He is again, not the most athletic guy, but is quick and has decent vision. 1. Chubb has been the most consistent runner this season. Maurice Jones-Drew identifies five running backs who can save their teams' seasons down the stretch. Could the Cowboys look at a running back in first round again? He was on the field for only one snap in the postseason. It was all Pierce on Sunday. But, Elliott still recorded 1,289 yards from scrimmage and 12 touchdowns last year, and was seventh in rushing yards with 1,002. Leave me alone. Baltimore should be, at the very least, three deep at running back with Daviss addition to the room. Hes not the same player who was a serious threat with the Chiefs when he came into the league in 2017. He has a great balance of speed and power. He earned his big pay day. Specific to the 2021 season, he finished with the following advanced metrics and rankings: Chubb is the cornerstone of a Browns' rushing attack that finished 1st in Defense-adjusted Value Over Average (11.5 percent, Football Outsiders) and 5th in EPA per attempt (0.015). The former Unanimous All-American and Doak Walker Award winner accounted for 75 percent of the teams rushing yards and 70 percent of the teams rushing touchdowns. The New York Giants lost running backs coach DeAndre Smith to the Indianapolis Colts last week but it didn't take them long to find a replacement. Even with having Kareem Hunt to back him Chubb is definitely more impactful. Patterson deserves credit for last season, even if he can't build on it. Nick Chubb finished first the AFC North in 2021 with 1,259 rushing yards, despite finishing third with 228 carries. There is a big difference between the best rushing . Another year, another absolutely loaded depth chart at the running back position across the AFC North. The AFC North is a perpetual battleground with four rosters that have talent abound, the strengths of which can (and do) vary from position to position. But ahead of the 2021 season suffered a season ending injury. Harris has the best potential ROI among all four starters in the division (assuming Hunt is an RB2, which he is literally but not really--draft Hunt, please). Hes an exceptional talent with the football in his hands and has really helped transform the Browns from a laughing stock into a team that is well-built on paper. Still, the Panthers have a couple of decent guys behind him in Foreman and Hubbard. There is a clear go-to rusher in Las Vegas: Josh Jacobs. Not unlike other positions, the AFC North is stacked at running back even depth-wise with players like Kareem Hunt, DErnest Johnson, and Gus Edwards each of whom provide value to their respective offenses. Full schedule | Standings The first reaction was to call that a proper fit. All four teams (the Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, and Pittsburgh Steelers) have general managers, front offices, and personnel departments that have proven more than capable of evaluating, acquiring, and retaining talent in recent years. He had some off the field issues which is what led to the slide because, he was actually a projected first round pick. 2023 NFL Enterprises LLC. Until he picked up an ankle injury midway through the season, Simmons was on a Defensive Player of the Year type of run. Unfortunately, that help isnt behind him at the moment. The Seahawks are an interesting team when it comes to their running backs, because Pete Carroll may be relying on these guys in a big way with the loss of Russell Wilson. That has to factor intos the equation here. With two rushers on the league's rushing top-10 list, including having . The most respected source for NFL Draft info among NFL Fans, Media, and Scouts, plus accurate, up to date NFL Depth Charts, Practice Squads and Rosters. The Miami Dolphins completed their 2022 campaign, as they were defeated by the Buffalo Bills in the wild-card round. I can navigate those waters, even more, if we're talking about Najee Harris being the freshman I roster. There is a conspiracy that there was an issue with the turf given the turmoil of the Ravens injury problems last year. The Browns not only have the best running back in the division, Nick Chubb, but they also have probably the league's best backup in Kareem Hunt. Avoid the Fins' Gaskin, Draft Whoever Else: Devin Singletary, Buffalo Bills. DROPPED OUT: Cordarrelle Patterson, Falcons (previously No. The NFC North only ranks behind the AFC North regarding running backs. Rookie Jerome Ford steps into the fold this season, as does second-year player Demetric Felton, making for a rather deep, talented Browns running back room under head coach Kevin Stefanski. The Browns' offense may favor the pass at a higher clip in 2022 with Deshaun Watson under center (6th lowest passing play percentage in 2021 at 54 percent), but Chubb will still get his fair share of carries and further cement himself among the elite at the position. To make things worse, Travis Etienne had more snaps than him (24 to 22). As Dajani . When things have gone sideways, it has been DErnest Johnson to come in to play at a high level. Bengals Depth Chart. Much like the running backs rooms in the AFC North, the wide receiver rooms are loaded with big names across the board, featuring names like Ja'Marr Chase, Diontae Johnson and Amari Cooper, not . Houston unearthed a gem in Pierce. He was not necessarily the most efficient running back with a number 34 overall finish in rush success rate (49 percent) and 