same as drafting a RB with the fourth overall pick. Simply put, the NFC South is an absolute terror at the running back position, as any opposing defense can readily attest. The 27-year-old Fournette is a 6-foot and 228-Lb. Copyright 2019-2023. He has speed and power, just needs to keep working to find his role. 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. 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. Losing Mark Ingram in free agency will certainly be felt next season, but the Saints' decision to add Latavius Murray, who gained 578 yards and scored six touchdowns on 140 carries with the Vikings last season, will help mitigate that. Anderson. 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. We are looking at overall depth right not starters? Your email address will not be published. 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. Pollard is only going to get better as his role in the offense expands. Where do the two Arizona Cardinals lead backs in James Conner and Chase Edmonds . The NFC West has some talented running backs in the conference. Pierre Thomas, New Orleans. Since joining the Saints in 2017, Kamara has averaged over 5 yards per carry and has scored 31 touchdowns. 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! Let us know in the comments section what you think of our rankings. Dillon is waiting in the wings in the Green Bay running backs room. Grant Gordon takes a look at the players' list by the numbers. His second half of 2019 showed what he could be. Below we rank the running backs from the NFC West, starting with the best. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports. 20-11? . John Raine, Falcons RB Mike Davis Photo by: USA Today. And you nailed it, RoJo comes back every year improved. 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. 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. saints Which 10 players make up Nos. McKinnon returns for a third season with the 49ers but has yet to play a single snap in the regular season because of injuries. Behind Sanders, Philadelphia has third-year man Boston Scott and two unproven players in Jason Huntley and Kenneth Gainwell. Elliott has now hauled in multiple receiving touchdowns and at least 300 receiving yards in four of his five seasons. Odds & lines subject to change. 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. Davis impressed as McCaffreys backup last year, but now there is limited depth in Carolina. 27 years old. That wont change. 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. Nelson might miss the start of the 2021 regular season as he recovers from foot surgery, but that doesn't change the fact that he's a three-time first-team All-Pro. All Rights Reserved. Chubb has been an instrumental part of the Browns' new winning culture as a focal point in Kevin Stefanski's offense. This isnt old by any stretch, but its old enough to make me think that if you were truly a starting running back, youd have got your chance to start before this point. 8. falcons. 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. I dont entirely know what to make of Mike Davis. 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. Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Kansas City Chiefs 1 running back in 2020. The Panthers' overall rushing production dropped in 2019 because of the loss of QB Cam Newton and an offensive line that struggled. 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. Kamara gained 1,592 combined yards last season and scored 18 touchdowns. The Saints not only have a premier running back in Pro Bowler Alvin Kamara, they also have one of the deepest running back rooms in the league. It's not far-fetched to think the best two receiving backs in the league reside in the NFC South. Leonard Fournette, Tampa Bay Buccaneers Expect him to be an even bigger part of Tampa Bay's offense in 2022. Says he's the toughest matchup he had in college. Ronald Jones II Shouldnt both be equally important? Chris Carson, Seattle Seahawks Hes totaled 2,692 yards and a whopping 29 touchdowns over the past two seasons while also chipping in with 880 yards out of the backfield. Jan 5, 2020; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara (41) runs the ball for a touchdown against the Minnesota Vikings during the second quarter of a NFC Wild Card playoff football game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Michael Carter led film session with running backs as RB coach Taylor Embree and wife welcomed baby . Episode 9 of the "Top 100 Players of 2022" airs on Sunday, revealing the highest-ranked undrafted player in the players' list between Nos. 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. Disagree. I dont care what the scoring of your league entails. The 2 rookies to keep am eye on are Javian Hawkins-Atlanta and Chuba Hubbard-Carolina. Brian Leonard. Number one fumbling the ball, Elliott said when asked what his No. Ollison and Brooks-James have combined for 33 career carries, and Hawkins and Huntley are rookies. But Kamara is the prize of the group. 17. At 28 years old, Davis will be entering an NFL season as a teams feature back for the first time in his career. 