All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. A year without Drew Brees will ultimately be the telling chapter of Kamaras career. With Tom Brady's retirement, what's next for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at quarterback? Last 25 NFL MVPs - Touchdown Wire GO HEAD, @saquon!159 Total Yards, 2 Touchdowns, and a souvenir for a fan in the 1st half! Ive already ranked the top 100 fantasy running backs in the NFL, but why not break this down by division? A lot of people like to make it sound as if the Saints didn't have a featured back last year. 19. Sign up for our newsletter and get every update delivered to your inbox! Brad Hoover, Carolina. Ty Montgomery Bucs' Brady Was Already Thinking 2021 Hours After Super Bowl LV. Armah comes over from Carolina to be the next Payton fullback and add to New Orleans outstanding special teams. Top 5 Running Backs in the NFC South. 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. This man is the alpha and the omega of fantasy running backs. NFL Network's "Top 100 Players of 2021" continues Sunday, Aug. 22. 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! Its an embarrassment of riches, and thats not ideal for fantasy. Home | Ranking The NFC South: Running Backs. 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. Falcons Released Veteran Running Back On Saturday He tallied 7.5 sacks, 12 QB hits, 10 tackles for loss and four forced fumbles for Washington's top-five unit last season. With just 3 fumbles to his credit, hes also a sure-handed first-down machine for Las Vegas. Alvin Kamara is a ridiculously talented RB more than deserving of his place on the list of top running backs. Disagree. 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. Carolina's offense is almost solely on the shoulders of McCaffrey, who may be the only back in the league more versatile than the Saints Kamara. DeAngelo Williams, Carolina. Can he be a regular special teamer? An incredibly important aspect of Minnesotas offensive game plan, as Cook goes, so will the Vikings in 2021. //]]> Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account. Darius Clark He has terrific vision, amazing balance, incredible speed, and plenty of elusiveness. But that's not going to last much longer. His greatest attribute might be his ability to make defenders miss. Fresh off signing a new contract, Allen will be well on his way to becoming one of the great quarterbacks of his era if he continues on this trajectory. Atlanta has been held to less than 100 yards rushing in 22 of their last 32 games, including 12 games last 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. 2020 NFC South Running Backs Preview - Sports Illustrated New Orleans Top 15 Dynasty Running Back Rankings 2022: Jonathan Taylor, Javonte AZ, CO, CT, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, (select parishes), MD, MI, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY, CA-ONT only.Eligibility restrictions apply. Perhaps Im being too bearish on Davis outlook, but RB34 for his situation this year doesnt seem out of the question. Garrett is a big reason why the Cleveland Browns' defense has improved in each of the last two seasons, jumping from 30th in total defense in 2018 to 22nd in 2019 to 17th in 2020. NFC West. The crazy thing is, it feels as if Mahomes is just getting started. NFC South . Accurate ranking. I never like these RB unit rankings because are we weighting the guys in the unit differently? Considering that new head coach Arthur Smith hails from Tennessee, where he had Derrick Henry, Leonard Fournette Ollison and Brooks-James have combined for 33 career carries, and Hawkins and Huntley are rookies. KeShawn Vaughn Oops. Who Is A 27 Year Old Running Back In The Nfc | StatMuse The NFC West has some talented running backs in the conference. 12:07 left in this one. The NFC West has some talented running backs in the conference. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports, https://cardswire.usatoday.com/gallery/ranking-the-nfc-west-running-backs/, Cardinals given terrible marks by players on team report card, 4 of 101 best nicknames in NFL history belong to former Cardinals players, One free agent each NFL team should re-sign in 2023, GM, HC searches affected by Cardinals' reputation on compensation, DeAndre Hopkins trade could come before start of free agency, Eagles player takes shot at Jonathan Gannon on social media, Jonathan Gannon 'not sure' if DeAndre Hopkins will play for Cardinals in 2023, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. He's anchored the Colts' offensive line -- one of the NFL's premier units since Nelson was drafted -- having allowed a measly three sacks in as many seasons, per PFF. For the newest installment of Fantraxs fantasy running back depth charts series, were going to delve into the NFC South. 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. I tend to avoid taking either of them, but you cant deny there will be weeks that one of them will win you matchups. Saints then Panthers, because of the depth. . He hauled in 33 receptions out of the backfield and scored 5 more touchdowns on the ground than his rookie 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. Pierre Thomas, New Orleans. Austin Ekeler, Los Angeles Chargers Mostert became the 49ers No. Unfortunately for Barkley, since playing in all 16 games during his rookie year in 2018, hes had some trouble staying on the field. Follow Ledyard on Twitter at @LedyardNFLDraft. His downfield passing improved immensely in 2020, when he completed 26 passes of 20-plus yards, per Next Gen Stats, while also continuing to be a threat in the run game, with at least eight rushing TDs in each of his first three seasons. 32. The Bucs would love to get him a hat on game days, but right now it feels unlikely to happen on a weekly basis. 