Tag: nfl best running backs

The NFL’s top 11 running backs

Who says running backs don’t matter? Not Doug Farrar, who lists the 11 best backs in the NFL today, from Damien Harris to Jonathan Taylor.

A lot of people will tell you that in the NFL these days, running backs don’t matter.

It might be more accurate to say that running backs don’t matter — until they do.

After two straight seasons of leading the NFL in carries, rushing yards, and rushing touchdowns, Derrick Henry of the Titans missed the last nine games of the 2021 regular season with a foot injury, returning for his team’s divisional round loss to the Bengals. When Henry was on the field last season, the Titans had an Offensive EPA of 0.08. Without him? -0.1. Tennessee had a Passing EPA of 0.15 with Henry, and -0.11 without, a Rushing EPA of 0.03 with, and -0.09 without.

Henry’s absence didn’t just affect the run game. Ryan Tannehill completed 68.1% of his passes for 1,185 yards, seven touchdowns, and three interceptions with Henry. Without Henry, Tannehill completed 66.7% Of his passes for 2262 yards, 10 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. Without Henry, Tannehill’s EPA per attempt plummeted from 0.23 to 0.1.

With Henry on the field, Tannehill faced a loaded box (seven or more defenders) on a league-high 127 dropbacks. Without Henry, Tannehill faced a loaded box on 120 of his dropbacks, which ranked third in the league. From Week 13 through the end of the regular season, Tannehill had 69 dropbacks against loaded boxes, which ranked eighth. As Henry’s disappearance became more pronounced, opponents altered their strategies. Which happens when your most valuable player isn’t around to be that valuable.

Here, for your perusal, are the 11 most valuable running backs in the NFL today. Not all of them define their offenses, but there are more of those tentpole guys than you may imagine, given what you keep hearing about the value of the modern back. We also have links to all the position lists Mark Schofield and myself have done to date, leading up to next week’s list of the 101 best players in the NFL today.

The NFL’s top 13 safeties

The NFL’s top 12 slot defenders

The NFL’s top 12 outside cornerbacks

The NFL’s top 11 linebackers

The NFL’s top 11 edge defenders

The NFL’s top 12 interior defensive linemen

The NFL’s top 12 centers

The NFL’s top 12 offensive guards

The NFL’s top 12 offensive tackles

The NFL’s top 12 tight ends

The NFL’s top 11 slot receivers

The NFLs top 16 wide receivers

(All advanced metrics courtesy of Sports Info Solutions, Pro Football Focus, and Football Outsiders unless otherwise indicated).

The NFL’s top 11 running backs

Yes, running backs still matter, and here are the 11 running backs who matter most in today’s NFL.

Do running backs matter?

We’ve been arguing that for years, and while it’s true that they aren’t as important to offenses as they used to be in a general sense, imagine the Titans’ offense without Derrick Henry, or Sean Payton’s offenses without the versatile backs who can line up all over the field. Put Pete Carroll out there without a top-tier back, and he might decide to go back to college. The importance of running backs in today’s NFL has a lot to do with individual team and scheme, and how those backs fit what the coaches want to do. Running backs matter in that constraint to a greater or lesser degree depending on positive workload, and the combination of sustaining style and explosive plays. As is the case with everything else in the NFL, it’s not a binary answer.

Perhaps it’s not so much that running backs don’t matter, and more that longevity at the position is a pretty tough go. Look at Ezekiel Elliott, who you won’t find on this particular list. Elliott led the league in rushing attempts and rushing yards in two of his first three NFL seasons (2016 and 2018), but he’s seen his carries, yards, yards per attempt, and yards from scrimmage decrease in each of the last three seasons. Elliott has been dealing with injuries, which is part of the problem, and it doesn’t help that injuries have also affected the Cowboys’ offensive line. Saquon Barkley led the NFL in yards from scrimmage in his rookie year of 2018, and has managed to play in just 15 games since. Todd Gurley was once the standard-bearer at the position, but his output has declined precipitously over the last two seasons.

Running back is a tough gig. Never mind whether you matter; the end goal is to survive at a high level as long as you possibly can.

When you’re on top of the world as a running back, things can change very quickly. Here are the 11 best running backs in the NFL… at the moment.

(All advanced metrics courtesy of Pro Football Focus and Sports Info Solutions unless otherwise noted).