NFL Week 9 FTN Staff Bets
FTN Staff
Next up in our position group rankings, we have a refreshed list of NFL backfields.
The running back position may be losing value with each passing year, but it’s far from dead yet. Running the ball is forever going to be a staple for NFL offenses, and the guys who are best at carrying the rock will always find ways to get on the field and make life difficult for opposing defenses.
While the running back position is typically the first that comes to mind when thinking of the backfield, this list goes beyond just one position. Modern NFL offenses have gotten more and more creative with how they move the ball on the ground. Quarterback runs are becoming increasingly popular, and in many offenses, their presence has a significant impact on an offense’s entire ground game. We wanted to take this into account when developing these rankings, so this list is more than just a look at which teams have the best running backs. On rare occasions, the occasional FB/joker type player will influence where a team falls on this list, and the wide receivers who occasionally find their way into the backfield and play a role in the ground game can make a slight impact on these rankings as well.
If you want to check out my original rankings, you can revisit them here.
2024 Backfield Rankings – Midseason Update
1. Baltimore Ravens
No need to overthink this one… The combination of Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry has been an absolute nightmare for anyone and everyone who has tried to stop them. These are two of the toughest guys to tackle in the entire NFL, and their skill sets just so happen to complement each other perfectly. Baltimore has been home to the No. 1 offense in the league this year, and these two are a primary reason why.
2. Detroit Lions
The fact that Detroit is No. 2 on this list without a dual-threat quarterback speaks volumes to how impressive Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery have been. These two form the best 1-2 punch at running back in the league, and there’s not a particularly close second. The thunder and lightning approach these two bring to the table has Detroit’s offense looking like an absolute juggernaut.
3. Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles went against their usual philosophy this offseason when they invested big money in a running back. At this point in the season, they have to be glad they did. Saquon Barkley has been absolutely dominant, and he’s putting up by far the most efficient numbers of his entire career. Pairing him with Jalen Hurts on read-option type plays has been a headache for opposing defenses to defend, and the Eagles have one of the best ground games in the league because of it.
4. San Francisco 49ers
Ranking the 49ers is a tough task right now given the absence of Christian McCaffrey, but for the sake of this exercise, we’re assuming he’ll be back to 100% at some point this season. Even without a dual-threat quarterback or stud No. 2 back (though Jordan Mason may argue otherwise), the playmaking ability McCaffrey brings to the table is enough to keep San Francisco inside the top 5 of these rankings. He’s the rare MVP-caliber running back who the 49ers can build their entire offense around.
5. Atlanta Falcons
The stats for Bijan Robinson and the Falcons rushing game have been somewhat underwhelming this year. Even with that said, the talent is still clearly on an elite level for Bijan, and he’s spelled by one of the better backups in the league in Tyler Allgeier as well. Don’t be surprised if the Falcons running game kicks it up a notch as the season progresses and the offense finds its groove as Kirk Cousins and Raheem Morris continue to gel.
6. New York Jets
With Breece Hall alone, the Jets were a top-10 team on this list when it was first released in the preseason. Now, with the emergence of rookie running back Braelon Allen, their backfield is even more potent. Hall remains one of the league’s most dynamic backs, and he’s a threat to take it to the house on any given play. Now that he has a legitimate No. 2 behind him and his workload is slightly reduced accordingly, he can stay fresher, and the 1-2 punch of him and Allen can wear down defenses in tandem. Allen in particular is a guy who can really wear down a defense, as his 235-pound frame makes him a guy defenses hate having to tackle.
7. Pittsburgh Steelers
We haven’t quite seen the rushing attack explode in Pittsburgh like many thought we would entering the season, but it’s still been impressive. Even with Russell Wilson’s return, the Steelers still have Justin Fields available to add a dynamic rushing element at the quarterback position. When you pair Fields with Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren, you get an impressive group that can serve as the backbone of an offensive attack. Even Cordarrelle Patterson showed flashes when given the opportunity prior to his injury.
