My Top 10 NFL Running Backs

Will Chris Johnson crack My Top 10 RBs list? (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

Now that the 2013 season is one full week in the bag, I am fully in football mode. Fantasy leagues are the talk of the town. Who’s the best running back to get? Who’s the best QB to get? I’ll trade you Aaron Rogers for Drew Brees if you throw in Dez Bryant for Julio Jones. You know that sort of thing.

While trying to draft the perfect team, I couldn't help but notice how the running back position is often the most important position in standard fantasy football leagues. Drafting a good running back has to be done by the second round or you will have a tough time winning week to week.

When drafting running backs, it dawned on me how thin the running back position has gotten. With so many NFL teams taking the running back by committee approach, it goes to show how few quality running backs are out there. You have good backs, but not very many great backs. There are running backs that can run very well, but aren't very good pass catchers out of the back field. Good pass catchers out of the back field, but poor in pass protection. So what you have now are a bunch of situational backs. Goal line and short yardage backs. 3^rd down backs, passing situation backs, etc…

With that in mind, I've decided to take a look at the position and have put together my top 10 running backs in the league. Now my top 10 probably won’t look like everybody else’s. What I am looking for in a running back is more than just productivity. Sure you have to be productive, but on my top dog list, stats alone won’t cut it. Guys that are producing at a high rate running behind fantastic offensive lines and playing beside a bevy of play makers don’t impress me. For me, you have to show me the ability to be able to get it done even in the worst situations. I’m sure it’s a lot easier to get a bunch of yards and touchdowns when you have deep threat receivers and great QBs. A great offensive coordinator and a fantastic offensive line would do wonders as well.

But on my list, every guy listed has showed the ability to get it done without the ideal offensive unit. Every guy on my list I believe can still be productive on any team. No system backs. While I do feel as though there is some respect due to guys like Chris Johnson and Arian Foster, I just can't ignore the fact that most of the time they are making a big play, it is due to a huge hole being opened at the line of scrimmage.

So without further ado:

1.       Adrian Peterson – Minnesota Vikings

Photo by Carlos Gonzales

Do I really have to explain this one? Well alright. Adrian Peterson aka All Day is the one running back that has it all as far as pure runners go. He’s got speed, vision, power, agility, and is just elusive enough to be the most well rounded back in the NFL. The second running back behind All Day is not even close. Adrian Peterson has spent majority of his career playing with QBs that probably shouldn't even be backups and with Christian Ponder at QB managed to rack up the second most rushing yards in a season ever. Without a legitimate passing threat, AP consistently faces 8 guys in the box. Not that it seems to matter to him. He has no problem juking and out running defenders. That’s when he’s playing nice. The rest get stiff armed and run over. His one and only weakness is that he’s not a very good pass catcher out of the back field. In today’s NFL, that is a quality you’d love a back to have. But AP is so good as a runner, we can overlook this.

2.       LeSean McCoy – Philadelphia Eagles

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LeSean McCoy aka Shady McCoy is the most elusive running back the NFL has seen since Barry Sanders. I’m not comparing him to Barry as a runner, only his running style. Like Barry Sanders, Shady is a guy you could put in an old-school phone booth with a linebacker and he still wouldn't get tackled. Running behind a banged up offensive line consisting of second and third stringers hasn't slowed Shady down one bit. Being the most elusive runner with great top end speed, great acceleration speed and fantastic field vision it’s no wonder Shady averages 4.7 yards per carry for his career. Add in the fact that he’s a great pass catcher out of the back field and you have one of the most complete running backs in the NFL. Though he’s not much of a pass blocker, I can’t count that against him as he should be out pass catching anyway.

3.       Marshawn Lynch – Seattle Seahawks

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Marshawn Lynch aka Beast Mode is exactly what his alias implies; a beast. Neither the fastest running back nor the most elusive, but with his power and pure determination, Beast Mode doesn't need to dance and run away from anybody. Running over and dragging defenders is more his style. All he needs is a crease at the line of scrimmage and he’ll do the rest. Averaging 4.2 yards per carry for his career is impressive when you understand that he doesn't run off a lot of really long runs. He just grits it out play after play.

