The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. 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. Though his days as an elite runner may be behind him, Zekes durability and well-rounded ability were on display in 2020. McCaffrey is the only running back in NFL history to record back-to-back seasons with at least 100 catches from 2018 to 2019. Leonard Fournette, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2 back is. Nelson might miss the start of the 2021 regular season as he recovers from foot surgery, but that doesn't change the fact that he's a three-time first-team All-Pro. And you nailed it, RoJo comes back every year improved. Gibson also caught 36 passes for 247 yards, bringing his total yards to 1,042 in just 14 games. He rushed for 772 yards on a whopping 5.6 yards per attempt last season. Chris Carson, Seattle Seahawks I don't think the Seahawks get close to the playoff team they've been the past two seasons without him. He threatens opposing defenses not only out of the backfield but also when lining up both from the slot and outside as a receiver. Carolina was held below 100 yards rushing seven times last season and went 2-5 in those contests. Thats not to say Davis is a slouch, as the veteran filled in admirably for Christian McCaffrey last season in Carolina. With coaching staff in place, what's next for Carolina Panthers? However, he only had one regular season game last year with more than 14 carries. Can he be a regular special teamer? Gambling problem? He had six 100-yard games last season. Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Christian McCaffrey Quarterback: 1-19 Running back: 1-49,. All Rights Reserved. They did. Ty Montgomery Despite having a solid season on the ground, Sanders receiving totals did drop drastically. Are we talking the entire unit as a whole and comparing the sum of their parts? The top running backs in the NFL are big names, those that you must watch on Sunday. McKinnon returns for a third season with the 49ers but has yet to play a single snap in the regular season because of injuries. The team could be hoping for a breakout year with Jones, but the combination of him and Barber isn't too frightening. A: . 16. The Falcons general manager said the organization would not close any doors when working to fill out the quarterback position. Pairing him with a rejuvenated Elliott is going to give the Cowboys not only the best running back group in the NFC East this season, but potentially one of the best groups in all of football. Which team boasts three representatives? . You could argue that if you individually compare Saquon Barkley and Ezekiel Elliott, Barkley is the better runner. 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. He very well could be the starter in 2021. Barkley is essentially a full season removed from participating in live contact. And I still really like Vaughn. The Buccaneers had the worst rushing attack in the division last year, averaging 95.2 yards per game, which were the fourth-fewest among all NFL teams. 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. 9. NFC South. The other nine are 25 or younger. section: | slug: nfl-jersey-numbers-heres-a-running-list-of-players-who-have-decided-to-make-a-switch-beginning-in-2021 | sport: football | route: article_single.us | 10. 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. 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. They have CMC and then a bunch of question marks. That's his 10th on the year and it is 27-16 #WashingtonFootball up on the Cowboys in Dallas. he's on pace for a career high in rushing yards at an age when most running backs are nearing their final days in the . 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. Touchdown Antonio Gibson! Were anxiously awaiting multiple returns to the field for some of the leagues top running backs, none more so than Christian McCaffrey. 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. Those people should review Fournettes passing stats with the Jags. I'm projecting a bit here because we don't truly know Ward's role. Mike James. Fournette had an attitude change after his chatRead more . Behind Sanders, Philadelphia has third-year man Boston Scott and two unproven players in Jason Huntley and Kenneth Gainwell. Until then, however, weve only seen enough from one rookie running back to crack the top 32 in the NFL entering the season. Michael Turner, Atlanta. Not saying it shouldnt be factored in, but both Karama and McCaffrey are valued more for their pass receiving prowess than their still good running accomplishments. 26. Ill be honest. follow. Who has the most career 200 receiving yard games? He is good but he might not be the same guy in another offense. Derrick Ward, Tampa Bay. 40 and 31. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. Stevie Scott, Saints RB Alvin Kamara Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR. 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. The former second-round pick rushed for 867 yards, averaging 5.3 yards per carry, and scored six touchdowns on the ground. You'll now receive the top Cards Wire stories each day directly in your inbox. Ollison and Brooks-James have combined for 33 career carries, and Hawkins and Huntley are rookies. 1 thing thats my focus this year is protecting the ball.. Pretty fair rankings. Like, in terms of entire unit, I cant in good faith grade the Panthers #1. 24. Jackson is a proven winner, too. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. Joe Mixon, Cincinnati Bengals New Orleans can win games with a . Jamaal Williams, Detroit Lions Jul 18, 2020 12:41 PM EDT. Hes recorded 43 scores on the ground and another 15 through the air, proving to be a touchdown machine in the Saints offense. Allen made huge jumps in his on-field production, confidence and command of the offense last season. With an added dynamic out of the backfield, the trend of top backs being well-rounded continues. Dwayne Washington also returns to the Saints' backfield after carrying the ball 27 times for 154 yards last season. GO HEAD, @saquon!159 Total Yards, 2 Touchdowns, and a souvenir for a fan in the 1st half! I would take our 3rd guy (Gio) and likely 2nd guy (Fournette or Rojo) over any other teams backups. But I think he's going to be the primary ball carrier in an offense that runs often. The Panthers' overall rushing production dropped in 2019 because of the loss of QB Cam Newton and an offensive line that struggled. Darius Clark Ovie Mughelli, Atlanta. The 24-year-old running back is having one of the most dominant seasons in NFL history, leading the league in rushing yards (988), rushing TDs (13) and rushing yards per game (98.8). But if hes healthy, hes a rare breed of balance, strength, and elusiveness. Kamara gained 1,592 combined yards last season and scored 18 touchdowns. 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. For him to step up like that at just 23 years old is a testament . saints He is a very good complementary back, something the 49ers have many of. 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. 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. Two running backs who would be starters on their own in at least 20 other backfields. Before we get into the full list of which players are making the change, let's take a quick look at what numbers are now available to specific positions. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account. 29. Giovani Bernard Where do the two Arizona Cardinals lead backs in James Conner and Chase Edmonds rank? Matt Brown. Mason Stokke. NFL Network's "Top 100 Players of 2021" continues Sunday, Aug. 22. 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. Further, Mike Evans, Antonio Brown, and Chris Godwin deserve their fair share of targets too. Mike Davis was RB18 last year splitting carries with Todd Gurley. It was Thomas and he's solid. 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. NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. His value to this offense can't be matched. 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. Kamara had his stats hindered when Taysom Hill was QB, as he would vulture TDs and take carries away from Alvin. He also provides an excellent floor because even if the game script isnt favoring the run game, CMC will get plenty of targets through the air. 8 overall draft pick, assets required to get better fast. Carolina Panthers. 1 in Green Bay. James Robinson, Jacksonville Jaguars //