8. Buffalo Bills
People often refer to Josh Allen as an elite quarterback with a rocket arm, but his rushing ability frequently goes unmentioned. He’s a hulking human who can easily beat opposing defenses on the ground when he chooses to do so. In addition to Allen, James Cook is having a career year, and rookie Ray Davis has also shown flashes of brilliance in limited action. While this backfield may be an underappreciated part of the Bills offense, it’s still a top-10 unit.
9. Washington Commanders
he emergence of Jayden Daniels has given the entire Commanders offense a major boost. While offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury doesn’t give Daniels a ton of designed rushes like some mobile quarterbacks get, he dials up just enough to ensure opposing defenses are constantly thinking about it. On top of Daniels’ presence, Brian Robinson Jr. has had a fantastic year, and even though he’s no longer at his peak, Austin Ekeler has played a key role as a versatile backfield threat as well.
10. Indianapolis Colts
The benching of Anthony Richardson has the Colts tumbling a bit down these rankings. Still, even without Richardson’s rushing ability in the mix, Jonathan Taylor is a great enough back in his own right to keep Indianapolis inside the top 10. Taylor is a do-it-all back who runs with speed, power and tenacity, and he has the ability to operate as a true workhorse in this offense.
11. Seattle Seahawks
At certain points this season, Kenneth Walker III has looked like the best running back in the league. He hasn’t done quite enough to bump the Seahawks into the top 10 in these rankings, but if he keeps up the pace, he’ll have them there by season’s end. Backing up Walker is Zach Charbonnet, who’s been solid yet unspectacular when given the opportunity. Then there’s the ultimate wild card where every once in a while Geno Smith reminds the fans he’s got a little bit of juice to add to the running game as well. Seattle’s offense has impressed this year, and Walker has been the unquestioned star of the show
12. Green Bay Packers
There were concerns entering the season about how well a 26-year-old Josh Jacobs would perform in Green Bay after receiving an extremely high workload with the Raiders to start his career. Despite the concerns, Jacobs has impressed and helped justify the lofty contract the Packers doled out this offseason. There’s not a ton of exciting options behind Jacobs on the depth chart, but backup Emanuel Wilson has performed well when given the opportunity, and rookie MarShawn Lloyd looks to be an exciting option as well when he returns from injury.
13. Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins have had about as rough of a start to the season as you can get, but even with that in mind, their ground game has been impressive. De’Von Achane’s impressive play from his rookie season has carried over to this year, and he’s been arguably the most explosive back in the league this year. Throw in the fact that Raheem Mostert looked impressive upon returning from injury, and the Dolphins running back duo looks like one of the better tandems in the league right now. We just have to hope they can stay healthy moving forward, as both Achane and Mostert have missed time due to injury.
14. Arizona Cardinals
Despite being past the prime age for running backs, James Conner has continued to prove he’s one of the more underrated backs in the league. He’s clearly still got some juice left in the tank, and his physical running style helps set the tone for Arizona’s rushing attack. Conner’s physical style paired with Kyler Murray’s speed and elusiveness makes the Cardinals one of the more frustrating backfields to defend in the league. Throw in the high draft capital (second round) spent on Trey Benson this offseason, and there may be even more upside in this backfield than we’ve seen to start the season.
15. Los Angeles Rams
The Rams are a bit of a one-man show in the backfield, but when that one man is Kyren Williams, that’s enough to land a spot in the top half of these rankings. Williams is a physical, downhill runner who brings a bit of an old-school style of play to the game. Maybe most impressive about Williams is his stamina, as the young running back barely leaves the field and serves as the sole engine on an impressive Rams rushing attack.
