Seattle won 28-26. 10. Says he's the toughest matchup he had in college. Jeremy Bergman provides five items that he believes should have been handled differently by the "Top 100 Players of 2022" voters. The Cowboys get to pair Elliott with one of the better backup running backs in football in Tony Pollard. His importance to the Panthers' offense can't be overstated. The 27-year-old Fournette is a 6-foot and 228-Lb. 1 back against the Giants showed he can be good. Tony Brooks-James Edmonds will be the unquestioned No. Top 5 Running Backs in the NFC South. 40 and 31. 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. He still finished RB2 for the year because he had 21 total TDs. Antonio Gibson showed tons of promise in his rookie season, and JD McKissic is coming off a career year. 'I know that I can't do that': DJ Moore says unsportsmanlike penalty cost Panthers. But that's not going to last much longer. Before we get into the full list of which players are making the change, let's take a quick look at what numbers are now available to specific positions. 16. The second-year man, out of . He'll be back in 2022, and James Robinson (his only real competition for . Thats an absurd number. 12. With just 3 fumbles to his credit, hes also a sure-handed first-down machine for Las Vegas. 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. The other nine are . Let us know in the comments section what you think of our rankings. Whether in the backfield or lining up in the slot. The combination of Kamara, Murray and Washington gives New Orleans a pretty complete backfield trio. In my view, CMC should always be the first running back off the board. A year without Drew Brees will ultimately be the telling chapter of Kamaras career. Which RB enters the season atop the list? Follow Ledyard on Twitter at @LedyardNFLDraft. 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. Josh Jacobs has eclipsed the 1,000-yard plateau in each of his first two seasons with the Raiders. Today we compare the running games of each team in the NFC South, with the opening of training camp right around the corner. 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. 2023 NFL Enterprises LLC. They also look for improved play from their young offensive line to establish their running game and have a more balanced offensive attack. 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!!! Michael Carter led film session with running backs as RB coach Taylor Embree and wife welcomed baby . What sets McCaffrey apart isnt that hes a great runner, although he certainly is. NFC South. 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. FantraxHQ - The Home of Fantasy Sports Analysis. His production will depend on his usage this coming season. Thats not to say Davis is a slouch, as the veteran filled in admirably for Christian McCaffrey last season in Carolina. Falcons ask Richardson who's faster, him or Kyle Pitts. KeShawn Vaughn Its a big offseason for the former third-round pick, and Vaughn should get plenty of opportunity to prove himself in the preseason. 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. 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. 1 in Green Bay. Javian Hawkins Theyll hope Trenton Cannon, Rodney Smith, Reggie Bonnafon and Chuba Hubbard are able to step up. 9. He's down 10 pounds. He hauled in 33 receptions out of the backfield and scored 5 more touchdowns on the ground than his rookie season. PewterReport.com prides itself on being the most complete, comprehensive news source covering the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and delivering inside scoop on the team found nowhere else. Saints Head Coach Sean Payton prefers to use multiple running backs in his offensive system. He has been more productive than Darrell Henderson. The 27-year-old had the most productive season of his career in 2020 with the WFT, rushing for 365 yards and hauling in an impressive 80 catches for 589 yards and two touchdowns. Considering that new head coach Arthur Smith hails from Tennessee, where he had Derrick Henry, Leonard Fournette Washington pairs Gibson with JD McKissic, one of the better backup running backs in the league. The NFC West has some talented running backs in the conference. Though he narrowly missed 1,000 yards last year, he chipped in with 50+ receptions out of the backfield for the third straight season. This man is the alpha and the omega of fantasy running backs. Two running backs who would be starters on their own in at least 20 other backfields. Behind Sanders, Philadelphia has third-year man Boston Scott and two unproven players in Jason Huntley and Kenneth Gainwell. 2. 10 after earning Defensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2020. 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. His second half of 2019 showed what he could be. He had six 100-yard games last season. 