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Now that we've got a week of NFL football out of the way, we've started to get a sense of how some of the NFL's more crowded backfields might be looking.
How did backfields like the Bears and Broncos shake out this week? Do we have a little more clarity about the three-headed monster of Khalil Herbert, Roschon Johnson, and D'Onta Foreman now?
Below, you'll find an analysis of how some of these crowded backfields look after Week 1. Has someone emerged as the team's clear No. 1? Or have things got even murkier? Here are my thoughts on five intriguing NFL running back battles.
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Atlanta Falcons
Players: Tyler Allgeier, Bijan Robinson
Alright. Long term, there's no question here. This is Bijan Robinson's backfield. But as far as the early weeks of 2023 go, Tyler Allgeier is definitely a threat to take touches away, just as he did in Week 1.
Allgeier had 15 carries for 75 yards and two touchdowns and was also targeted three times, catching all three passes for 19 yards. Robinson had 10 carries for 56 yards, plus caught all six of his targets for 27 yards and a score.
Overall, Allgeier had two more touches than Robinson. But don't think for a second that means Allgeier is the RB1 in Atlanta. Robinson was a first-round pick—in real life and in fantasy—for a reason. And he played four more snaps than Allgeier.
The makeup of this team likely means both are on the field a good bit together, but I expect things to shake out more in Robinson's favor. He's still an RB1 play in fantasy, but Allgeier's role won't vanish. He's an RB3 upside play.
Baltimore Ravens
Players: Gus Edwards, Justice Hill, Melvin Gordon
With J.K. Dobbins done for the year, the Ravens backfield is now really interesting. Dobbins was supposed to be the go-to guy here, but now Gus Edwards, Justice Hill, and potentially Melvin Gordon will be thrown into the mix.
In Week 1, Dobbins left the game in the third quarter. The play after he left, Hill took the ball in for a two-yard touchdown.
After Dobbins left the game, Hill had seven carries, while Edwards had eight carries. Notably, Edwards was used to start drives, while Hill was used later in drives. I'm exactly sure what that means going forward, but I'd guess it's that Edwards gets early-down work, while Hill is used more in the red zone. Those usage patterns would mean both have value.
As for Gordon, I don't know. The team has suggested they're happy they have Gordon to pick up some slack, but the veteran back averaged just 3.5 yards per carry for Denver last season. He might get some usage in the passing game, but I don't really think we see much out of him.
Chicago Bears
Players: Khalil Herbert, Roschon Johnson, D'Onta Foreman
The Bears had three running backs in the mix heading into Week 1 and, well, they have three running backs in the mix after Week 1 as well.
| Carries | Rushing Yards | TD | Receptions | Targets | Receiving Yards | Snap Rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Khalil Herbert | 9 | 27 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 37 | 36% |
| Roschon Johnson | 5 | 20 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 35 | 39% |
| D'Onta Foreman | 5 | 16 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 28% |
The split in playing time and the lack of production from the players definitely makes me worry that none of the three players have much value. I will say that Johnson's receiving role makes him the most intriguing right now, and Foreman's probably the least intriguing. Overall though, this is a mess. Heading into Week 2, there's just no clarity in the backfield.
Denver Broncos
Players: Javonte Williams, Samaje Perine
With Javonte Williams coming back from an ACL tear, Samaje Perine was expected to play a big role, especially early in the season if Williams missed time.
But Williams had a strong recovery from the injury and was good to go in Week 1. He ended up leading the Broncos in both rushing attempts and targets with 13 and six, respectively.
Meanwhile, Perine had eight carries and four targets. He was still involved, and he made a bigger impact in the passing game, catching four passes for 37 yards to Williams' four receptions for just five yards.
In terms of snap count, the two were in a dead heat, with both on the field for 29 plays. And while Jaleel McLaughlin saw the field as the third back, he didn't have a carry.
There are two ways you could take this. One is that Williams is still working his way back and will play a larger role going the other. The other is that the Broncos have two solid backs and will split the snaps fairly evenly, with Perine on more on passing downs. I tend to go with the latter.
Kansas City Chiefs
Players: Isiah Pacheco, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Jerick McKinnon
The Chiefs shouldn't have wound up in this article. Isiah Pacheco looked poised to be the lead back. Jerick McKinnon would see some passing-down usage. Clyde Edwards-Helaire was just there as insurance.
But then Pacheco had surgery on his hand and labrum in the offseason and played sparingly in the preseason, with Edwards-Helaire serving as the first-string running back in those contests.
It was CEH who was on the field first in Week 1 as well, taking the first two carries of the game. McKinnon came on for the first third down and was targeted. Pacheco got his first touch on the Chiefs' second drive. Suddenly, things looked pretty split here.
Ultimately, Pacheco played 31 snaps, the most of any running back on the team. McKinnon played 20. Edwards-Helaire, despite starting, played the fewest of the running backs, with 14 snaps. He ended up with six carries and one target, while Pacheco had eight carries and four targets and McKinnon had no carries and two targets.
In the end, I think this backfield's going to mainly just be Pacheco's, with the other two shuffled in. Despite not starting and coming in with concerns about how he'd look off the surgery, he led KC running backs in carries and targets.
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