16. Jacksonville Jaguars
Travis Etienne Jr. hasn’t quite lived up to the expectations that came with him being a first-round pick. Even though he hasn’t reached the superstar tier like other first-rounders have, he’s an impressive running back who the Jaguars can rely on week-to-week. As of late, Tank Bigsby has proven capable of being a solid complement to Etienne, and the pairing of the two backs gives Jacksonville a solid 1-2 punch that they’re still figuring out how to deploy. Sprinkle in a little bit of rushing ability from Trevor Lawrence, and Jacksonville finds itself in the top half of these rankings.
17. New Orleans Saints
At 29 years old, it wouldn’t have been shocking to see Alvin Kamara hit the age cliff in 2024. So far this season though, that’s been far from the case. Kamara has looked like the same stud that he always has been, and especially in the early portion of the season, he was a major catalyst behind the extremely impressive play from the Saints offense. There’s not a ton of impressive depth behind Kamara, but Jamaal Williams is a vet who understands the game well, and there may still be a sprinkle of upside in Kendre Miller too if the second year back can stay healthy.
18. Minnesota Vikings
Much like the aforementioned Kamara, many thought this would be the year the wheels fell off for 29-year-old Aaron Jones Also like Kamara, this hasn’t been the case, as Jones has been one of the more efficient backs in the league and has been a key player in Minnesota’s surprisingly red hot start to the season. The Vikings offense has been one of the surprise stories of the season early in 2024, and Jones’ contributions in the running game can’t be overlooked as a major factor. Backing up Jones is Ty Chandler, who’s also proven capable of stepping into a No. 1 role when necessary, so the Vikings should feel good about their backfield if Jones continues to miss time due to injury.
19. Houston Texans
The theme of older running backs continues here with the Texans and Joe Mixon While Mixon is a year younger than the last two backs mentioned (28), he’s still on the wrong side of the bell curve when it comes to age, but that hasn’t limited his performance when he’s stepped onto the field. Unfortunately, whether due to age or otherwise, Mixon has dealt with some injuries that have limited him to just a few games this year. The hope in Houston is that it was just a one off, rather than a sign of things to come.
20. Tennessee Titans
Life after Derrick Henry hasn’t exactly been sunshine and rainbows for the Titans, but it’s not necessarily a void in the backfield that’s been the issue. While Tennessee is no longer home to an elite running back, Tony Pollard has played surprisingly well and helped provide a solid spark for the offense in a lead role. Entering the season, many thought Pollard would be splitting the backfield evenly with Tyjae Spears, but the latter hasn’t seen a ton of action and has been more of a change-of-pace guy to spell Pollard than a key cog in the offense.
21. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Seemingly out of nowhere, the Bucs have developed a bit of a three-headed monster in their backfield. While none of Rachaad White, Sean Tucker or Bucky Irving have looked elite on their own, they all bring solid, versatile skill sets to the table. The depth and versatility Tampa Bay possesses in their backfield allows them to keep all three backs fresh and deploy a “hot hand” approach which makes them a difficult ground game to stop on any given week.
22. New England Patriots
The weaponry on New England’s offense isn’t exactly something to write home about. Still, Rhamondre Stevenson is one of the more well-rounded backs in the league and has proven capable of serving as a workhorse in this offense. We’ve also seen some flashes from Antonio Gibson who serves both as a solid backup to Stevenson, and also as a great change-of-pace option. Throw in a sprinkle of rushing upside with Drake Maye, and the backfield is the least of the worries in New England.
23. Chicago Bears
D’Andre Swift being one of the first running back signings in free agency this year was a bit surprising. You would have thought with the money and timing associated with his signing that he would be a focal point of Chicago’s offense, but that hasn’t quite been the case. Still, Swift has been a solid starter, and there’s respectable depth around him with guys like Roschon Johnson and Khalil Herbert proving to be NFL-caliber players as well.
24. Cleveland Browns
Nick Chubb is still in the process of ramping up from a significant knee injury, and how he progresses will drastically influence Cleveland’s ability to move up or down this list. The severity of the injury paired with his age means it’s a longshot for him to regain the elite form he’s shown in the past, but Chubb is certainly a tough guy to bet against. There’s some respectable depth behind him too with Jerome Ford serving as the primary backup, so even if the outlook for Chubb isn’t a rosy one, the Browns should remain at least solid in the backfield.
