RADIO
The running back position has been the subject of much discussion during the NFL's offseason, as many feel that the position's best players are becoming drastically underpaid due to the prevailing theory that running backs are one of the game's most "replaceable" commodities.
While the reluctance to pay running backs mega millions might make sense from an NFL front-office standpoint, the position arguably remains one of the most impactful in football.
With the start of the 2023 NFL season now upon us, let's take a look at the running back situation for all 32 teams. In this article, we'll rank every starting running back in the NFL for the 2023 season.
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The Elites
1. Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers
McCaffrey's transition from Carolina to San Francisco via a mid-season trade was seamless. The NFL's top dual-threat back, CMC averaged 4.7 yards per carry last season, while amassing over 1,800 scrimmage yards for the third time in his career. He's the gold standard at the RB position and is set up for more success in 2023, as Kyle Shanahan's offense is projected to be one of the most explosive in the league.
Christian McCaffrey was born to play in a Kyle Shanahan offense 😂 pic.twitter.com/R9Zq2Ja7SP
— PFF (@PFF) August 2, 2023
2. Nick Chubb, Cleveland Browns
If we're talking about pure runners, Chubb might be the best in the NFL. The 2022 campaign marked Chubb's fifth consecutive season averaging over five yards per carry and he posted a career-best 1,525 rushing yards last season. The knock on Chubb is his lack of involvement in the passing game, though he could see a spike in receiving opportunities with Kareem Hunt out of the picture in 2023.
3. Derrick Henry, Tennessee Titans
Everyone keeps predicting that the wheels will soon fall off for the 29-year-old Henry, but until that time comes he's still a top-five running back in the NFL. The Titans superstar bounced back from an injury-shortened 2021 campaign to rush for 1,538 and 13 TDs last year. It marked the third time in his illustrious career that he's topped 1,500 rushing yards in a season. Tennessee head coach Mike Vrabel isn't afraid to ride Henry.
4. Austin Ekeler, Los Angeles Chargers
A true swiss-army-knife back, Ekeler led all NFL running backs in receptions by a wide margin in 2022, hauling in 127 catches for 722 yards and five TDs. Ekeler was also effective running the football last season, averaging 4.5 yards per carry and finding the end zone 13 times on the ground. He should once again be in a position to thrive in both capacities in 2023 for a Chargers offense that's expected to be one of the most explosive in the league under the eye of new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore.
Austin Ekeler has his eyes set on back-to-back RB1 titles 🏆 pic.twitter.com/ZOxkItVmNU
— PFF Fantasy Football (@PFF_Fantasy) August 22, 2023
5. Saquon Barkley, New York Giants
Barkley reminded the NFL what he's capable of when fully healthy last season. Appearing for 16 games for the first time since his rookie season in 2018, Barkley totaled 1,650 all-purpose yards and 10 TDs while leading the G-Men to an appearance in the Divisional round of the NFL Playoffs. His projections for 2023 are dependent on his health, but as long as Barkley remains injury free, he should continue to thrive in Giants head coach Brian Daboll's revamped offense.
Top-10 Running Backs
6. Josh Jacobs, Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders back was one of the NFL's most pleasant surprises in 2022. While Jacobs had rushed for over 1,000 yards in two of his first three NFL seasons, he reached a new level in 2022 by exploding for a league-high 1,653 yards on the ground. After a true breakout campaign, Jacobs had been in stalled contract negotiations with Las Vegas and held out of training camp as a result. He's now agreed to terms on an amended one-year deal with the Raiders and should be ready to go in Week 1.
7. Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts
Questions continue to swirl around Jonathan Taylor's status for 2023, as he's currently in a very public spat with Colts owner Jim Irsay. Assuming Taylor plays somewhere this season, he should remain an elite weapon. The Wisconsin product flashed his eye-popping potential in a terrific 2021 campaign but struggled with injuries for a bad Colts team in 2022 and appeared in just 11 games. After trade negotiations didn't work out, Taylor will begin the year on PUP and miss at least the first four games of the season.
Miami? Chicago? Denver?
What's the best landing spot for JT? 🧐 pic.twitter.com/CLkInknrn4
— theScore (@theScore) August 25, 2023
8. Tony Pollard, Dallas Cowboys
Tony Pollard has been freed! With long-time Dallas lead back Ezekiel Elliott now in New England, the road to workhorse usage is wide open for Pollard. The 26-year-old put forth career highs across the board in 2022, while seeing the most action of his career. While Pollard will be working his way back from a broken leg as the season gets underway, we can still expect elite production over the course of the year from the electrifying back that possesses superstar potential.
9. Aaron Jones, Green Bay Packers
Aaron Jones quietly logged over 1,000 rushing yards for the third time in his career in 2022. While things weren't always pretty for the Packers offense last year, we can't place the blame on Jones, who continued to prove himself as a multi-faceted back who can do damage both on the ground and through the air. There will certainly be a post-Aaron Rodgers adjustment period, look for Green Bay to lean heavily on Jones.
10. Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons
Is it too soon to project Bijan Robinson as a top-10 running back? Maybe. But maybe Robinson lives up to the hype that made him the highest-graded RB prospect since Saquon Barkley and compelled the Atlanta Falcons to select him with the eighth overall pick of the draft. He walks into a dream scenario to produce in Arthur Smith's run-heavy offensive scheme.
The Risers & Fallers
11. Travis Etienne, Jacksonville Jaguars
After missing his rookie season with foot surgery, Travis Etienne took over as the Jaguars lead back in 2022. Etienne impressed in the role, rushing for over 1,000 yards while accounting for nearly 75% of the team's carries in 2022. Many analysts believe Jacksonville will scale back that workload in the upcoming season in an attempt to protect the former Clemson Tiger against injury. That said, the explosive Etienne will remain one of the offensive cornerstones for an evolving Jacksonville offense.
Travis Etienne 2022 stats:
220 CARRIES
1,125 YARDS
5 TOUCHDOWNS
5.1 YARDS/CARRYCould the third year running back put up 1,600 rushing yards this season? 👀 pic.twitter.com/I6yZGAv53h
— Jaguars Zone (@jaguarszoneig) August 3, 2023
12. Kenneth Walker III, Seattle Seahawks
Seattle's decision to draft running back Zach Charbonnet in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft was an odd one considering the impressive rookie year that Walker carved out in 2022. He made the most of his opportunity when incumbent Seahawks starter Rashaad Penny went down with an injury. Walker was an explosive, game-breaking threat that finished the season with the NFL's second-most runs of over 20 yards and 40 yards.
13. Rhamondre Stevenson, New England Patriots
The Patriots back made exciting strides in his second year in the NFL. Stevenson flashed a legitimate dual-threat skill set by rushing for over 1,000 yards on the ground and being one of just eight RBs to tally more than 400 receiving yards in 2022. Although former backfield mate Damien Harris has moved on to the Buffalo Bills, New England recently signed veteran RB Ezekiel Elliott, which prevents Stevenson from being higher in these rankings.
14. Dalvin Cook/Breece Hall, New York Jets
The Jets possess one of the more interesting backfield situations in the league. Breece Hall appeared to be a superstar-in-the-making during his rookie campaign in 2022, however, a season-ending injury to Hall compelled New York to sign star free-agent RB Dalvin Cook to a one-year deal recently. It's a unique situation, which hurts the standalone value of both backs, though Gang Green should have a dynamic backfield in 2023.
15. Alexander Mattison, Minnesota Vikings
Alexander Mattison will inherit the aforementioned Cook's lead role in the Vikings' backfield in 2023. A career backup, Mattison has thrived when filling in for Cook in the past, most notably in the 2021 season when he showcased a dual-threat skill set in Cook's absence. Minnesota boasted one of the most explosive offenses in the league last year and Mattison could well handle bell-cow duties for the Vikes.
Alexander Mattison has a 22.3% broken tackle rate since 2019 that is 5th best among RBs with 300+ carriespic.twitter.com/auTTzkwutR
— Scott Spratt (@Scott_Spratt) August 21, 2023
16. Najee Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers
Despite being utilized as one of the NFL's true workhorse backs, Najee Harris regressed in 2022 with both his rushing production (1,034 yards) and receiving output (229 yards) declining in comparison to his stellar rookie season in 2021. That said, Harris did play his best ball down the stretch last season and will be working behind a revamped - and likely dramatically improved - offensive line in 2023.
17. Alvin Kamara/Jamaal Williams, New Orleans Saints
An offseason filled with questions about his 2023 availability was resolved when Alvin Kamara was handed down a three-game suspension for his role in a Las Vegas nightclub brawl. It's less than most suspected, which means Kamara will be back on the field in relatively short order this season. Veteran Jamaal Williams was brought in from Detroit during the offseason and will hold down the fort until the Saints' star returns.
18. Joe Mixon, Cincinnati Bengals
Bengals back Joe Mixon gets a bump for playing in such a high-octane offense. However, Mixon was largely underwhelming in 2022, as he struggled through injuries and ineffectiveness for stretches of the season. With reliable back-up Samaje Perine now in Denver, Mixon should once again handle a large portion of Cincy's backfield work.
Talented with Questions
19. Dameon Pierce, Houston Texans
The Florida product looked like a superstar-in-the-making during the early portion of his rookie season. However, Pierce faded as the season progressed and eventually gave way to an ankle injury that ended his 2022 campaign. He'll be suiting up for a revamped Texans organization in 2023 with a new coaching staff and quarterback in place. Devin Singletary's addition will likely cut into Pierce's upside.
20. J.K. Dobbins, Baltimore Ravens
Returning from a major knee surgery that forced him to miss the entirety of the 2021 season, Dobbins continued to be plagued by injuries last year. In a stop-and-start 2022, the Ravens back ultimately appeared in eight games, although he didn't always look completely healthy. He did finish the season on a positive note by rushing for 90 or more yards in three of his final four appearances of the year.