35th finish in DVOA (-4.8 percent, Football Outsiders), but he was impactful in breaking tackles and after contact. In a division like it having a great running back is absolutely a necessity given where the teams are located, bad weather is almost a guarantee. Plus, see which team now has TWO players in MJD's top 15 RB rankings. It was their fourth loss of the season, leaving them at 7-4. For the first 11 games with Jacoby Brissett as the quarterback the team was one of the most efficient offenses in football under Kevin Stefanski. Already we have seen high-profile names like Rams CB Jalen Ramsey . While everybody is focusing on team win totals, let's be a little more specific here with some bold predictions and go out on a limb for each team, giving some takes that will be specific to PFF grades and some that are more general. He is again, not the most athletic guy, but is quick and has decent vision. Former NFL rushing leader and NFL Network analyst Maurice Jones-Drew will survey all running backs and rank his top 15 each week of the 2022 season. Stars dot the depth chart at running back across the AFC North, with names like Nick Chubb, J.K. Dobbins, and now Najee Harris leading the way in the division, which is known for its old-school . Ranking the Steelers among AFC North running back groups. Veterans Trayvon Williams and Elijah Holyfield will compete for the No. The AFC North has the best overall running back group in the NFL, as this division had three of the . DEarnest Johnson emerged as a legitimate NFL running back last season while Chubb and Hunt were injured. Chubb is not the most dangerous or highly . Maybe it was because they faced the dismal Lions defense. Still, none of the Ravens' rushers were able to out-produce quarterback Lamar Jackson on the ground, with the exception of Kenyan Drake, who managed to score one more . See the full pecking order. Hes a better pass-catching back than Chubb, which makes the pair an ideal combination. This knack for roster building has been reflected in the league standings with the division having five appearances in the playoffs over the past two seasons (Bengals x1, Browns x1, Ravens x1, Steelers x2). Can the Lions fix their defense? Denver Broncos: Javonte Williams, Melvin GordonKansas City Chiefs: Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Ronald Jones, Jerick McKinnonLas Vegas Raiders: Josh Jacobs, Kenyan DrakeLos Angeles Chargers: Austin Ekeler. In the absence of David Montgomery, Herbert has been above average in all aspects. When he is not on the field the Browns definitely miss his production. Joe Mixon fell to the Cincinnati Bengals in the second round of the 2017 draft. "The AFC North has the best overall running back group in the NFL, as this division had three of the top four rushers last year. Nick Chubb is a force of nature. Gaskin was the Dolphins' starting running back in 2021, but his numbers weren't great, as he totaled 612 yards and three touchdowns on 3.5 yards per attempt, adding another 234 yards and four touchdowns on 49 receptions. Just look at what Derrick Henry has done over the past few seasons, and what Jonathan Taylor did last year. The Commanders have an interesting situation at running back. The value can't be higher given his ADP of 141st overall and RB41 at the time of this writing. Like the Browns the Steelers also have quarterback uncertainty. He missed the entire 2021 season due to an injury. Aug 3, 2022. Heading toward the start of free agency, front offices around the league will be analyzing their rosters position by position to determine their team needs ahead of the 2023 season. *Note that all statistics were sourced from Sports Info Solutions, rbsdm.com, and Pro Football Focus (PFF), unless otherwise noted. Did rushing champion Josh Jacobs finish on top? Behind Chubb, Kareem Hunt is a terrific backup in the league. Along with the return of Dobbins, the Ravens also added veteran running back Mike Davis in free agency, bringing in a veteran running back who has gotten better as hes aged, rushing for more than 500 yards in three of his last five seasons in the NFL. This isn't a list that's simply pulled from one person's brain in an effort to give the position some form of a ranking, either. He had 101 total yards against the Giants and has the opportunity to continue his productive campaign this week against the Vikings, who have given up the second-most rushing touchdowns (seven). Ravens Can Take Former No. The former Alabama and Oklahoma star led Philadelphia to a 14-1 . Atlanta's Cordarrelle Patterson and Denver's Javonte Williams are top of mind, with both being regulars in my running back rankings through the first quarter of the season. The Bills haven't had a stud running back since maybe the LeSean McCoy days, but Singletary is capable and it's hard not to be intrigued by the rookie Cook. Will Edwards-Helaire prove he's a legitimate No. 2.4 Pittsburgh Steelers. The Broncos will move forward with Gordon, who's had fumbling issues, Mike Boone and new addition Latavius Murray. For our rankings, we will utilize prior performance via advanced metrics and data (with an emphasis placed on the most recent season), as a benchmark. Atlanta Falcons: Cordarrelle Patterson, Tyler Allgeier, Damien WilliamsCarolina Panthers: Christian McCaffrey, Chuba Hubbard, D'Onta ForemanNew Orleans Saints: Alvin Kamara, Mark IngramTampa Bay Buccaneers: Leonard Fournette. 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