20 and 11. Saints won, 31-17. Ive never been a fumbler. Folks get hung up on statistics and focus more than they should on the pass catching aspect. Which team boasts three representatives? Here is my top 10: 1. The third-round pick had a very productive rookie year in 2020, rushing for 795 yards and scoring an extremely impressive 11 touchdowns. Smith had 41 carries and nine catches last season, but didnt really stand out. New Orleans Saints defensive end Trey Hendrickson (91) and defensive end Carl Granderson (96) defends on the play at Bank of America Stadium. You'll now receive the top Cards Wire stories each day directly in your inbox. This touchdown run gave Tony Pollard 69 rushing yards on the day. The highest non-starter on this list, Kareem Hunt packs half of the punch for the leagues top RB duo in Cleveland. Until then, however, weve only seen enough from one rookie running back to crack the top 32 in the NFL entering the season. Buccaneers, Alvin Kamara reaches milestone while helping Saints stop Seahawks, Loss of Christian McCaffrey, Jaycee Horn overshadows Panthers' 3-0 start, Former Panthers tight end Greg Olsen says son's heart 'reaching its end', Carolina Panthers NFL draft picks 2021: Analysis for every selection, Former New York Giants safety could play key role for Bucs in Super Bowl 2021, Ex-Jets coach Todd Bowles goes from green to greener pastures with Bucs, Tom Brady's success with Buccaneers sparks mixed reaction in New England, Previously covered NFC South for ESPN.com, Covered Panthers for The Charlotte Observer from 1999-2008, Began journalism career with The Tampa Tribune in 1990. He tallied 7.5 sacks, 12 QB hits, 10 tackles for loss and four forced fumbles for Washington's top-five unit last season. We are looking at overall depth right not starters? But he still can hurt you out of the backfield, at times, as much as any running back in the league. Spencer Brown 3. Alvin Kamara is a ridiculously talented RB more than deserving of his place on the list of top running backs. Covers the New Orleans Saints as contributing writer for Saints News Network. Last year, Kamara rushed for under 1000 yards with under 800 yards receiving. Hoover's not quite as dominant a blocker as Mughelli, but he's been very solid and dependable for a long time. They also add an underrated balance to their lethal offense with an effective running game that keeps defenses off balance. Perhaps Im being too bearish on Davis outlook, but RB34 for his situation this year doesnt seem out of the question. All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. Who was the top rookie? Ranking the top six running backs in the NFC North division, entering the 2021 NFL season. Wayne Gallman, a 27-year-old running back, was waived by the NFC South franchise on Saturday afternoon, according to reports. Co-Host of the Bayou Blitz Podcast. Love they guys commitment and work ethic. New Orleans has had just three seasons with a 1,000-Yd back during Payton's 14-Yr tenure with the team, yet are still perennially in the top half of the league in rushing. Having a player like Chubb in the backfield makes life a lot easier for Baker Mayfield and the rest of the offense. Freeman should be back healthy for 2019, and the Falcons are a better team with him on the field. If he falls to you, feel free to take him. 19. 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. He has impressed both coaching staffs he has played for immensely. While the Saints' two-headed monster at running back gives them the advantage over most teams, Kamara may not even be the most dangerous back in his own division. Akers will likely become the Rams top running back as a rookie. 30 and 21. Who has the best running backs in the NFC East? 26. As a team, the Giants scored 17 points or fewer in half of their games. Anderson. Caleb Huntley Which 10 players make up 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. He may never reach the level of success he saw in his rookie season, but Elliott proves that his place on the roster matters. I stand by that, but after the CMC gap, Alvin Kamara is in the next tier. With an added dynamic out of the backfield, the trend of top backs being well-rounded continues. 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. 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. Hes recorded 16 total touchdowns on receptions in four seasons and has proven to be an incredibly difficult task to bring down in space. Carolina's main loss behind McCaffrey was veteran back C.J. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. ESPN.com NFC North reporter, 2008-2013 . A lot of people like to make it sound as if the Saints didn't have a featured back last year. He very well could be the starter in 2021. Kamara had his stats hindered when Taysom Hill was QB, as he would vulture TDs and take carries away from Alvin. 4 spot on this list, but his career is currently in limbo. Davis finished the year with career highs in snaps, carries (165), yards (642), touchdowns (six) catches (59), receiving yards (373) and receiving touchdowns (two). 21. While Mike Davis played well in McCaffrey's absence last season, no one can really replace CMC. The Cowboys head coach made some comments about the offense that deserve a closer look as they seemed to have been misinterpreted. 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. But if hes healthy, hes a rare breed of balance, strength, and elusiveness. However, he only had one regular season game last year with more than 14 carries. Drake has yet to put together a great full season, but will get his chance as the Cardinals' No. Who is the best? [CDATA[ 1 running back in 2020. I would take our 3rd guy (Gio) and likely 2nd guy (Fournette or Rojo) over any other teams backups. Oct 6, 2019; New Orleans, LA, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Ronald Jones (27) runs the ball against New Orleans Saints defensive back Chauncey Gardner-Johnson (22) in the second quarter at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience.