NFC South . Alright, let's get into who is set to sport a new number! 24. Saints then Panthers, because of the depth. For his career, the bruising back out of Ohio State now has 6,384 rushing yards and another 1,957 receiving yards with 56 total touchdowns. 50 percent of the Panthers offensive plays went through him the prior season and when a player starts getting injuries from overuse, they generally don stop or go away. Vaughn played just 39 special teams snaps last season. He is good but he might not be the same guy in another offense. The guy is a monster off the edge and will be great for a long time. 19. Who was the top rookie? Jeremy Bergman provides five items that he believes should have been handled differently by the "Top 100 Players of 2022" voters. His value to this offense can't be matched. Devin Singletary, Buffalo Bills Like, in terms of entire unit, I cant in good faith grade the Panthers #1. Pro Football Network, LLC. Gambling problem? Gonzalez recalls matchup with Drake London during his days with Colorado. 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. It's not far-fetched to think the best two receiving backs in the league reside in the NFC South. Armah comes over from Carolina to be the next Payton fullback and add to New Orleans outstanding special teams. Hes somehow managed to record at least 81 receptions in each of his first four seasons with the Saints while also rushing for 3,340 yards on the ground. Rodney Smith 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. 287-1,387 yards, (4.8), 15 touchdowns, (6x 100-Yd games), 116 receptions, 1,005 yards, 4 touchdowns, (2x 100-Yd games), 219-1,098, yards (5.0), 7 touchdowns, (4x 100-Yd games), 107 receptions, 867 yards, 6 touchdowns, (2x 100-Yd games), 172-724 yards (4.2) 6 touchdowns (1 100-Yd game), 2 consecutive 1,000-Yd rushing season + 21 touchdowns at Vanderbilt, 223-857 yards (3.8) 12 touchdowns (0s 100-Yd games), 256-1,251 yards (4.9) 17 touchdowns (6x 100-Yd games), 171-797 yards (4.7) 5 touchdowns (0x 100-Yd games), 81 receptions 533 yards 1 touchdown (0x 100-Yd games), 194-883 yards (4.6) 14 touchdowns (1x 100-Yd game), 81 receptions 709 yards 4 touchdowns (2x 100-Yd games), 146-647 yards (4.4) 5 touchdowns (2x 100-Yd games), 140-578 yards (4.1) 6 touchdowns (1x 100-Yd game). The 2 rookies to keep am eye on are Javian Hawkins-Atlanta and Chuba Hubbard-Carolina. 13. With that in mind, Michael Robinson provides his ranking of the top 10 active undrafted players heading into the 2022 season. 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. Earnest Graham, Tampa Bay. Davis finished the year with career highs in snaps, carries (165), yards (642), touchdowns (six) catches (59), receiving yards (373) and receiving touchdowns (two). With amazing contact balance and tremendous lower body strength, no defender is safe from Barkeys highlight reel. He caught just 28 passes for 197 yards and failed to score a touchdown through the air. 23. saints Henry will not go down on first contact and routinely churns out first down after first down if hes not scoring touchdowns. Tampa Bay Buccaneers. But, when you compare the teams running back groups altogether, theres no question the Cowboys have the best group in the division. But he still can hurt you out of the backfield, at times, as much as any running back in the league. We are looking at overall depth right not starters? Odds & lines subject to change. 1 back against the Giants showed he can be good. 2004-2023 CBS Interactive. ALVIN KAMARA, SAINTS. Darrell Henderson, Los Angeles Rams 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. He's coming off a season in which he had 12 sacks, 18 QB hits and four forced fumbles while notching seven turnovers caused by pressure (most in the NFL), according to Next Gen Stats. They finished RB39 and RB15, respectively, last year. Despite having a solid season on the ground, Sanders receiving totals did drop drastically. Grant Gordon takes a look at the players' list by the numbers. Troymaine Pope. His 643 rushing yards in eight games put him on a pace for nearly 1,300 yards. A: . However, in 13 games he only managed to get 39 carries. 1 back in the second half of last season on their Super Bowl run. Falcons ask Richardson who's faster, him or Kyle Pitts. Theyll hope Trenton Cannon, Rodney Smith, Reggie Bonnafon and Chuba Hubbard are able to step up. Chuba Hubbard This is it. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. Since entering the league in 2018, Chubb has forced 168 missed tackles, second-most in the NFL behind only Derrick Henry, according to Pro Football Focus. Fantrax was one of the fastest-growing fantasy sites of 2020, and were not stopping now. His production will depend on his usage this coming season. Please check your email for a confirmation. The running back appears to be in great shape, revealing during the Hall of Fame Game last week that he has lost 10lbs in preparation for the upcoming season. This did not stop Barkley from totaling 1,441 yards from scrimmage, 1,003 rushing and 438 receiving, and eight touchdowns. It seems like Tony Pollard will be with the Cowboys at least through 2023. Please enter a valid email and try again. Give him 325 carries and he'll give you 1,500 yards. bulldozer with underrated open field agility. Etienne spent all of 2021 on injured reserve. Everyone will remember his 29-carry, 220-yard performance in the playoffs, but he will still be a member of the running back committee in Kyle Shanahans offense. 4. The third-round pick had a very productive rookie year in 2020, rushing for 795 yards and scoring an extremely . His importance to the Panthers' offense can't be overstated. 