25. Carolina Panthers
One of the bigger surprises of the season has been the impressive play the Panthers have gotten out of Chuba Hubbard Despite a pretty underwhelming supporting cast, Hubbard has found a way to consistently produce in Carolina. What’s even more optimistic for the Panthers is that second-round Jonathan Brooks should be getting into the mix soon, and his presence should further boost what the Panthers ground game is capable of.
26. Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals didn’t make a splashy move to replace Joe Mixon this offseason. Instead, they opted to keep the running back room relatively cheap. Chase Brown has been the more impressive back in Cincinnati this year, but Zack Moss has brought a much-needed veteran presence to the group as well. Neither player is a great option, but the two pair together to give the Bengals some solid options on the ground.
27. Los Angeles Chargers
J.K. Dobbins appears to have overcome some tough odds in his return from a devastating Achilles injury. He’s been a solid back who’s led a run-centric offense in Los Angeles. Still, even though Dobbins has managed to stay healthy and perform relatively well, it’s clear that he’s lost some juice. The Chargers hope that over time he can regain some of that extra gear, but until he does, there’s just not enough dynamic ability in this backfield to have the Chargers ranked any higher.
28. New York Giants
We’re starting to see some flashes in the Giants backfield from rookie running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. While Tracy hasn’t exactly “broken out,” he’s provided some much-needed support to a backfield that’s lacking a serious punch in the post Saquon Barkley era. Of course the Giants also have Devin Singletary in their backfield, and the veteran is nothing if not a solid NFL player, even if he’s not someone who will raise an entire offense’s ceiling. There’s also a smidge of rushing upside in quarterback Daniel Jones, but he hasn’t been as much of a run threat as he has in year’s past, possibly due to his recovery from a knee injury that ended his 2023 season.
29. Denver Broncos
The Broncos entered the season with some intriguing options in their backfield, but none of them seem to have tapped into the upside many thought they could. Javonte Williams simply hasn’t looked the same since suffering his devastating knee injury in 2022, but there’s a sprinkle of hope that he can improve with time as the season progresses. Outside of Williams, Jaleel McLaughlin has served as a fun change-of-pace guy, but he doesn’t have the frame to be a reliable every-down guy. These two backs form an unexciting but serviceable duo, and the entire backfield gets a mini bump as well due to the small bit of rushing upside Bo Nix offers at QB.
30. Kansas City Chiefs
One of the bigger surprises this season has been how impressive the Chiefs ground game has been this year. They’ve been a top-10 team on the ground all year long despite Isiah Pacheco being injured for much of the season. The rotation of Kareem Hunt, Carson Steele and Samaje Perine hasn’t done much to strike fear into opposing defenses, but the always-looming threat of Patrick Mahomes and the passing attack have allowed these below-average runners to still find a way to produce.
31. Dallas Cowboys
If we could turn back time and make it the year 2020 again, the Dallas Cowboys would easily have the best backfield in the league. Both Ezekiel Elliott and Dalvin Cook were great players, but neither is operating anywhere near the peak they’ve shown in their younger days. Instead, headlining the Cowboys backfield has been Rico Dowdle, a fifth-year back who hasn’t shown any production up until this year. While Dowdle has been a serviceable option in the backfield, he’s far from a needle mover.
32. Las Vegas Raiders
Entering the season, there was a bit of optimism that Zamir White would rise to the occasion when elevated into a role as the full-time starting running back in Vegas. That hasn’t manifested, and the Raiders backfield has unfortunately been as dismal as the rest of their offense. Alexander Mattison is currently leading this group, and there’s a reason the sixth-year vet hasn’t been able to crack a team’s starting lineup until 2024. Simply put, the backfield in Vegas is the least exciting group in the NFL.