21. Miles Sanders, Carolina Panthers
Sanders exploded for a career-high 1,269 rushing yards in 2022. He leveraged that output into a four-year, $25.4 million deal with the Carolina Panthers. Sanders will now go from running behind one of the NFL's best offensive lines in Philly to a Carolina offense that's undergone a coaching change and will be starting a rookie QB. With those concerns duly noted, Sanders will have a chance at the sort of workhorse role in Carolina that he never got with the Eagles.
Carolina Panthers running back Miles Sanders, who was signed as a free agent ahead of the upcoming season, will be ready to play following a groin injury. #sports #SportsNews https://t.co/UtAhEkT0oY
— Sports World News (@SportsWN) August 24, 2023
22. David Montgomery/Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions
The trending Lions will field a revamped backfield in 2023. Detroit moved on from both Jamaal Williams and D'Andre Swift during the offseason by signing David Montgomery from the Chicago Bears and using a first-round pick to draft dynamic Jahmyr Gibbs out of Alabama. These two could combine to form one of the league's most effective backfield duos, though the lack of clarity as to their individual workloads prevents either from grading out higher in our rankings.
23. Javonte Williams, Denver Broncos
Many expected big things from Javonte Williams in 2022, but the talented RB fell victim to "The Nathaniel Hackett Experience" before suffering a season-ending ACL injury just four games into the year. Williams will most likely be ready to go in Week 1 in this Sean Peyton-led offense, though the Broncos will likely ease him in slowly, and signed veteran Samaje Perine during the offseason.
24.) Khalil Herbert, Chicago Bears
With David Montgomery now in Detroit, the talented Herbert should have the reigns for the Bears backfield. The third-year man has looked dynamic in spot duty for Chicago during his first two years in the league. Herbert averaged a chunky 5.7 yards per carry in 2022, which is likely why the Bears felt comfortable letting Montgomery walk during the offseason.
25. James Cook, Buffalo Bills
Few doubt Cook's talent or explosiveness, though his overall production was somewhat underwhelming during his rookie campaign in a part-time role for Buffalo. The electric Cook averaged 5.3 yards per carry in 2022 while largely playing a complimentary role to Devin Singletary. With Singletary now in Houston and Nyheim Hines out for the season with an injury, Cook should have a clear path to all of Buffalo's pass-down work and will likely share early-down carries with new signee Damien Harris.
James Cook is so good that every coaching staff since high school has decided “you know, we think that you’re at your best if you touch the ball 8 times a game”
— Dan Fornek ↗️ (@fornekdf) August 26, 2023
26. Cam Akers, Los Angeles Rams
Akers struggled mightily at the outset of the 2022 season to the point that he appeared to be a trade - or even a cut - candidate. However, Akers fought through the issues to finish strong down the stretch and could be in for a workhorse role in 2023 for the retooling Rams.
27. Isiah Pacheco, Kansas City Chiefs
Don't let Pacheco's ranking here fool you, he has the potential to end 2023 ranked much higher on this list. The rookie came on strong down the stretch for Kansas City last year and finished his maiden NFL campaign averaging 4.9 yards per carry. He'll once again garner the lion's share of the Chiefs' early-down carries, though his upside is a bit capped by how much passing-down work Jerick McKinnon earns in this Patrick Mahomes-led offense.
28. Rachaad White, Tampa Bay Bucs
White earned his way into a timeshare with incumbent Bucs starter Leonard Fournette down the stretch last season. With Fournette now gone, the second-year back has a clear path to workhorse-type usage. The downside? White only managed 3.7 yards per attempt last year and he'll now be playing in an offense led by Baker Mayfield rather than Tom Brady.
Committees and Other Things
29. James Conner, Arizona Cardinals
Conner has been a rock-solid back during his time in the NFL. Unfortunately, the Arizona Cardinals look to be in full-blown "tank" mode in 2023.
30. Kenneth Gainwell/D'Andre Swift/Rashasd Penny, Philadelphia Eagles
This could well be one of the best backfield committees in football this year behind one of the NFL's strongest offensive lines. However, there's no clear lead back at the moment between holdover Kenneth Gainwell and the perma-injured duo of D'Andre Swift and Rashaad Penny.
There is zero chance Howie Roseman is trading another draft pick for a running back before the season.
The Eagles are set with Gainwell, Swift, Penny, and Scott.
— Brenden Deeg (@BrendenDeeg_) August 24, 2023
31. Raheem Mostert/Jeff Wilson Jr., Miami Dolphins
Mostert can still look explosive at times, though he's always an injury concern. He'll share plenty of work with backfield mate Jeff Wilson Jr., and likely, with rookie De'Von Achane. The Dolphins have been heavily involved in the RB market during the offseason.
32. Brian Robinson Jr./Antonio Gibson, Washington Commanders
Robinson's recovery from a gunshot wound prior to last season is undoubtedly amazing, but the rookie often looked sluggish and averaged just 3.9 yards per carry in 2022. Perhaps that changes this year after a full offseason to continue full recovering from his issues, though he'll still be forced to share extensive pass-game work with Antonio Gibson.
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