Pairing him with a rejuvenated Elliott is going to give the Cowboys not only the best running back group in the NFC East this season, but potentially one of the best groups in all of football. Dwayne Washington also returns to the Saints' backfield after carrying the ball 27 times for 154 yards last season. Chris Carson, Seattle Seahawks For him to step up like that at just 23 years old is a testament . He has speed and power, just needs to keep working to find his role. Fournette had an attitude change after his chatRead more . We'll continue our NFC South positional rankings today with running backs. Josh Jacobs has eclipsed the 1,000-yard plateau in each of his first two seasons with the Raiders. He kept a lot of hits off Turner and quarterback Matt Ryan last year. 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. He threatens opposing defenses not only out of the backfield but also when lining up both from the slot and outside as a receiver. saints Love they guys commitment and work ethic. Leonard Fournette, Tampa Bay Buccaneers His greatest attribute might be his ability to make defenders miss. In 2020, it looks a little different as Todd Gurley and David Johnson are no longer in the division. 40 and 31. Falcons ask Richardson who's faster, him or Kyle Pitts. Hes absolutely a first-round draft pick and provided youre not picking one overall, I think you can take him at any pick and nobody will shame you for it. follow. Listen to the latest from Cards Wires Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Fantasy Fallout: With Gavin Lux Out, Could A Sleeper Emerge? When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. With Tom Brady's retirement, what's next for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at quarterback? Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports. Trenton Cannon The Panthers crown jewel. Your email address will not be published. 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. Your fantasy football league wasnt hosted on Fantrax last season? You won't want to miss a moment of the 2022 season! bucs Pierre Thomas, New Orleans. bulldozer with underrated open field agility. 30 and 21. Who is the best? Dwayne Washington 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. 9. 5. 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. 12:07 left in this one. Hell consistently break through arm tackles the same as hell run around defenders with impressive elusiveness. Wayne Gallman, a 27-year-old running back, was waived by the NFC South franchise on Saturday afternoon, according to reports. To go from barely average regular season play to elite in the playoffs was one of the weirdest things Ive seen in my time watching football. Its taken him a couple seasons, but hes our best pure runner. 15. Bernard is easily the most reliable back on the roster thanks to his sure hands and pass protection skills, which should be a huge boost to the Bucs in passing situations. Behind Freeman the Falcons have a lot of different options to work with. His value to this offense can't be matched. Which 10 players make up Nos. Davis finished the year with career highs in snaps, carries (165), yards (642), touchdowns (six) catches (59), receiving yards (373) and receiving touchdowns (two). His production will depend on his usage this coming season. No, he's not a true running back. Its a big offseason for the former third-round pick, and Vaughn should get plenty of opportunity to prove himself in the preseason. DAndre Swift, Detroit Lions Thats not to say Davis is a slouch, as the veteran filled in admirably for Christian McCaffrey last season in Carolina. 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. Posted by ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas David Carr enlists the help of his brother, Raiders QB Derek Carr, to provide their ranking of the five best active NFL brother duos heading into the 2022 season. Instead its his pass-catching skills, where he consistently creates separation as a route runner, even from a receiver alignment. Tevin Coleman's departure was one of the few key losses in free agency for the Falcons. Who was the top rookie? Shouldnt both be equally important? Of course, with Alvin Kamara still around it doesn't much matter who the No. Pro Football Network strives to passionately deliver purposeful, captivating, and exceptional football content. 