There are a lot of good running backs in the NFL right now, as the position is overloaded with talent. However, some players are better than others, and with training camp right around the corner, there is no better time to evaluate each team’s starter heading into the season.
Before we begin, a few disclaimers. This list is ranking every starting running back, so there will be exactly one player per team. It also means that players like Dalvin Cook, Ezekiel Elliott, and Leonard Fournette will not be here, as they are currently free agents. Finally, this is NOT a fantasy football article – we already posted our running back rankings in a separate article.
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Ranking the NFL’s 32 Starting Running Backs
Tier 1: Elite Playmakers
1. Christian McCaffrey
After two consecutive injury-plagued seasons, Christian McCaffrey stayed healthy in 2022 and proved that he is still the best running back in the NFL. The former first-round pick is electric as both a runner and a receiver and was tailor-made for Kyle Shanahan’s friendly offensive scheme. No matter who is under center for the San Francisco 49ers, McCaffrey will dominate and has a good shot of league the league in total yards from scrimmage.
Boom 💥 QB Brock Purdy 27 Yards to RB Christian McCaffrey TD 🙌 #49ers #FTTB pic.twitter.com/Ii6GxiXCYq
— 49er_Edits (@49er_edits) July 6, 2023
2. Nick Chubb
Nick Chubb is probably the best pure runner in football. The longtime Cleveland Brown has routinely found success despite the lack of a dangerous passing threat, and 2022 was no different. He ended the season with the third-best PFF grade in the league and could have his best season yet now that Kareem Hunt isn’t around to steal work in the passing game.
3. Josh Jacobs
Josh Jacobs is coming off of what is easily the best season of his career, leading the league in rushing yards, (1,653), total yards from scrimmage (2,053), and PFF grade (91.6). While he probably won’t be THAT good on a regular basis, there is no denying that the running back has established himself as one of the best in the business. If the Las Vegas Raiders don’t pay up for his services, somebody else will.
4. Saquon Barkley
Saquon Barkley entered the NFL as a generational prospect, and two years of injuries couldn’t take away what makes him so special. Barkley moves in ways that shouldn’t be physically possible, consistently breaking tackles, avoiding defenders, and using his elite speed to break out massive runs. This style of running is something of a double-edged sword, as he will pass up the occasional five-yard gain while trying to hit a home run. However, that’s easy to overlook when the big plays keep coming at such a consistent rate.
5. Derrick Henry
Derrick Henry is the eternal outlier among the NFL’s running backs. The running back has led the league in carries in three of the past four seasons, is entering his age-29 season, and has yet to show any signs of slowing down. While he is much closer to the end of the road than the beginning, he’s still one of the best in the business heading into 2023.
6. Jonathan Taylor
Like everyone else on the 2022 Indianapolis Colts, Jonathan Taylor is coming off a rough year. Injuries to both himself and the offensive line led to a statistical setback, but we shouldn’t forget just how good this guy can be with even the slightest bit of support. Now that he has Anthony Richardson, Taylor should be able to take advantage of easier run lanes and establish himself as one of the NFL’s best running backs.
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Tier 2: Superstar Potential
7. Austin Ekeler
At his best, there is a strong case to be made that Austin Ekeler is the NFL’s best receiving back. The former undrafted free agent is one of the few running backs that actually runs routes like a wide receiver, and his ability to break tackles and avoid defenders is second to none. While he’s “just” good between the tackles, his ability to make plays on all three downs earns him a high spot in these rankings.
8. Breece Hall
Breece Hall set the world on fire during his truncated rookie season, but he’ll need to prove that he can recapture his old form before he earns a higher spot among the NFL running backs. If he plays like his pre-injured self in 2023, then he’ll probably earn a top-five spot at this point next year.
9. Rhamondre Stevenson
Rhamondre Stevenson might just be New England’s best running back since Corey Dillon. The former fourth-round pick is simply impossible to tackle on the first try and was arguably New England’s best receiver last year. Fumbles are a concern, but he excels in every other aspect of the game.