4.       Maurice Jones-Drew – Jacksonville Jaguars

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MJD aka Pocket Hercules is a strong runner. Being very short in stature bodes well for MJD. He has a lower center of gravity and with very powerful legs, he is no easy tackle. Part of his advantage over defenders is he’s so short that when he’s behind his offensive linemen, linebackers have trouble seeing him if he cuts back and takes off in a different direction than the play is designed. All of a sudden, he’s right in front of a guy running full speed. With really good speed and great power, Pocket Hercules is a handful. When you add in the fact that he has had very few years with a good QB and never really enjoyed the luxury of having a great passing game to keep defenders of balance, his 4.6 yard per carry career average is even more impressive.

5.       Ray Rice – Baltimore Ravens

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Hey diddle diddle, Ray Rice up the middle is exactly what you get with this guy. He is a pure power runner. Not really one for bouncing runs to the outside, Ray Rice likes to keep it in between the tackles. With a similar build as MJD, Rice too enjoys a low center of gravity making it difficult for guys to bring him down once he gets going. It doesn't matter who he has on offense, all he needs is a little seam at the line of scrimmage and he’s off.

6.       Jamaal Charles – Kansas City Chiefs

Jamaal Charles is a blur. Not really the strongest or more physical running back, but Charles is fast and elusive. Never really enjoying the luxury of having a decent QB, Charles still manages to have a career average of 5.8 yards per carry. Give Charles a little bit of day light and he is gone. With career long rushes of 91, 86, 80, and 76 yards, you can tell that he is a touchdown waiting to happen every time he gets the ball.

7.       Frank Gore – San Francisco 49ers

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Frank Gore is strictly a blue collar worker. He’s not very fast or flashy. He’s not elusive at all nor does he possess the most power but he’s about as crafty as you can get. While spending most of his career without a passing game at all to speak of, Gore has been facing 8 men in the box his entire career. His low running style mixed with a decent amount of power makes him a very reliable back. With a career average of 4.6 yards per carry, he is the model of consistency.

8.       Stephen Jackson – Atlanta Falcons

Steven Jackson is a hard working running back. He’s a power back with good speed and great awareness. Jackson has often been overlooked due to the fact that his Rams team hasn't been any good. Not very flashy in style, he’s simply a one cut, downhill runner. He’s not much of a home run hitter per se, but you can put him on the field from your own end zone to your opponent’s end zone and he’s going to get the job done. While being the dreaded 30 years of age, his debut game with the Falcons didn't show any signs of him slowing down. Now that he’s with a team with an actual passing game, I expect him to have a fantastic season.

9.       Reggie Bush – Detroit Lions

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Reggie Bush? Reggie Bush? What kind of silly list is this where Reggie “Can’t stay healthy” Bush is in the top 10? Well calm down and I’ll explain. Reggie Bush is one of the most underrated RBs in the NFL. Maybe one of the most underrated players in the NFL. Bush is a speedster with great vision and elusiveness. After wasting 5 years with the Saints and gaining a pretty bad rap, he finally found his way to a team that gave him ball; the Miami Dolphins. While Bush’s numbers weren't very gaudy, he did manage to put up a 4.7 yards per carry average for the 2 years he was in Miami. Throw in the fact that he had no pass game to speak of and faced 8 men in the box constantly, 4.7 yards per carry is very impressive. Also, Bush is probably the best running back catching the ball out of the backfield. Having Bush on the field changes the way a team plays defense. His ability to line up at receiver and be effective causes defensive coordinators fits. He is one of the few guys in the league that keeps defensive coordinators on their toes constantly trying to find the right match-up. He is a passing game’s dream.

Bush’s one downfall is his proneness to injury. Were he not an injury risk, he’d be in the top 5. But after staying healthy 2 years in a row in Miami, he’s shown enough to crack my Top 10.

10.   Trent Richardson – Cleveland Browns

Photo by David Richard

Richardson is the lone guy on my list that doesn't have much of an NFL resume. Normally I'd want to see a guy perform for a few seasons. It's easy to catch a defense off guard when they have no film on you and have to find out first-hand how good you are. So it usually takes me at least 3 years to give a guy kudos. But Trent Richardson has caught my attention with what he brings to the table. He has great power and given the fact that he’s only played one season in the NFL, I think he did a great job considering that team wasn't very good offensively. There was no pass game to keep defenses honest so he had to grind it out for every yard he picked up. While his 3.6 yards per carry average is far from great, I see a lot of upside to the young man.

Well thanks for checking out My Top 10 running backs. What are your thoughts?