27 years old. The Saints not only have a premier running back in Pro Bowler Alvin Kamara, they also have one of the deepest running back rooms in the league. He had six 100-yard games last season. Peyton Barber will return after leading the team with 234 carries for 871 yards and five touchdowns. Oops. Sign up for the Cards Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. Considering that new head coach Arthur Smith hails from Tennessee, where he had Derrick Henry, Leonard Fournette Who has the best running backs in the NFC East? Javian Hawkins Odds & lines subject to change. So far, there are has been a wide array of veterans (and rookies) electing to take advantage of this new rule. Nelson might miss the start of the 2021 regular season as he recovers from foot surgery, but that doesn't change the fact that he's a three-time first-team All-Pro. The NFC West has some talented running backs in the conference. New Orleans Saints collapse continues on Thanksgiving with fourth straight loss, Tom Brady gets Rob Gronkowski back, Buccaneers back in win column, Saints' Sean Payton defends 'super aggressive' approach after fans boo clock management, Why Saints quarterback Jameis Winston isn't motivated by revenge vs. Jackson is the most electrifying player in the league. Its for this reason that my favorite strategy is to draft a running back with my first 4 picksregardless of league style (redraft, dynasty, etc.). Buccaneers; . #WASvsDAL pic.twitter.com/i0xSK7ZDMN. Though they do it in different ways, one thing is for sure about these top 10 theyre a threat to take it to the house on every play. Well see if Atlanta adds anyone before the season, but right now Davis leads a backfield with very little experience or success at the pro level. Ekeler is tied to Justin Herbert for what should be the remainder of his career. Gibson also caught 36 passes for 247 yards, bringing his total yards to 1,042 in just 14 games. 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. Grant Gordon takes a look at the players' list by the numbers. NFL Network's "Top 100 Players of 2021" continues Sunday, Aug. 22. 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. McCaffrey was both the Panthers' leading rusher and receiver in 2018, gaining 1,965 total offensive yards and scoring 13 combined touchdowns. 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. An injury decreased his role late in the season and in the postseason but he still averaged 4.0 yards per carry and rushed for 544 yards. Touchdown Antonio Gibson! They also add an underrated balance to their lethal offense with an effective running game that keeps defenses off balance. 4 spot on this list, but his career is currently in limbo. The other nine are . With that in mind, Maurice Jones-Drew provides his ranking of the top 10 QB-pass catcher duos heading into 2022. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify. 3. He barely played in three games a season ago and still scored 6 total touchdowns. All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. So, who are the best wide receivers in football entering the 2022 season? Say what?! With that in mind, Michael Robinson provides his ranking of the top 10 active undrafted players heading into the 2022 season. The veteran NFL running back has been in the league. The Panthers' crown jewel. Alvin Kamara Bucs' Brady Was Already Thinking 2021 Hours After Super Bowl LV. In advance of the finale, Adam Schein provides his own personal top-10 list. Hes recorded 43 scores on the ground and another 15 through the air, proving to be a touchdown machine in the Saints offense. Unfortunately for Barkley, since playing in all 16 games during his rookie year in 2018, hes had some trouble staying on the field. Still, hes certainly proven to be as valuable as any running back in any backfield across the league. 2:23 pm ET, Jerry Jones believes Cowboys can keep Zeke and Pollard, NFL combine measurements for DBs: Full list of results, Jerry Jones believes Prescott can progress like Brady, NFL combine 2023 results tracker: Top performances, NFL combine 2023: Winners and losers from DB workouts, Report: Pollard to get franchise tag if deal isn't done, Tracking NFL players who switched jersey numbers, NFL combine: Winners and losers from DB workouts, Mock Draft: Panthers, Colts trade up for QBs, Rodgers' trade value, logistics, best fit, Top QB in draft: I definitely don't want to play for 1 team, Jerry Jones: Dak can get better with age like Brady, Report: Daniel Jones actually wants more than $45M per, Ex-Patriots star McGinest facing 8 years in prison, Jerry Jones: Cowboys can find way to keep both RBs. An incredibly important aspect of Minnesotas offensive game plan, as Cook goes, so will the Vikings in 2021. He's still something of a secret to a lot of people. Between the Panthers, Falcons, Saints, and the Bucs, the NFC South has a plethora (SAT word for y'all) of backfield candidates to use in your lineups. Nov 22, 2018; New Orleans, LA, USA; Atlanta Falcons running back Ito Smith (25) is tackled by New Orleans Saints strong safety Kurt Coleman (29) in the second half at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. While the Saints' two-headed monster at running back gives them the advantage over most teams, Kamara may not even be the most dangerous back in his own division. Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Cowboys free agency 2023: Defensive lineman Arden Key provides versatility at a discount. The sky is the limit for Jones as the clear No. 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. 1 back against the Giants showed he can be good. Ty Montgomery 27. 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. Austin Ekeler, Los Angeles Chargers 28. They finished RB39 and RB15, respectively, last year. By all accounts, Elliott has looked great during training camp. Miles Sanders, Philadelphia Eagles 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. 