He handled a high volume and earned everything he could despite a limited downfield passing game and some blocking issues. That said, he has some freakish physical qualities for his big frame. He also expanded his game in Year 2 as a reliable pass catcher. Led all AFC West running backs in both rushing yards (1065) and yards from scrimmage (1303). The rushing and scrimmage yardage leader from 2021 is a few notches above the field at only 23. That's the lowest in the league, eight fewer than the New York Giants have faced. Thats a lot of wear and tear, but the 26-year-old Elliott actually looked spry early in the 2021 season before a knee injury in Week 4 against the Panthers slowed his hot start. Elliott is polarizing in a different way at 27. 2021 stats: 217 carries, 872 rushing yards, 4.0 yards per carry, 54 receptions on 64 targets, 348 receiving yards, 9 total TDs. The veteran logged the sixth-most rushing yards (759) in the league from Week 8 (his first start in 2022) through the end of the regular season. The Bucs' run game was nearly nonexistent in Tom Brady's final season, prompting a midseason switch at running back from Leonard Fournette to the third-round rookie. With Kenneth Gainwell's stock rising in the playoffs, the decision to hand this soon-to-be free agent a new contract might not be as easy as some people seem to think. Darrell Henderson has had back-to-back 600-yard seasons. 2022 stats:4 games | 47 att | 204 rush yds | 4.3 ypc | 0 rush TDs | 16 rec | 76 rec yds | 0 rec TD| 1 fumble lost. At 6-foot-3 and 247 pounds, he is actually built different, but his return from injury and historical data pointing to a potential plateau are enough to keep him behind Taylor and Chubb heading into 2022. 2022 stats:13 games | 23 att | 77 rush yds | 3.3 ypc | 3 rush TDs | 10 rec | 93 rec yds | 0 rec TDs | 1 fumble lost. Which player earns the No. Will the Cowboys or Packers tandem earn the No. There is evidence that running backs start to regress after clearing 1,500 career carries an unfortunate reality of the beating that their bodies take during the season. Patterson had two 100-yard rushing performances before the injury, but never looked quite the same after his stint on IR. That doesnt mean that the running back rooms in the division are bad. 2021 stats: 206 carries, 911 rushing yards, 4.4 yards per carry, 70 receptions on 94 targets, 647 receiving yards, 20 total TDs. The fact that the back still rushed for 4.5 yards a pop is pretty impressive, given his circumstances. He had a season-high eight carries for 26 yards and his first-career TD while playing in 49 percent of the Patriots' offensive snaps one week prior, assisting in a road win over Arizona. In 2021, Najee Harris was the only running back who played on over 70% of his teams offensive snaps (83%), and just five running backs cleared the 60% threshold. March 5, 2022 11:14 am ET. evidence that running backs start to regress, metrics such as EPA per rush and rushing yards over expected. Overall & Positional Rankings for Standard, PPR, & Half-Point PPR Leagues. Giants: Saquon Barkley and Matt Breida. He is a good finisher in the red zone and can take any carry the distance. 2022 stats: 17 games | 340 att | 1,653 rush yds | 4.9 ypc | 12 rush TDs | 53 rec | 400 rec yds | 0 rec TDs | 1 fumble lost. 22 in this list because of his efficiency. 2022 NFC West All-Division Team: The Offense Quarterback: Matthew Stafford, Rams Before coming into the 2021 NFL off-season, Matthew Stafford was believed to have been either a quarterback that could not lead the Detroit Lions to success or a great quarterback that was held back by the Lions. His improvement as a runner and receiver should position him to become the Patriots' full-time starter in 2023 -- especially with Damien Harris being a free agent this offseason. After holding off Zack Moss for key touches, he will need to do the same again vs. rookie James Cook. The journeyman running back saw a majority of his 2022 action in the final month. His 0.2 PFF WAR finish last season was tied with Jonathan Taylor for the highest in the NFL, driven by a significant role in a Cincinnati offense that made it to the Super Bowl. Pair of Chargers named to PFF's top 101 players from 2022. 32. You have to give offensive coordinator Ben Johnson credit for feeding Williams the rock at the goal line. 2022 stats:17 games | 186 att | 770 rush yds | 4.1 ypc | 7 rush TDs | 28 rec | 206 rec yds | 0 rec TDs | 0 fumbles lost. With some help from Michael Thomas and others to take pressure off him in the passing game again, he should see some familiar favorable running lanes. Thats not something any defensive back wants to see in the open field. The rookie was third in. Buy Vikings Tickets. These are my rankings for the top-5 running backs in the NFC South as we head towards the 2022 season. , but his PFF grading profile isnt nearly as impressive. New Orleans Saints running back Mark Ingram II (14) runs past Tampa . He was a smooth fit in the system with his quick running and did fine as a receiver when needed there. over the last three seasons to go along with a 86.2 PFF rushing grade (11th among running backs with at least 300 carries). Maurice Jones-Drew identifies five running backs who can save their teams' seasons down the stretch. 