With that in mind, Michael Robinson provides his ranking of the top 10 active undrafted players heading into the 2022 season. NFL and the NFL shield design are registered trademarks of the National Football League.The team names, logos and uniform designs are registered trademarks of the teams indicated. This man is the alpha and the omega of fantasy running backs. Earlier in this article, I mentioned that theres not another player that will command the percentage of his offense that CMC does. ESPN.com NFC North reporter, 2008-2013 . 17. 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. Running back rankings: NFC South | wtsp.com 1 running back in 2020. 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. 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. Top 5 Running Backs in the NFC South - Sports Illustrated 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. The rebuilding of Panthers' offensive success will once again rely on his abilities in 2020. Until then, however, weve only seen enough from one rookie running back to crack the top 32 in the NFL entering the season. 2020 NFC South Running Backs Preview - Sports Illustrated New Orleans Keith Smith Which NFC South team has the best running game heading into the 2020 NFL season? As a team, the Giants scored 17 points or fewer in half of their games. Seattle won 28-26. Privacy Policy. The former second-overall pick missed three games during 2019, followed up by missing 14 games after tearing his ACL in Week 2 of this past season. 10-1? 1. Below we rank the running backs from the NFC West, starting with the best. In his last fully healthy season (2019), the Panthers' running back led the league in touches (403) and scrimmage yards (2,392, third-most in NFL history) and tied for first in scrimmage TDs (19). 30 and 21. Vaughn played just 39 special teams snaps last season. Pretty fair rankings. 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. Despite splitting carries in the Packers backfield, Aaron Jones easily lands on any list of top running backs in the NFL. Would love your thoughts, please comment. 2 back in Arizona this season behind Kenyan Drake. He barely played in three games a season ago and still scored 6 total touchdowns. Though his days as an elite runner may be behind him, Zekes durability and well-rounded ability were on display in 2020. 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. 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 Released Veteran Running Back On Saturday bulldozer with underrated open field agility. Not bad for a guy who has bounced around the league for six seasons. NFC South Bucs Falcons Panthers Saints NFC West Cardinals 49ers Rams Seahawks Colleges ACC Clemson UNC Big Ten Iowa Michigan Michigan St. Nebraska Ohio St. Penn St. Rutgers Wisconsin Big 12. Number one fumbling the ball, Elliott said when asked what his No. Carolina claims the top spot in the division at running back, provided Christian McCaffrey stays healthy this season. Posted by ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas We'll continue our NFC South positional rankings today with running backs. 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. . Instead its his pass-catching skills, where he consistently creates separation as a route runner, even from a receiver alignment. Pollard is only going to get better as his role in the offense expands. Washington pairs Gibson with JD McKissic, one of the better backup running backs in the league. 'I know that I can't do that': DJ Moore says unsportsmanlike penalty cost Panthers. The 27-year-old Fournette is a 6-foot and 228-Lb. 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. The Cowboys may wind up losing two key defenders this offseason. McKinnon returns for a third season with the 49ers but has yet to play a single snap in the regular season because of injuries. But I think he's going to be the primary ball carrier in an offense that runs often. But Kamara is the prize of the group. 50-41? The addition of Cam Akers shows the Rams arent sure they can count on Henderson as more than a committee running back. DeAngelo Williams, Carolina. Where do the two Arizona Cardinals lead backs in James Conner and Chase Edmonds rank? 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. Buccaneers; . Then there are RB-friendly systems that will likely see Trey Sermon, Michael Carter, and Kylin Hill as names to know. Perhaps Im being too bearish on Davis outlook, but RB34 for his situation this year doesnt seem out of the question. Today, we start by taking a look at the running backs. Earnest Graham, Tampa Bay. 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. He really found his groove as the complement to Nick Chubb in Cleveland a season ago, rushing for 921 yards and 9 touchdowns. Simply put, the NFC South is an absolute terror at the running back position, as any opposing defense can readily attest. If hes healthy for 16 games, Barkleys a virtual lock for 1,200 or more rushing yards and tons of explosive plays. Dominating the game's top defensive backs with ease week in and week out, Metcalf is becoming the gold standard at the receiver position. He makes mincemeat of defensive backs in space while possessing plenty of straight-line speed to outrun just about anyone on the field. For him to step up like that at just 23 years old is a testament . Chubb has been an instrumental part of the Browns' new winning culture as a focal point in Kevin Stefanski's offense. 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. bucs Were anxiously awaiting multiple returns to the field for some of the leagues top running backs, none more so than Christian McCaffrey. It was Thomas and he's solid. FantraxHQ - The Home of Fantasy Sports Analysis, 2021 Fantasy Running Back Depth Charts: NFC South, Top 500 Fantasy Baseball Dynasty Rankings, Fantasy 101: How to Play Rotisserie Baseball, 2023 Fantasy Baseball Position Eligibility, Fantasy EPL 101 How to Play Draft Premier League, 2023 Fantasy Baseball: Points Leagues Sleepers Hitters, Canadian Baseball Prospects and Team Canada World Baseball Classic Roster. Where do the two Arizona Cardinals lead backs in James Conner and Chase Edmonds . 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. 1 back in the second half of last season on their Super Bowl run. Whether in the backfield or lining up in the slot. Josh Jacobs has eclipsed the 1,000-yard plateau in each of his first two seasons with the Raiders. Fournette had an attitude change after his chatRead more . If he falls to you, feel free to take him. Latavius Murray Who has the best running backs in the NFC East? 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. 