I Can’t wait to watch Rhamondre Stevenson this year! 1,042 rushing yards in 2022! Be prepared to see him go over 1,300 rushing yards this season (if fully healthy) a heavy sleeper! But he’ll wake em up this Year! #ForeverNE #patriots pic.twitter.com/NpyWNKBcrb
— patriotsFanTalk (@patriotsFa85099) July 4, 2023
10. Bijan Robinson
Bijan Robinson has yet to play an NFL snap, but he was so impressive in college that I feel comfortable placing him among the top 10 NFL running backs. Quite frankly, he’s the closest thing there is to a perfect prospect, and if his NFL tape matches his collegiate production, he could be atop this list next year.
Tier 3: Above-Average Starter
11. Aaron Jones
Even though the Green Bay Packers offense didn’t look too great last year, Aaron Jones remained his reliable self. The running back simply refused to hand the starting job over to A.J. Dillon, finishing the season with a career-high 1,121 yards while averaging 5.3 yards per carry. With the inexperienced Jordan Love under center, Jones will need to play his best football to keep this offense moving in the right direction.
12. Kenneth Walker
Kenneth Walker is one of the most exciting young running backs in the NFL. As a rookie, the Michigan State product ripped off big run after big run while finishing second in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting. However, his lack of impact in the passing game combined with his struggles near the goal line keep him from earning a higher spot.
13. Travis Etienne
After missing the entirety of his rookie season due to injury, Travis Etienne quickly established himself as a true workhorse back, rushing for over 1,100 yards in what was effectively his rookie season. While his work in the receiving game could certainly use some work, his ability as a runner justifies this high selection.
14. Tony Pollard
Tony Pollard has looked like one of the NFL’s better running backs while splitting time with Ezekiel Elliott, but now he has to prove that he can handle a full three-down workload. If he can handle this increase in volume without sacrificing efficiency, then he’ll probably be a top-10 back moving forward.
There are still people nervous about the idea of Tony Pollard as full time RB1, here's some film. Since I'm trifling, I added some clips of him running through and between tackles, among other things. pic.twitter.com/NxYPLvfnDe
— Voch Lombardi (@VochLombardi) July 3, 2023
15. Alvin Kamara
Alvin Kamara was arguably the best running back in football at his peak, but he has started to show signs of slowing down over the past few years. He’s still a good running back, but he’s not the player he was. Even if he can avoid a suspension, look for Jamaal Williams and rookie Kendre Miller to see a good percentage of the touches.
16. J.K. Dobbins
When healthy, J.K. Dobbins is one of the most efficient running backs in the NFL. Sure, sharing a backfield with Lamar Jackson helps, but there is no denying the talent on display. The only question is whether Dobbins can actually stay healthy, and if the injuries have permanently taken away some of his juice.
Tier 4: Serviceable RB1
17. Dameon Pierce
Dameon Pierce is a poor man’s Derrick Henry: a human wrecking ball that violently attacks opposing defenses but doesn’t do much of anything as a receiver. This type of player is valuable on a rookie contract, but he’s not going to stop Houston from passively looking for an upgrade.
18. Miles Sanders
The Carolina Panthers paid Miles Sanders to be a three-down back. While Sanders proved he can effectively run between the tackles, Carolina shouldn’t count on Sanders doing much of anything in the receiving game. Last year, the running back finished with a league-worst 35.4 PFF receiving grade and hasn’t recorded more than 200 receiving yards since his rookie season.
19. Najee Harris
Najee Harris touches the ball a lot, but he doesn’t do too much with his opportunities. In many ways, his on-field play is a lot like an early-career Leonard Fournette: he’ll get what’s blocked for him, but he won’t make too many plays on his own. Considering the Steelers used a first-round pick to secure his services, Pittsburgh was probably hoping for a better return on investment.
20. Joe Mixon
Joe Mixon has recorded 1,314 carries since entering the NFL, and it’s clear that all those touches are starting to catch up to the running back. The former second-round pick averaged just 3.9 yards per carry last year, and one look at the tape will tell you that this wasn’t exclusively an offensive line issue. Mixon, while still solid, lacks the muscle and explosion that made him so deadly a few years back.