2021 stats: 187 carries, 803 rushing yards, 4.3 yards per carry, 34 receptions on 37 targets, 313 receiving yards, 7 total TDs. 2022 stats:17 games | 272 att | 1,034 rush yds | 3.8 ypc | 7 rush TDs | 41 rec | 229 rec yds | 3 rec TDs | 2 fumbles lost. 2021 stats: 162 carries, 593rushing yards, 3.7 yards per carry, 41 receptions on 57 targets, 263 receiving yards, 4 total TDs. Cook eclipsed 1,000 ground yards for the fourth straight season, and though he wasn't consistent week to week, he provided big-time sparks in big-time games throughout the season. Penny got out to a booming start as Seattle's RB1, averaging over 6 yards per carry, but a fractured fibula ended his season in early October. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports By Ben Linsey May 17, 2022 You won't want to miss a moment of the 2022 season! With Bobby Wagner . Henry is not a typical running back. He doesn't offer much as a receiver but he gets the yards that are there with good burst. Stafford to Kupp for a huge gain to move the Rams into the red zone. The Jaguars put together one of the most impressive turnarounds in 2022, and this second-year running back was a big part of that. The Lions surrendered fewer passing yards to RBs (331) and . By: David Latham, Managing Editor | February 28, 2023. Fantasy Football Depth Chart Takeaways: NFC West. His season started off so well with 50-yard runs in consecutive weeks. Neither injury kept him out for an extended period of time, but their impact shows in Cooks 2021 rushing numbers. 2022 stats:10 games | 71 att | 302 rush yds | 4.3 ypc | 3 rush TDs | 17 rec | 151 rec yds | 3 rec TDs | 0 fumbles lost. With 1,210 scrimmage yards in 11 games for San Francisco -- he had nearly 1,900 on the season -- McCaffrey's abilities were on display weekly in Kyle Shanahan's offense. Maurice Jones-Drew has one thought about the Cowboys' usage of Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard in Zeke's return: Keep it even-steven! For the second straight season, Singletary averaged 4.6 yards per carry and fell just short of 1,100 scrimmage yards. It helped that the pending free agent was finally healthy for a full season. Hes been the most valuable running back in the league according to PFFs wins above replacement (WAR) metric, and his 4,503 rushing yards are over 600 more than the next closest back despite him missing roughly half of the 2021 season. 2022 stats:13 games | 93 att | 456 rush yds | 4.9 ypc | 1 rush TD | 11 rec | 39 rec yds | 0 rec TDs | 1 fumble lost. Bears: Khalil Herbert and David Montgomery. 49ers extend lead in NFC West as rest of division loses in Week 12. 2022 NFL season, Week 11: What We Learned from 49ers' win over Cardinals on Monday night . He wasn't all that productive, averaging less than 3.0 yards per carry in three of his four games played for Houston. Conner showcased that he has a legitimate, three-down skill set in his first season with the Cardinals. 2022 stats:16 games | 177 att | 819 rush yds | 4.6 ypc | 5 rush TDs | 38 rec | 280 rec yds | 1 rec TD | 3 fumbles lost. At 28, Henry is facing an important rebound year as the massive workload from 2019 and 2020 caught up to him last season. He turns every late-round or undrafted running back into a productive player before injuries limit playing time. Harris falls into the uber efficient in a limited role category after earning 85.0-plus PFF grades in each of the last two seasons on between 250 and 450 offensive snaps. Some think he's faded and lost too many steps and believe his best is buried behind him. Unable to play in the Dolphins' postseason game due to a broken thumb, though, Mostert's injuries continue to prevent him from reaching his full potential. Top 150 Players for PPR Leagues. Williams can be a reliable supporting cog for Russell Wilson in every capacity, taking the Jones role in the Packers-like system. Get the comprehensive list of every Running Back for each NFL pro football team 2021 stats:202 carries, 752 rushing yards, 3.7 yards per carry, 37 receptions on 39 targets, 375 receiving yards, 18 total TDs. The former third-round pick not only dealt with injury in 2021 but also with aTaysom Hill, Jameis Winston, Trevor Siemian and Ian Book quarterback rotation. 2022 stats:13 games | 129 att | 731 rush yds | 5.7 ypc | 4 rush TDs | 9 rec | 57 rec yds | 1 rec TDs | 0 fumbles lost. Chubb is coming off a career-worst 80.6 PFF rushing grade in a 2021 season was marred by injuries, but theres little reason to expect he wont return as one of the NFLs most difficult tackling assignments in 2022. His day didn't stop there, either, as he had a second kickoff return for a touchdown. 