16. So far, there are has been a wide array of veterans (and rookies) electing to take advantage of this new rule. Ekeler is tied to Justin Herbert for what should be the remainder of his career. 26. 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. Aside from the addition of Andre Ellington and the loss of JacQuizz Rodgers this offseason, Tampa Bay has pretty much stood pat at the position. The sixth-year running back has already recorded 5,860 rushing yards and 55 touchdowns, having produced at least 1,500 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns in each of the last two seasons. Expect more usage from the powerful Latavius Murray after his second offseason in the team's system along with a big rebound in performance from Alvin Kamara. Mostert became the 49ers No. Alvin Kamara is a ridiculously talented RB more than deserving of his place on the list of top running backs. Ive projected a little regression in that stat, but Im expecting more all-purpose yards for Kamara this year. He is a very good complementary back, something the 49ers have many of. Can he be a regular special teamer? Now what did they get wrong? 21. Antonio Gibson, Washington Football Team Further, Mike Evans, Antonio Brown, and Chris Godwin deserve their fair share of targets too. Brad Hoover, Carolina. FILE - Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Leonard Fournette sprints to the end zone to score on a 27-yard touchdown run during the second half of the NFL Super Bowl 55 football game against. Hell turn a routine carry into a long touchdown within the simplest crease in the offensive line. But if hes healthy, hes a rare breed of balance, strength, and elusiveness. 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. His on-field play has been exceptional throughout his career, which is why he's in the No. ESPN.com NFC North reporter, 2008-2013 . Devontae Booker had a decent year as the backup in Las Vegas last season, but the fact of the matter is Barkleys ability to stay on the field will determine how successful their run game is. With that in mind, Maurice Jones-Drew provides his ranking of the top 10 QB-pass catcher duos heading into 2022. 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. 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. Episode 8 of the "Top 100 Players of 2022" airs on Sunday, revealing notable NFL siblings in the players' list between Nos. They did. Giovani Bernard The guy was a totally different player. Edmonds will be the unquestioned No. Chubb is no stranger to big plays and has scored 30 total touchdowns in just three seasons. Unthinkable! We'll continue our NFC South positional rankings today with running backs. 40-31? Michael Carter led film session with running backs as RB coach Taylor Embree and wife welcomed baby . Number one fumbling the ball, Elliott said when asked what his No. No, he's not a true running back. Two running backs who would be starters on their own in at least 20 other backfields. 2 back in Arizona this season behind Kenyan Drake. The former second-round pick rushed for 867 yards, averaging 5.3 yards per carry, and scored six touchdowns on the ground. The Falcons general manager said the organization would not close any doors when working to fill out the quarterback position. He kept a lot of hits off Turner and quarterback Matt Ryan last year. NFL Network's "Top 100 Players of 2021" continues Sunday, Aug. 22. Jacobs is a skilled runner in space, losing very little speed through his breaks. Which 10 players make up Nos. Austin Ekeler, Los Angeles Chargers 2023 NFL Enterprises LLC. DeAngelo Williams, Carolina. They have CMC and then a bunch of question marks. With Tom Brady back, can the Tampa Bay Buccaneers make another Super Bowl run? I'm projecting a bit here because we don't truly know Ward's role. Antonio Gibson showed tons of promise in his rookie season, and JD McKissic is coming off a career year. Reggie Bonnafon Barkleys first two seasons of full health in New York saw him prove to be a home-run threat at every touch. Davis impressed as McCaffreys backup last year, but now there is limited depth in Carolina. AS you noted, McCafferty was injured most of last season and I believe his imjuries were attributable to overuse. To qualify, a player will. 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. The 2020 Saints have two running backs who could start for most NFL teams, including a three-time Pro Bowler in Alvin Kamara, one of the most dangerous weapons in football. Its for this reason that my favorite strategy is to draft a running back with my first 4 picksregardless of league style (redraft, dynasty, etc.). (Note: This list only reflects players taking advantage of the new rule change and not a number swap that would have previously been permitted). Pierre Thomas, New Orleans. Agree. 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. Bucky Brooks has Northwestern OT Peter Skoronski linked to the Falcons in first round, Van Ness and Murphy said they'd be thrilled to play in Atlanta, Wilson vows to make big impact, We also talk about which position the Falcons should take in the first round, Atlanta has tons of salary-cap space and No. 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? 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. The latter question aside, there are plenty of valuable assets in the backfield of every NFL team. Derrick Ward, Tampa Bay. follow. Jameis at the helm would provide significant upside in both categories. 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. 