Whether in the backfield or lining up in the slot. Set it, and forget it. Pierre Thomas, New Orleans. Not bad for a guy who has bounced around the league for six seasons. Grant Gordon takes a look at the players' list by the numbers. 3. If Zeke wants to regain his All-Pro form, his number one priority must be protecting the football. 27 years old. The former fourth-round pick showed some really good signs last season, rushing for 435 yards and scoring four touchdowns. Hoover's not quite as dominant a blocker as Mughelli, but he's been very solid and dependable for a long time. Darius Clark Devin Singletary, Buffalo Bills You'll now receive the top Cards Wire stories each day directly in your inbox. Drake has yet to put together a great full season, but will get his chance as the Cardinals No. New Orleans Saints defensive end Trey Hendrickson (91) and defensive end Carl Granderson (96) defends on the play at Bank of America Stadium. 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. Sign up for our newsletter and get every update delivered to your inbox! 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. South Florida: Johnson, David: New Orleans Saints: Northern Iowa . Kamara, a 3rd-round pick from Tennessee in the 2017 draft, beat out McCaffrey for 2017 Offensive Rookie of the Year honors and is a vital part of the New Orleans offense. 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. McCaffrey only played three games last season, and his loss was felt more acutely in the pass game than the run game. 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. With the start of the 2021 NFL regular season less than a month away, we take a stab at ranking the NFC East position groups. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Stitcher Radio. [CDATA[ 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. Antonio Gibson showed tons of promise in his rookie season, and JD McKissic is coming off a career year. That wont change. The other nine are . His importance to the Panthers' offense can't be overstated. 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. With big additions to the defensive front, including Jadeveon Clowney, don't be surprised if Garrett comes close to or breaks Michael Strahan's single-season sack record in 2021. Kamara had his stats hindered when Taysom Hill was QB, as he would vulture TDs and take carries away from Alvin. It's not far-fetched to think the best two receiving backs in the league reside in the NFC South. Are we talking the entire unit as a whole and comparing the sum of their parts? Michael Chow/The Arizona Republic via USA TODAY NETWORK, Sign up for the Cards Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports. Its fair to question if this drop in pass-catching production was more due to the instability and poor play at the quarterback position rather than Sanders individual production. 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. Jamaal Williams, Detroit Lions 28. They also add an underrated balance to their lethal offense with an effective running game that keeps defenses off balance. Washington pairs Gibson with JD McKissic, one of the better backup running backs in the league. His second . Of course, with Alvin Kamara still around it doesn't much matter who the No. The sky is the limit for Jones as the clear No. The WFTs running back group is led by the versatile 23-year-old Antonio Gibson. 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. Hes recorded 16 total touchdowns on receptions in four seasons and has proven to be an incredibly difficult task to bring down in space. Michael Carter led film session with running backs as RB coach Taylor Embree and wife welcomed baby . 17. We are looking at overall depth right not starters? They also look for improved play from their young offensive line to establish their running game and have a more balanced offensive attack. Jackson is a proven winner, too. Which 10 players make up Nos. The NFC West has a number of talented running backs. When you carry the ball, you kind of carry the whole hope of the whole team, organization and fan base. I never like these RB unit rankings because are we weighting the guys in the unit differently? Darrell Henderson, Los Angeles Rams If it were purely up to on-field performance, Dalvin Cook would certainly find himself a bit higher than No. panthers Number one fumbling the ball, Elliott said when asked what his No. Odds & lines subject to change. New Orleans can win games with a . Chuba Hubbard He still finished RB2 for the year because he had 21 total TDs. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. The third-round pick had a very productive rookie year in 2020, rushing for 795 yards and scoring an extremely impressive 11 touchdowns. Alvin Kamara 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. A lot of people like to make it sound as if the Saints didn't have a featured back last year. C.J. The players have spoken. Panthers are per thin. Michael Turner, Atlanta. Between his durability and the Cardinals running scheme that gives him open spaces to run, he might end up leading the NFC West in rushing. You could argue that if you individually compare Saquon Barkley and Ezekiel Elliott, Barkley is the better runner. Episode 8 of the "Top 100 Players of 2022" airs on Sunday, revealing notable NFL siblings in the players' list between Nos. 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. Atlanta hopes to limit Gurley's touches by finally getting a full season from Ito Smith, a promising power back who has been plagued by injury over his first two seasons. When hes on the field, theres no disputing that Saquon Barkley is one of the best five running backs in football. I would take our 3rd guy (Gio) and likely 2nd guy (Fournette or Rojo) over any other teams backups. Our resident cover man, Jason McCourty, ranks his top 10. Jacobs is a skilled runner in space, losing very little speed through his breaks. Co-Host of the Bayou Blitz Podcast. Every Thursday until the season begins, Ill be going through each position group in the NFC South, ranking them by team from fourth to first. 