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. Now what did they get wrong? With just 889 career touches, Ekeler does not carry the same risk of slowing down as other similarly-aged running backs. 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. Miles Sanders, Philadelphia Eagles 8 overall draft pick, assets required to get better fast. (via @NFL) pic.twitter.com/hIRCqWUuda. 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. Spencer Brown NFC West. Pro Football Network strives to passionately deliver purposeful, captivating, and exceptional football content. 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. Henry will not go down on first contact and routinely churns out first down after first down if hes not scoring touchdowns. Are we talking the entire unit as a whole and comparing the sum of their parts? Gus Edwards, Baltimore Ravens Chase Edmonds, Arizona Cardinals Steven Jackson . Please check your email for a confirmation. 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 he still can hurt you out of the backfield, at times, as much as any running back in the league. New Orleans Saints defensive end Trey Hendrickson (91) and defensive end Carl Granderson (96) defends on the play at Bank of America Stadium. 23. Jameis at the helm would provide significant upside in both categories. KeShawn Vaughn window.__mirage2 = {petok:"i3qTWjOb77Y_2FA32To_S3YkBupgZWPCJqJ_QqFFyr0-1800-0"}; Mike Davis was RB18 last year splitting carries with Todd Gurley. The competition with Fournette should produce a formidable tandem and best in our division. NFL Network's "Top 100 Players of 2022" -- voted on by the players themselves -- comes to a conclusion on Sunday night. But I think he's going to be the primary ball carrier in an offense that runs often. Tevin Coleman's departure was one of the few key losses in free agency for the Falcons. 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. (via @Giants) pic.twitter.com/yNFOW1WoZQ. His on-field play has been exceptional throughout his career, which is why he's in the No. He looked way more confident andRead more , I might give you the Saints as having a better deeper RB room but not the Panthers. 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. Ive never been a fumbler. Pro Football Network, LLC. 20 and 11. Sign up for our newsletter and get every update delivered to your inbox! Would love your thoughts, please comment. 25. Folks get hung up on statistics and focus more than they should on the pass catching aspect. 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. His 643 rushing yards in eight games put him on a pace for nearly 1,300 yards. Names like Javonte Williams in Denver, Rhamondre Stevenson in New England, or Jaret Patterson in Washington are likely to surface before too long. 24 Year Old Running Backs 2021 In Nfc South | StatMuse Ronald Jones was 24 years old in the NFC South in 2021. 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. 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. With big additions to the defensive front, including Jadeveon Clowney, don't be surprised if Garrett comes close to or breaks Michael Strahan's single-season sack record in 2021. 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. 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. Lets take a look at CMCs stats for his last healthy season: ~1400 yards rushing, 15TDs, 1000+ yards receiving 4TDs. The former fourth-round pick showed some really good signs last season, rushing for 435 yards and scoring four touchdowns. 1 running back in 2020. Dec 29, 2019; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey (22) runs after a reception in the third quarter. He also has quads you should google right at this moment. Players ranked 40-11 will be revealed Sunday over the course of three hours -- each one-hour episode unveiling a new set of 10 honorees -- beginning at 4 p.m. Im anticipating a negative game script with the running game, considering theyll be down in plenty of 4th quarters. This backfield is chaos and I hate it. Which team had the most players ranked? Roland Frederickson Koy Sayers Anderson Butler Osborn Tucker Willard Kurek Edwards Garrison Grabowski Granger Reeves Reed Harraway Farr Lindsey Baker Cunningham Hull Jones Ellison Shy Explore Who had the best record against the spread last season? It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. 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. 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. Further, Mike Evans, Antonio Brown, and Chris Godwin deserve their fair share of targets too. For the newest installment of Fantraxs fantasy running back depth charts series, were going to delve into the NFC South. He tallied 7.5 sacks, 12 QB hits, 10 tackles for loss and four forced fumbles for Washington's top-five unit last season. I expect RB26 and RB28 this year with a full year together. Pretty fair rankings. (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. Melvin Gordon, Denver Broncos, 22. Bernard is easily the most reliable back on the roster thanks to his sure hands and pass protection skills, which should be a huge boost to the Bucs in passing situations. Thats not to say Davis is a slouch, as the veteran filled in admirably for Christian McCaffrey last season in Carolina. Quarterback: 1-19 Running back: 1-49,. 