6. While Mike Davis played well in McCaffrey's absence last season, no one can really replace CMC. Ranking the NFC South Running Backs - Cat Scratch Reader During Barkleys last extended action in 2019, he was able to have an extremely productive season despite being a part of one of the worst offenses in the NFL. he's on pace for a career high in rushing yards at an age when most running backs are nearing their final days in the . Javian Hawkins Atlanta also drafted Qadree Ollison and Marcus Green, further bolstering their depth. Top 15 Dynasty Running Back Rankings 2022: Jonathan Taylor, Javonte He might not lead the division in rushing because of the addition of Hyde, but he enters the season as the best of the West. C.J. Tony Jones The age listed under each player's name is the age he will be on Sept. 9. Young has the talent to rise to the top of this list one day, but he slots in at No. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. 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. However, in 13 games he only managed to get 39 carries. 1 focus entering this season. Atlanta to tack on more money to their cap savings in 2023 with the release of the veteran quarterback. 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. Washingtons running back group is versatile, fairly young, and productive. A leaky offensive line and an abysmal rushing game have left the Buccaneers with a one-dimensional attack over the last two seasons, allowing opponents to pressure now-former QB, Jameis Winston, into additional turnovers. 40 and 31. Jackson is the most electrifying player in the league. Drake has yet to put together a great full season, but will get his chance as the Cardinals' No. 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. Michael Smith. The Cowboys head coach made some comments about the offense that deserve a closer look as they seemed to have been misinterpreted. Brown is a solid short-yardage back to have on the roster. 2021 Jones 2021 Thompson 2021 Vaughn 2021 Prentice 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 24 24 24 24 Explore Which team has won the most Super Bowls? Hoover's not quite as dominant a blocker as Mughelli, but he's been very solid and dependable for a long time. CMC is absolutely this years RB1. 1. They did. Davis impressed as McCaffreys backup last year, but now there is limited depth in Carolina. Elliott has now hauled in multiple receiving touchdowns and at least 300 receiving yards in four of his five seasons. 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. He had a brief fumbling problem but is consistent. Tevin Coleman's departure was one of the few key losses in free agency for the Falcons. It seems like Tony Pollard will be with the Cowboys at least through 2023. 12:07 left in this one. Two running backs who would be starters on their own in at least 20 other backfields. Mason Stokke. Can he be a regular special teamer? Seven players 25 years old and younger make an appearance in the list, which is voted on by the players themselves, between Nos. I aim to find value at other positions like WR and QB because if I miss on a bet at those positions, I can always trade one of my RBs for a roster weakness during the season. This is it. Coleman returns to the 49ers as part of their running back committee. And I still really like Vaughn. Ranking the NFC South's running back groups: All-purpose stars lead the way saints Top 5 Running Backs in the NFC South. 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. Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts Its a big offseason for the former third-round pick, and Vaughn should get plenty of opportunity to prove himself in the preseason. Today we compare the running games of each team in the NFC South, with the opening of training camp right around the corner. 20. The Buccaneers were held below 100 yards rushing in eight games last season but hope for the maturity of former 2nd round pick Jones and this years addition of 3rd round sleeper Vaughan, both power backs with good open-field speed. 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!!! Hes recorded back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons and combined for 25 rushing touchdowns the past two seasons. He would have easily been a 1000 yard back if not for CoRead more , Youre seeing our RBs the same way I do Dr.D. Jerious Norwood, Atlanta. They also look for improved play from their young offensive line to establish their running game and have a more balanced offensive attack. The former fourth-round pick showed some really good signs last season, rushing for 435 yards and scoring four touchdowns. Ekeler is tied to Justin Herbert for what should be the remainder of his career. 20-11? For the newest installment of Fantraxs fantasy running back depth charts series, were going to delve into the NFC South. His performance as the No. The WFT's running back group is led by the versatile 23-year-old Antonio Gibson. All Rights Reserved. The top running backs in the NFL are big names, those that you must watch on Sunday. The back-to-back reigning rushing champion tops the list of best running backs in the NFL. Jonathan Stewart, Carolina. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports. Michael Carter led film session with running backs as RB coach Taylor Embree and wife welcomed baby . 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. NFC North Starters: Dalvin Cook ( Vikings ), Aaron Jones (. 32. And you nailed it, RoJo comes back every year improved. AS you noted, McCafferty was injured most of last season and I believe his imjuries were attributable to overuse. New Orleans can win games with a historically efficient passing attack, a much-improved defense, or a playmaking special teams squad. Bruce Arians has already said that Fournette and Jones will battle it out for the starting job in camp, but both will play a lot when the season begins. Outside of the QB position (specifically Lamar Jackson), theres not a player in the league that will command a larger percentage of their teams offense than CMC. ALVIN KAMARA, SAINTS. The Panthers' overall rushing production dropped in 2019 because of the loss of QB Cam Newton and an offensive line that struggled. Gonzalez recalls matchup with Drake London during his days with Colorado. The latter question aside, there are plenty of valuable assets in the backfield of every NFL team. Gibson also caught 36 passes for 247 yards, bringing his total yards to 1,042 in just 14 games. NFL Running Back - Players Rosters - National Football League - ESPN An asset in both the run and pass games, Chubb racked up 1,217 scrimmage yards and 12 touchdowns last season. 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.