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. Reggie Bonnafon Hes recorded back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons and combined for 25 rushing touchdowns the past two seasons. Who is the best? Lets take a look at CMCs stats for his last healthy season: ~1400 yards rushing, 15TDs, 1000+ yards receiving 4TDs. Episode 9 of the "Top 100 Players of 2022" airs on Sunday, revealing the highest-ranked undrafted player in the players' list between Nos. 3. The Panthers hope Hubbard, a fourth-round pick, can become their eventual replacement for Davis. Number one fumbling the ball, Elliott said when asked what his No. At 28 years old, Davis will be entering an NFL season as a teams feature back for the first time in his career. Last year, Kamara rushed for under 1000 yards with under 800 yards receiving. The WFT's running back group is led by the versatile 23-year-old Antonio Gibson. Since joining the Saints in 2017, Kamara has averaged over 5 yards per carry and has scored 31 touchdowns. 50-41? Jamaal Williams, Detroit Lions 28. The WFTs running back group is led by the versatile 23-year-old Antonio Gibson. Freeman should be back healthy for 2019, and the Falcons are a better team with him on the field. 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. Those people should review Fournettes passing stats with the Jags. To go from barely average regular season play to elite in the playoffs was one of the weirdest things Ive seen in my time watching football. 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. C.J. Ranking 2021 NFC North Running Backs - Sports Illustrated Needing to replenish depth, the Cowboys should look into free agent defensive lineman Arden Key. They finished RB39 and RB15, respectively, last year. With today's high-flying NFL offenses, it's a golden era for pass catchers. Today we compare the running games of each team in the NFC South, with the opening of training camp right around the corner. 30. saints Posted by ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas We'll continue our NFC South positional rankings today with running backs. The 27-year-old Fournette is a 6-foot and 228-Lb. 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. Etienne spent all of 2021 on injured reserve. 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). 2022 NFL offseason: All 32 teams' RB situations ahead of free agency, draft NFC South. (via @Giants) pic.twitter.com/yNFOW1WoZQ. He's still something of a secret to a lot of people. Posted by ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas Mason Stokke. He had a brief fumbling problem but is consistent. They did. . New Orleans can win games with a historically efficient passing attack, a much-improved defense, or a playmaking special teams squad. Folks get hung up on statistics and focus more than they should on the pass catching aspect. TEMPE, ARIZONA - JUNE 02: Runningback James Conner #6 of the Arizona Cardinals participates in an, TEMPE, ARIZONA - JUNE 02: Runningback James Conner #6 of the Arizona Cardinals participates in an off-season workout at Dignity Health Arizona Cardinals Training Center on June 02, 2021 in Tempe, Arizona. Hes recorded 16 total touchdowns on receptions in four seasons and has proven to be an incredibly difficult task to bring down in space. Running Back Rankings: The 32 best NFL running backs heading into 2021 Seattle won 28-26. 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. Coleman returns to the 49ers as part of their running back committee. The third-round pick had a very productive rookie year in 2020, rushing for 795 yards and scoring an extremely . His production will depend on his usage this coming season. Drake has yet to put together a great full season, but will get his chance as the Cardinals No. 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. 1 focus entering this season. 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. Hes coming off one of the worst injuries in sports, so well just have to wait if the star running back will be able to stay on the field in 2021. Damien Harris, New England Patriots A: . Quarterback: 1-19 Running back: 1-49,. Qadree Ollison For a reminder of what I look for in each category, click here. 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. Kamara gained 1,592 combined yards last season and scored 18 touchdowns. 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. The Saints not only have a premier running back in Pro Bowler Alvin Kamara, they also have one of the deepest running back rooms in the league. 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. So far, there are has been a wide array of veterans (and rookies) electing to take advantage of this new rule. NFL jersey numbers: Here's a running list of players who have decided 40-31? The former fourth-round pick showed some really good signs last season, rushing for 435 yards and scoring four touchdowns. Chase Edmonds, Arizona Cardinals I'm projecting a bit here because we don't truly know Ward's role. 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. Alvin Kamara and Christian McCaffrey have been stars . Mikey Daniel Where do the two Arizona Cardinals lead backs in James Conner and Chase Edmonds rank? New Orleans Saints defensive end Trey Hendrickson (91) and defensive end Carl Granderson (96) defends on the play at Bank of America Stadium. Kamara had his stats hindered when Taysom Hill was QB, as he would vulture TDs and take carries away from Alvin. 2021 NFL preseason Week 1: What we learned about each NFC team, 2021 NFL preseason Week 1: What we learned about each AFC team, NFL player cuts tracker: Team-by-team roster moves, NFL's 30 best players over 30 entering 2021 season. Ovie Mughelli, Atlanta. Who is a 27 year old running back in the nfc? Jones is set to be the bell cow in the Green Bay backfield for what seems like the first time in his career. 8 overall draft pick, assets required to get better fast. Tony Jones Though he narrowly missed 1,000 yards last year, he chipped in with 50+ receptions out of the backfield for the third straight season. Michael Turner, Atlanta. 2. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. Smith had 41 carries and nine catches last season, but didnt really stand out. John Raine, Falcons RB Mike Davis Photo by: USA Today. 16. Even with an injury-shortened season, McCaffrey has recorded 3,145 rushing yards, 29 rushing touchdowns, 2,672 receiving yards, and 16 receiving touchdowns in just four years. Ranking the top six running backs in the NFC North division, entering the 2021 NFL season. His importance to the Panthers' offense can't be overstated. Top 32 running backs for the 2021 NFL season | 1-10, Top 32 running backs for the 2021 NFL season | 11-32. 2. He makes mincemeat of defensive backs in space while possessing plenty of straight-line speed to outrun just about anyone on the field. 23. follow. Seven players 25 years old and younger make an appearance in the list, which is voted on by the players themselves, between Nos. Your fantasy football league wasnt hosted on Fantrax last season? Below we rank the running backs from the NFC West, starting with the best. He's down 10 pounds. As far as the Bucs are concerned I expect RoJo tp come back year more improved just as he has every year. The Panthers crown jewel. His production has resulted in two Super Bowl appearances (one win), a league MVP award in 2018 and a contract extension worth nearly half a billion dollars. NFL Network's 'Top 100 Players of 2022' has been unveiled. In advance of the finale, Adam Schein provides his own personal top-10 list. The drop in the team's rushing production led the Falcons to part ways with Devonta Freeman this offseason and bring in Gurley, whose own production has slipped because of various injuries, leaving a doubt to how much left he has in the tank. 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. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports. 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. With that in mind, Maurice Jones-Drew provides his ranking of the top 10 QB-pass catcher duos heading into 2022. 10 after earning Defensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2020. However, he only had one regular season game last year with more than 14 carries. 13. Which team had the most players ranked? It's for this reason that my favorite strategy is to draft a running back with my first 4 picksregardless of league style (redraft . It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. The team could be hoping for a breakout year with Jones, but the combination of him and Barber isn't too frightening. Carolina's main loss behind McCaffrey was veteran back C.J. Josh Jacobs has eclipsed the 1,000-yard plateau in each of his first two seasons with the Raiders. Which 10 players make up Nos. Joe Mixon, Cincinnati Bengals The third-round pick had a very productive rookie year in 2020, rushing for 795 yards and scoring an extremely impressive 11 touchdowns. 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. 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. I would take our 3rd guy (Gio) and likely 2nd guy (Fournette or Rojo) over any other teams backups. Barkley is essentially a full season removed from participating in live contact. Allen made huge jumps in his on-field production, confidence and command of the offense last season. New Orleans Saints. Tony Brooks-James It was Thomas and he's solid. 20 and 11. His performance as the No. That's his 10th on the year and it is 27-16 #WashingtonFootball up on the Cowboys in Dallas. Metcalf has delivered in every aspect since he walked shirtless into a meeting at the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine with the team that would later draft him. Steven Jackson . 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.). Its taken him a couple seasons, but hes our best pure runner. The top running backs in the NFL are big names, those that you must watch on Sunday. 2021 NFC West running back rankings - Cards Wire Names like Javonte Williams in Denver, Rhamondre Stevenson in New England, or Jaret Patterson in Washington are likely to surface before too long. Nick Chubb is arguably the NFLs most elusive ball carrier. 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. Jackson is a proven winner, too. The NFC West has a number of talented running backs. 1. Two running backs who would be starters on their own in at least 20 other backfields. Ronald Jones II Drake has yet to put together a great full season, but will get his chance as the Cardinals' No. 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. Antonio Gibson showed tons of promise in his rookie season, and JD McKissic is coming off a career year. Kenyan Drake, Las Vegas Raiders The Panthers' overall rushing production dropped in 2019 because of the loss of QB Cam Newton and an offensive line that struggled. 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. Something went wrong. 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. Ranking the NFC South's running back groups: All-purpose stars lead the way Have to say the addition of Bernard was a surprise and a significant upgrade over McCoy. Listen to the latest from Cards Wires Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Saints Head Coach Sean Payton prefers to use multiple running backs in his offensive system. But he still can hurt you out of the backfield, at times, as much as any running back in the league. He very well could be the starter in 2021. Like, in terms of entire unit, I cant in good faith grade the Panthers #1. The 27-year-old Fournette is a 6-foot and 228-Lb. 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. Of course, with Alvin Kamara still around it doesn't much matter who the No. 24. Get the comprehensive list of every Running Back for each NFL pro football team. The former second-round pick rushed for 867 yards, averaging 5.3 yards per carry, and scored six touchdowns on the ground.