21. Javonte Williams
Javonte Williams has the widest range of outcomes of any of the NFL’s running backs. The North Carolina product clearly outplayed Melvin Gordon as a rookie and showed some promise last year before suffering a season-ending knee injury. Now, nobody knows if he’ll be ready for the start of the 2023 season, or what he’ll look like when on the field.
Javonte Williams told reporters today that he feels ready to go expects to be cleared for Training Camp 👀
This brings 3 questions:
1. Do you believe him?
2. Where are you drafting him now?
3. Where are you drafting Samaje Perine now?pic.twitter.com/3rg5BPvrJX— PlayerProfiler (@rotounderworld) July 9, 2023
22. David Montgomery
David Montgomery is the most boring running back in the NFL. The former Chicago Bear isn’t a bad player by any means, but he’s not a great one either. He reads his blocks well, but lacks the athleticism to break away from defenders in the second level. He’ll haul in an accurate pass, but he lacks the wiggle to make men miss in the open field.
23. Rashaad Penny
When Rashaad Penny is actually on the field, he’s one of the better runners in the league. Unfortunately, he’s not on the field very often. Assuming he’s healthy, he should beat out D’Andre Swift for the starting job, but he’ll need to prove that he can stay on the field before he earns a higher spot on the NFL’s running back rankings.
Tier 5: Replacement Level
24. Isiah Pacheco
Isiah Pacheco played well down the stretch, and he appears to be the Chiefs starting running back heading into the season. However, as detailed in his fantasy football profile, Isiah Pacheco didn’t do anything too remarkable as a runner, and his lack of impact in the passing game limits his overall ceiling.
25. James Conner
James Conner is very close to David Montgomery on the boring scale. The biggest difference here is that we’re starting to see Conner slow down, whereas Montgomery is still at his peak.
26. Alexander Mattison
Alexander Mattison is no Dalvin Cook, but the Minnesota Vikings apparently believe that the difference in talent here is negligible. Only time will tell if they’re right, but Mattison has played well in the past when filling in for an injured Cook.
27. Damien Harris
Damien Harris is a great north-south runner that provides absolutely nothing as a receiver. On top of that, he has struggled to stay on the field through the early part of his career. The good news is that Harris’ aggressive style of play matches well with Buffalo’s frigid temperatures, but the Alabama product is better off in a committee role.
28. Cam Akers
Cam Akers has had moments of brilliance throughout his tumultuous NFL career, but the running back has been far too inconsistent to earn a higher spot in these rankings. Akers finished 2022 on a hot streak, recording 410 yards and three touchdowns on just 75 attempts over the final four games. If that guy shows up in 2023, then this ranking will look foolish.
29. Brian Robinson
Brian Robinson overcame gunshot wounds to earn a starting job as a rookie. As if that wasn’t impressive enough, he also earned the eighth-best PFF grade among NFL running backs. Unfortunately, his lack of explosion as both a receiver and a runner keeps him near the bottom of this list. He might be adequate, but he’ll never be an ideal starter.
I really do believe that Brian Robinson Jr. and the Washington Commanders will go down as a perfect pairing. pic.twitter.com/yYbkZYXOC0
— Sidelines – Bama (@SSN_Alabama) August 18, 2022
30. Raheem Mostert
Raheem Mostert runs very fast in a straight line. If you need him to do anything else, however, you could be in trouble.
31. D’Onta Foreman
D’Onta Foreman faced the unenviable task of replacing Derrick Henry and Christian McCaffrey in consecutive seasons, and he was up for the task – at least on running downs. Foreman brings absolutely nothing of note to the table as a receiver, and that’s a problem in today’s pass-happy NFL.
32. Rachaad White
Rachaad White closes out this list of NFL running backs, and he’s basically the inverse of D’Onta Foreman. While he flashed some nice hands as a rookie, he was one of the worst runners in the league by just about every metric. He’ll need to show some dramatic improvement between the tackles if he wants to keep that starting job.
Main Photo: Jeffrey Becker – USA Today Sports