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. Jones is set to be the bell cow in the Green Bay backfield for what seems like the first time in his career. Im higher on Rojo than most but much will depend on what version of Fournette the Bucs get. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. Sign up for our newsletter and get every update delivered to your inbox! 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. The drop in the team's rushing production led the Falcons to part ways with Devonta Freeman this offseason and bring in Gurley, whose own production has slipped because of various injuries, leaving a doubt to how much left he has in the tank. Give him 325 carries and he'll give you 1,500 yards. 10. Brown is a solid short-yardage back to have on the roster. The top running backs in the NFL are big names, those that you must watch on Sunday. 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. Ted Cottrell, Rudy Redmond and Lee Calland talk about their time as professional football players, activism and life after the game ends, The former Falcons linebacker founded the Crockett Foundation in 2002. He'll be back in 2022, and James Robinson (his only real competition for . By all accounts, Elliott has looked great during training camp. 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. Something went wrong. NFC South . 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. Who is the best? He barely played in three games a season ago and still scored 6 total touchdowns. Stevie Scott, Saints RB Alvin Kamara Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR. 3. Saints then Panthers, because of the depth. A lot has changed since the end of the 2020 season, when Watson led the league in passing yards (4,823). A lot of people like to make it sound as if the Saints didn't have a featured back last year. . This did not stop Barkley from totaling 1,441 yards from scrimmage, 1,003 rushing and 438 receiving, and eight touchdowns. Today we compare the running games of each team in the NFC South, with the opening of training camp right around the corner. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Stitcher Radio. 18. With multi-team trades, designated commissioner/league managers, and drag/drop easy click methods, Fantrax is sure to excite the serious fantasy sports fan sign up now for a free year at Fantrax.com. He rushed for 772 yards on a whopping 5.6 yards per attempt last season. But that's not going to last much longer. follow. 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. You could argue that if you individually compare Saquon Barkley and Ezekiel Elliott, Barkley is the better runner. Between the Panthers, Falcons, Saints, and the Bucs, the NFC South has a plethora (SAT word for y'all) of backfield candidates to use in your lineups. FantraxHQ - The Home of Fantasy Sports Analysis. Pollard made some explosive plays just like the one shown below. DeAngelo Williams, Carolina. Carolina Panthers. In 2019, he had his first 1,000-yard season with the Houston Texans but will be second-fiddle to Chris Carson in Seattle, although that should still afford him a decent number of carries in 2020. But, when you compare the teams running back groups altogether, theres no question the Cowboys have the best group in the division. The Panthers' crown jewel. His performance as the No. Set it, and forget it. Your fantasy football league wasnt hosted on Fantrax last season? . Damien Harris, New England Patriots 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!!! The NFC West has some talented running backs in the conference. The other nine are . Wayne Gallman, a 27-year-old running back, was waived by the NFC South franchise on Saturday afternoon, according to reports. If it were purely up to on-field performance, Dalvin Cook would certainly find himself a bit higher than No. Mandatory Credit: Derick Hingle-USA TODAY Sports. @JdMckissic for 6 #SEAvsWAS FOX pic.twitter.com/dVGuOjCtKR. All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. Get the comprehensive list of every Running Back for each NFL pro football team. The sky is the limit for Jones as the clear No. 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. Top 5 Running Backs in the NFC South. As long as Jackson is on the field, Baltimore will have a chance. Fournette had an attitude change after his chatRead more . Who was the top rookie? If Zeke wants to regain his All-Pro form, his number one priority must be protecting the football. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. 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. After rushing for more than 1,100 yards in 2018, he topped that with 1,230 in 2019. 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. Falcons ask Richardson who's faster, him or Kyle Pitts. . Hes recorded back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons and combined for 25 rushing touchdowns the past two seasons. 16. The crazy thing is, it feels as if Mahomes is just getting started.