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. Chubb is no stranger to big plays and has scored 30 total touchdowns in just three seasons. Ronald Jones II The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. The reason I dont have him higher is that I had to discount the fact that we dont know who the starting QB will be. He had just under 700 yards rushing and just under 400 yards receiving. But, when you compare the teams running back groups altogether, theres no question the Cowboys have the best group in the division. Tampa Bay hopes to provide newly signed and six-time Super Bowl champion QB Tom Brady with better support, and Brady has needed a productive rushing attack and stout offensive line as his play has dropped off in recent seasons. I know everyone is waiting for wide receiver rankings, but well wait to see what happens with Julio Jones first. He rushed for 772 yards on a whopping 5.6 yards per attempt last season. Devontae Booker had a decent year as the backup in Las Vegas last season, but the fact of the matter is Barkleys ability to stay on the field will determine how successful their run game is. It was Thomas and he's solid. Hyde returns to the NFC West, having begun his NFL career with the San Francisco 49ers. Today we compare the running games of each team in the NFC South, with the opening of training camp right around the corner. Here is my top 10: 1. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. 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. Something went wrong. Roland Frederickson Koy Sayers Anderson Butler Osborn Tucker Willard Kurek Edwards Garrison Grabowski Granger Reeves Reed Harraway Farr Lindsey Baker Cunningham Hull Jones Ellison Shy Explore Who had the best record against the spread last season? Now what did they get wrong? Murray is capable of carrying the load for a game or two, and has even made strides at receiver during his time in New Orleans. The latter question aside, there are plenty of valuable assets in the backfield of every NFL team. They did. Which 10 players make up Nos. 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. Spencer Brown (via @NFL) pic.twitter.com/hIRCqWUuda. Darius Clark All Rights Reserved. Bruce Arians has already said that Fournette and Jones will battle it out for the starting job in camp, but both will play a lot when the season begins. 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. 30-21? 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. Chase Edmonds, Arizona Cardinals Carolina was held below 100 yards rushing seven times last season and went 2-5 in those contests. Jul 18, 2020 12:41 PM EDT. Elliott has now hauled in multiple receiving touchdowns and at least 300 receiving yards in four of his five seasons. DeAngelo Williams, Carolina. 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. Two running backs who would be starters on their own in at least 20 other backfields. Cowboys draft 2023: Bijan Robinson should be an exception to not drafting a RB in the first round. 27. The former fourth-round pick showed some really good signs last season, rushing for 435 yards and scoring four touchdowns. This backfield is chaos and I hate it. But Kamara is the prize of the group. Mike James. This is it. What Kamara gives the Saints as a receiver is very difficult to replace. Akers almost enters the NFL in these rankings above Coleman but not quite. Devin Singletary, Buffalo Bills We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. 16. For the newest installment of Fantraxs fantasy running back depth charts series, were going to delve into the NFC South. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports, https://cardswire.usatoday.com/gallery/ranking-the-nfc-west-running-backs/, Cardinals given terrible marks by players on team report card, 4 of 101 best nicknames in NFL history belong to former Cardinals players, One free agent each NFL team should re-sign in 2023, GM, HC searches affected by Cardinals' reputation on compensation, DeAndre Hopkins trade could come before start of free agency, Eagles player takes shot at Jonathan Gannon on social media, Jonathan Gannon 'not sure' if DeAndre Hopkins will play for Cardinals in 2023, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Expect him to be an even bigger part of Tampa Bay's offense in 2022. 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. Ollison and Brooks-James have combined for 33 career carries, and Hawkins and Huntley are rookies. I'm projecting a bit here because we don't truly know Ward's role. I don't think the Seahawks get close to the playoff team they've been the past two seasons without him. I rank him above Carlos Hyde simply because he is trending up, while Hydes career is on the back end and he will be a backup to Chris Carson. 40 and 31. 26. New Orleans can win games with a . NFC South Bucs Falcons Panthers Saints NFC West Cardinals 49ers Rams Seahawks Colleges ACC Clemson UNC Big Ten Iowa Michigan Michigan St. Nebraska Ohio St. Penn St. Rutgers Wisconsin Big 12.