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. He tallied 7.5 sacks, 12 QB hits, 10 tackles for loss and four forced fumbles for Washington's top-five unit last season. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. But it remains to be seen, after he's missed time each of the last two seasons, if Freeman can stay on the field. How do we rank the running backs in the division entering 2020? Below we rank the running backs from the NFC West, starting with the best. 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. The Cowboys head coach made some comments about the offense that deserve a closer look as they seemed to have been misinterpreted. A lot of people like to make it sound as if the Saints didn't have a featured back last year. 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. Elliott spoke back in July about how not fumbling is his No. @JdMckissic for 6 #SEAvsWAS FOX pic.twitter.com/dVGuOjCtKR. Ive never been a fumbler. He had just under 700 yards rushing and just under 400 yards receiving. Would love your thoughts, please comment. But Im thinking 4th or 5th round at best. I never like these RB unit rankings because are we weighting the guys in the unit differently? He's still going to get plenty of carries in a ball-control offense and could even get some time at fullback. . 1 running back in 2020. 24 Year Old Running Backs 2021 In Nfc South | StatMuse Ronald Jones was 24 years old in the NFC South in 2021. 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. Names like Javonte Williams in Denver, Rhamondre Stevenson in New England, or Jaret Patterson in Washington are likely to surface before too long. He'll be back in 2022, and James Robinson (his only real competition for . Expect him to be an even bigger part of Tampa Bay's . 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. falcons. Where do the two Arizona Cardinals lead backs in James Conner and Chase Edmonds rank? Its imperative to note that we havent seen enough from the rookies slated to see action this year. He very well could be the starter in 2021. He has terrific vision, amazing balance, incredible speed, and plenty of elusiveness. The sky is the limit for Jones as the clear No. Kenyan Drake, Las Vegas Raiders DAndre Swift, Detroit Lions The players have spoken. Mike Davis was RB18 last year splitting carries with Todd Gurley. He rushed for 772 yards on a whopping 5.6 yards per attempt last season. bulldozer with underrated open field agility. 30 and 21. Behind Freeman the Falcons have a lot of different options to work with. Atlanta also drafted Qadree Ollison and Marcus Green, further bolstering their depth. 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. It would not be the same as drafting a RB with the fourth overall pick. You can almost guarantee a youngster will step up this season that isnt on our preseason list of top running backs. CMC is absolutely this years RB1. Jeff Demps. The 2019 NFL MVP is a nightmare for defenses as a phenomenal rusher and improving passer, and we should see him make a leap in the passing game with more weapons around him in 2021. Jones is set to be the bell cow in the Green Bay backfield for what seems like the first time in his career. Check out all the features Fantrax has to offer, and we think youll be singing a different tune for next season. The highest non-starter on this list, Kareem Hunt packs half of the punch for the leagues top RB duo in Cleveland. Copyright 2019-2023. July 23, 2021 4:45 pm MT. The competition with Fournette should produce a formidable tandem and best in our division. Alex Armah He barely played in three games a season ago and still scored 6 total touchdowns. Elliott has now hauled in multiple receiving touchdowns and at least 300 receiving yards in four of his five seasons. At 28 years old, Davis will be entering an NFL season as a teams feature back for the first time in his career. If it were purely up to on-field performance, Dalvin Cook would certainly find himself a bit higher than No. This touchdown run gave Tony Pollard 69 rushing yards on the day. 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. 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. Caleb Huntley 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. 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. 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. 25. Christian McCaffrey Say what?! 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. Buccaneers; . But Kamara is the prize of the group. 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. Anderson. 1. newsletter, Cowboys scouting report 2023: TCU iOL Steve Avila. The Panthers' overall rushing production dropped in 2019 because of the loss of QB Cam Newton and an offensive line that struggled. Since 2019, he's posted a 24-6 regular-season record as a starter and helped the Ravens to three straight postseasons, including his first playoff victory last January. 1 focus is this season. The New Orleans Saints have won the last three NFC South titles because they have one of the most talented rosters in the league. Episode 7 of the "Top 100 Players of 2022" airs on Sunday, revealing two productive QB-pass catcher combos in the players' list between Nos. Covers the New Orleans Saints as contributing writer for Saints News Network. Hes 28 years old, and getting his first real shot at being a starting running back for the entire season. I know everyone is waiting for wide receiver rankings, but well wait to see what happens with Julio Jones first. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports. Falcons GM takes AtlantaFalcons.com behind the scenes of one of the most important moments for draft prospects at the combine: The formal interview. Hoover's not quite as dominant a blocker as Mughelli, but he's been very solid and dependable for a long time. Its taken him a couple seasons, but hes our best pure runner. Peyton Barber will return after leading the team with 234 carries for 871 yards and five touchdowns. C.J. Chris Carson, Seattle Seahawks To qualify, a player will have to be 25 or younger as of Sept. 9, when the 2021 season is scheduled to kick off. Well see if Atlanta adds anyone before the season, but right now Davis leads a backfield with very little experience or success at the pro level. Melvin Gordon, Denver Broncos, 22. Ty Montgomery 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. If Zeke wants to regain his All-Pro form, his number one priority must be protecting the football. Wayne Gallman, a 27-year-old running back, was waived by the NFC South franchise on Saturday afternoon, according to reports. Something went wrong. Ronald Jones II It's for this reason that my favorite strategy is to draft a running back with my first 4 picksregardless of league style (redraft . By all accounts, Elliott has looked great during training camp. Perhaps Im being too bearish on Davis outlook, but RB34 for his situation this year doesnt seem out of the question. 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. 10 after earning Defensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2020. Terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. Follow Ledyard on Twitter at @LedyardNFLDraft. Posted by ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas We'll continue our NFC South positional rankings today with running backs. 32. Ill be honest. And I still really like Vaughn. Brian Leonard. ET. Its not far-fetched to think the best two receiving backs in the league reside in the NFC South. The reason I dont have him higher is that I had to discount the fact that we dont know who the starting QB will be. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. 17. Mandatory Credit: Derick Hingle-USA TODAY Sports. The WFT's running back group is led by the versatile 23-year-old Antonio Gibson. McCaffrey was both the Panthers' leading rusher and receiver in 2018, gaining 1,965 total offensive yards and scoring 13 combined touchdowns. He's 37-8 since becoming the Chiefs' starting quarterback in 2018 (most wins by a QB in the NFL over that span), and he ranks first in many passing metrics among QBs with a minimum of 100 pass attempts since '18. 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. 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. His greatest attribute might be his ability to make defenders miss. Sign up for the 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. He still finished RB2 for the year because he had 21 total TDs. Lets take a look at CMCs stats for his last healthy season: ~1400 yards rushing, 15TDs, 1000+ yards receiving 4TDs. Alvin Kamara In advance of the finale, Adam Schein provides his own personal top-10 list. 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. He had a brief fumbling problem but is consistent. 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. Washingtons running back group is versatile, fairly young, and productive. The longtime backfield teammate of Devonta Freeman ran for 800 yards and four touchdowns on 167 carries last season while starting in place of Freeman, who missed all but two games due to injury. Your fantasy football league wasnt hosted on Fantrax last season? 2:23 pm ET, Jerry Jones believes Cowboys can keep Zeke and Pollard, NFL combine measurements for DBs: Full list of results, Jerry Jones believes Prescott can progress like Brady, NFL combine 2023 results tracker: Top performances, NFL combine 2023: Winners and losers from DB workouts, Report: Pollard to get franchise tag if deal isn't done, Tracking NFL players who switched jersey numbers, NFL combine: Winners and losers from DB workouts, Mock Draft: Panthers, Colts trade up for QBs, Rodgers' trade value, logistics, best fit, Top QB in draft: I definitely don't want to play for 1 team, Jerry Jones: Dak can get better with age like Brady, Report: Daniel Jones actually wants more than $45M per, Ex-Patriots star McGinest facing 8 years in prison, Jerry Jones: Cowboys can find way to keep both RBs. Ollison and Brooks-James have combined for 33 career carries, and Hawkins and Huntley are rookies. Considering that new head coach Arthur Smith hails from Tennessee, where he had Derrick Henry, Leonard Fournette The other nine are 25 or younger. Damien Harris, New England Patriots The combination of Kamara, Murray and Washington gives New Orleans a pretty complete backfield trio. The third-round pick had a very productive rookie year in 2020, rushing for 795 yards and scoring an extremely impressive 11 touchdowns. The top running backs in the NFL are big names, those that you must watch on Sunday. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. site: media | arena: nfl | pageType: stories | Still, this is McCaffrey's show. The team could be hoping for a breakout year with Jones, but the combination of him and Barber isn't too frightening. Pretty fair rankings. Among the 12 backs who made our top 10 list, based on ties, Michael Turner (29), Steven Jackson (27) and Frank Gore (27) rank as the old men. Since joining the Saints in 2017, Kamara has averaged over 5 yards per carry and has scored 31 touchdowns. Its an embarrassment of riches, and thats not ideal for fantasy. Darius Clark Who is the best? McCaffrey is the only running back in NFL history to record back-to-back seasons with at least 100 catches from 2018 to 2019. 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.