Going into the 2015 season, there are running backs that need to make their case this year in order to be a starter for years to come. Along with that, these guys are very low key because some haven’t had the chance to fully make their case as a reliable starter as well as taking part in developing offenses. Here are three guys who I think are going to have great years for their teams and could be solid running backs for the future.
3 Underrated NFL Running Backs Heading into 2015
Latavius Murray – Oakland Raiders
He got just about all the snaps in the second half of the season and by the way he played, he has earned the starting running back position in Oakland. By averaging about five yards a carry and scoring a few touchdowns, Murray is making a case for a running back that can really fly under the radar this year. With Derek Carr starting to get a good feel for this offense, expect Murray to be a big part in it as well as Oakland looks to get back to being relevant to the league. Now, even though Oakland picked up Roy Hulu and Trent Richardson in free agency, I still feel that Oakland will have Murray be their go to guy as his quickness is something that Oakland has been looking for at the running back position for a long time.
Tevin Coleman – Atlanta Falcons
After losing Steven Jackson, the Falcons needed to find a running back quickly and they were able to do that in the 2015 NFL draft. By drafting Tevin Coleman in the second round, the Falcons found their replacement and with his capability of making explosive plays, this draft pick might look like a steal for the Falcons. To go along with this, new offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan will establish a good relationship with his new running back as his zone blocking scheme should help Coleman make himself as an established running back in the NFL after a few years. Despite the fact that new head coach Dan Quinn hasn’t made any decisions regarding the starting position, I expect him to make Coleman the starter just because of his youth and the fact that Shanahan hand-picked him during the draft.
Carlos Hyde – San Francisco 49ers
Even though the 49ers signed Reggie Bush in the offseason, the team picked Carlos Hyde in the 2014 NFL Draft to help be a replacement once the team would part ways with Frank Gore. Well, now that Gore is gone and the team got a few looks at Hyde last year, it seems that he is ready to take the reins of carrying the load while Reggie Bush will be used more for passing downs. With his combination of power and versatility, I expect Carlos Hyde to be a really good running back in the coming years because once Reggie Bush is done with the team, then all the load will be on Hyde’s shoulders.
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