26. The Panthers crown jewel. But Kamara is the prize of the group. 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. Keith Smith The Falcons general manager said the organization would not close any doors when working to fill out the quarterback position. Continuing my NFC South position group rankings, I've dug into each team's current crop of running backs to determine how they stack up. But if hes healthy, hes a rare breed of balance, strength, and elusiveness. 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. Barkley is essentially a full season removed from participating in live contact. Behind Sanders, Philadelphia has third-year man Boston Scott and two unproven players in Jason Huntley and Kenneth Gainwell. 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. 30. Derrick Ward, Tampa Bay. . The Panthers' overall rushing production dropped in 2019 because of the loss of QB Cam Newton and an offensive line that struggled. A quality running back is a scarce fantasy asset. Let's face it: it is easier to trust a star running back on the upswing of his career than one on his last legs. 23. ESPN.com NFC North reporter, 2008-2013 . 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. Needing to replenish depth, the Cowboys should look into free agent defensive lineman Arden Key. 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. 1 back in the second half of last season on their Super Bowl run. Carolina Panthers Christian McCaffrey Chuba Hubbard Trenton Cannon Reggie Bonnafon Spencer Brown Rodney Smith Mikey Daniel Darius Clark Mason Stokke This is it. 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. If you cough it up and give it to the other team, youre letting everyone down so I mean thats the No. 27. Carolina was held below 100 yards rushing seven times last season and went 2-5 in those contests. Who has the most career 200 receiving yard games? With today's high-flying NFL offenses, it's a golden era for pass catchers. The Cowboys get to pair Elliott with one of the better backup running backs in football in Tony Pollard. 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. What separates McCaffrey from the other dual-threat running backs is his possession of elite-level ground skills. The 27-year-old Fournette is a 6-foot and 228-Lb. 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. 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. I dont entirely know what to make of Mike Davis. He was a very good back at Florida State, producing when he was the only real offensive threat. He had just under 700 yards rushing and just under 400 yards receiving. The former second-round pick rushed for 867 yards, averaging 5.3 yards per carry, and scored six touchdowns on the ground. He's still something of a secret to a lot of people. The age listed under each player's name is the age he will be on Sept. 9. In 2020, it looks a little different as Todd Gurley and David Johnson are no longer in the division. Still, hes certainly proven to be as valuable as any running back in any backfield across the league. 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. Ito Smith carried the ball 90 times for 315 yards and four scores during his rookie season, and Brian Hill ran wild in a Week 16 game against the Panthers, gaining 115 yards on just eight carries. But, when you compare the teams running back groups altogether, theres no question the Cowboys have the best group in the division. As a team, the Giants scored 17 points or fewer in half of their games. Nonetheless, the running game is important to every teams offense. 24. Let us know in the comments section what you think of our rankings. 2023 PewterReport.com All Rights Reserved. Top 32 running backs for the 2021 NFL season | 1-10, Top 32 running backs for the 2021 NFL season | 11-32. Dillon is waiting in the wings in the Green Bay running backs room. Henry will not go down on first contact and routinely churns out first down after first down if hes not scoring touchdowns. Copyright 2019-2023. Bucs' Brady Was Already Thinking 2021 Hours After Super Bowl LV. Its taken him a couple seasons, but hes our best pure runner. 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. Folks get hung up on statistics and focus more than they should on the pass catching aspect. This did not stop Barkley from totaling 1,441 yards from scrimmage, 1,003 rushing and 438 receiving, and eight touchdowns. He tallied 7.5 sacks, 12 QB hits, 10 tackles for loss and four forced fumbles for Washington's top-five unit last season. 20. His greatest attribute might be his ability to make defenders miss. Please check your email for a confirmation. With amazing contact balance and tremendous lower body strength, no defender is safe from Barkeys highlight reel. 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. Quarterback: 1-19Running back: 1-49, 80-89Wide receiver/tight end: 1-49, 80-89Offensive line: 50-79Defensive line: 50-79, 90-99Linebacker: 1-59, 90-99Defensive backs: 1-49Kicker/punter: 1-19. Prosise Im anticipating a negative game script with the running game, considering theyll be down in plenty of 4th quarters. The second-year man, out of . Tony Jones Gus Edwards, Baltimore Ravens 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. Now what did they get wrong? Hubbard was a solid mid round choice and could prove to be a capable #2but hes just that right now: an unproven mid-round rookiebasically their version of KeShawn Vaughn last season. ALVIN KAMARA, SAINTS. A lot has changed since the end of the 2020 season, when Watson led the league in passing yards (4,823). 1 focus is this season. He might not lead the division in rushing because of the addition of Hyde, but he enters the season as the best of the West. 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.