2022 stats: 16 games | 295 att | 1,312 rush yds | 4.4 ypc | 10 rush TDs | 57 rec | 338 rec yds | 0 rec TDs | 0 fumbles lost. Robinson finished his rookie campaign as the team's leader in carries and rushing yards despite not seeing the field until Week 5 (he was shot twice during an attempted robbery in August) and splitting time with Antonio Gibson. He also could handle a bigger role in the passing game if needed, which might be the case if the team moves Kareem Hunt. That all changed when injuries cut his. MARK INGRAM, SAINTS. Let's cut to the chase: CEH hasn't lived up to his first-round draft pedigree due to inconsistent play and injuries. Kamara quickly emerged as one of the best all-around running backs in the NFL, earning 75.0-plus PFF rushing and receiving grades in three of his first four seasons. The only reason that they havent emerged as a starter is the presence of a well-established veteran (Elliott, Chubb and Jones) in front of them on the depth chart. At full strength, Cook is one of the best zone runners in the NFL. Hines was primarily a returner for both the Colts and Bills in 2022, and there's no doubt the highlight of his season -- maybe of the NFL season in general -- came in Week 18, when he returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown on the Bills' first play since safety Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest. As in, expect the 601 attempts thrown by quarterback Matthew Stafford in 2021 to serve as a solid baseline for 2022. However, Singletary still profiles as the lead back heading into next season. Herbert built off his promising rookie season and thrived in offensive coordinator Luke Getsy's system. Not much went right for the Colts' offense in 2022, from poor quarterback play to poor health for Taylor. er out of the backfield. The NFL might be considered a passing league now, but the best running backs still have incredible value to their teams. I considered leaving Carson off this list completely given the uncertainty surrounding his injury status and 2022 return. 2021 stats: 240 carries, 898 rushing yards, 3.7 yards per carry, 47 receptions on 67 targets, 439 receiving yards, 9 total TDs, NFL POWER RANKINGS: Bills look Super Bowl-serious at top; 49ers, Broncos, Eagles on the rise. Per Sports Info Solutions data via The 33rd Team opposing offenses have thrown 60 passes targeting running backs in the Lions' first 16 games. 2022 stats:17 games | 213 att | 1,121 rush yds | 5.3 ypc | 2 rush TDs | 59 rec | 395 rec yds | 5 rec TDs | 3 fumbles lost. And just like that, the 49ers are first place in the NFC West after beating the Cardinals in Mexico City. 2022 stats:13 games | 144 att | 695 rush yds | 4.8 ypc | 8 rush TDs | 21 rec | 122 rec yds | 0 rec TDs | 1 fumble lost. After a promising rookie campaign, Mitchell was limited to five games in his sophomore season due to multiple knee injuries. Height: 5-foot-10.5 inches. I considered leaving Carson off this list completely given the uncertainty surrounding his injury status and 2022 return. According to John Keim of ESPN, Iowa State running back Breece Hall visited Washington this week. Hes been particularly effective in the gap rushing schemes that the Patriots favor, grading out in the 82nd percentile of all qualifying running backs in rushing grade in those schemes. Seattle Seahawks (Charis Carson, Rashaad Penny, Kenneth Walker), Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. With the 2022 NFL season now officially in the books, all eyes turn toward the 2023 NFL Draft. , who can use all the help he can get on a barren offense entering his second season. McCaffrey earned an 86.5 PFF grade in 2019 third among qualifying running backs on over 1,000 snaps. Here is how we rank the top 32 duos in the league going into 2022. Kevin Patra of NFL.com recently reviewed every team's running back situation and said the following regarding the Commanders: Top RBs under contract for 2023: Brian Robinson, Antonio Gibson, J.D. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. 2022 stats: 15 games | 228 att | 1,050 rush yds | 4.6 ypc | 9 rush TDs | 27 rec | 165 rec yds | 0 rec TDs | 0 fumbles lost. 2022 stats:1 game | 2 att | 2 rush yds | 1.0 ypc | 0 rush TDs | 0 rec | 0 rec yds | 0 rec TDs | 0 fumbles lost. These odds could change during the preseason and assuredly will change in-season. 2022 stats:16 games | 189 att | 668 rush yds | 3.5 ypc | 3 rush TDs | 73 rec | 523 rec yds | 3 rec TDs | 0 fumbles lost. 2022 stats:13 games | 68 att | 245 rush yds | 3.6 ypc | 2 rush TDs | 16 rec | 157 rec yds | 1 rec TD | 0 fumbles lost. He's still a talented all-around back but his strength might be as a part-time version of Chubb. 2022 stats:10 games | 90 att | 318 rush yds | 3.5 ypc | 2 rush TDs | 25 rec | 223 rec yds | 0 rec TDs | 2 fumbles lost. NFC East: How are the division's running backs compared to rest of NFL Schedule Teams AFC East Bills Dolphins Jets Patriots AFC North Bengals Browns Ravens Steelers AFC South Colts Jaguars. Like Montgomery, Singletary is difficult to bring down. NFC South. With Chicago also turning to a Green Bay-like rushing attack for more explosiveness, Montgomery's precarious lead role will be challenged by second-year man Khalil Herbert. NFC West divisional winner prediction for 2022 The following analysis is based on DraftKings' "Team Futures" betting lines, including the odds as of Aug. 24, 2022. Derrick Henrys midseason injury paved the way for Taylor to stake his claim as the NFLs most valuable running back last season. McKissic, Jaret Patterson,Jonathan Williams. Including the postseason, Elliott has carried the ball a league-high 1,730 times since he was drafted in 2016. The 2022 group of Bengals running backs will be similar if not the same as the 2021 group. Gibson was disappointing as he didn't deliver as the complete big back in Year 2 while playing through some injury and fumbling issues. ET. New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones, left, hands the ball to running back Saquon Barkley during. All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. Pennys career has been inconsistent and injury-filled.