As it stands for the moment, the NFL is playing its season in full come September. As the season approaches, I’m going to be taking a look at the landscape of the NFL, position by position, over the course of the next several weeks. We’ll be talking about the who’s who of the NFL in our own little version of the NFL Network’s “Top 100 Players” bit they do every year. Up next, we’re talking about the top 10 NFL running backs for 2020!
TOP 10 NFL RUNNING BACKS FOR 2020
10. Aaron Jones, Green Bay Packers – I like Jones a lot and definitely think a lot of his success was just finding the right fit with Matt LaFleur in Green Bay. That’s not going to change in 2020 for the shifty back that led the league in rushing touchdowns (alongside Derrick Henry) with 16.
9. Kenyan Drake, Arizona Cardinals – This is my surprise pick for the top 10. While Drake was in Miami, they hardly even used the guy. Through the first six games of 2019, Drake only topped 10 carries twice. When he was traded to the Cardinals, things started looking up. But, he was absolutely on fire at the end of the year – he topped 20 carries against the Browns and Seahawks and amassed a whopping 303 yards and SIX touchdowns in those games. Just saying – Drake is definitely a guy to watch in 2020.
8. Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints – A lot of folks might say this is too low, but let’s call a spade a spade – Kamara wasn’t anywhere near what he was expected to be in 2019. He played in 14 games and amassed 797 yards on the ground and 533 through the air. For whatever reason, he just couldn’t quite get it going like in years past. That said, he still has the potential to be one of the league’s best.
7. Josh Jacobs, Las Vegas Raiders – Man, I’ll say it…maybe this is a bit too high, but I love the volume Jacobs gets and what he means to his team. He’s the key cog in that Raiders offense, and that kind of opportunity could lead to some big stats in 2020. He’s damn good at what he does, and he finished the season third in yards per game (88.5), behind only Derrick Henry and Nick Chubb. If dude plays a full season, he’s going to push for that top spot.
6. Dalvin Cook, Minnesota Vikings – Cook has proved that he can be a downright stud at the position if he can stay healthy. Entering a contract year, I imagine he’ll put pressure on the Vikings to work out a long-term deal. He had 1,135 yards in 14 games in 2019 – a full season, and he’s pushing for that rushing title.
5. Nick Chubb, Cleveland Browns – Chubb was just one big Derrick Henry run away from being the 2019 NFL rushing champion. Of all the talent on that Browns offense, Chubb had the best season – dude’s a dynamic workhorse that averaged six yards or more per carry in five games last season.
4. Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys – Elliott has consistently been one of the best backs in the league since he entered it, and as long as that big beefy offensive line is in front of him, he’ll be in that conversation. Elliott was among the top of the class in a lot of major statistical categories, and no one in the NFL ran for more first downs than he did (78) – dude’s a bona fide stud.
3. Saquon Barkley, New York Giants – I love the way Barkley plays the game. Like McCaffrey, he is that do-it-all playmaker that can absolutely electrify. However, the distinction I’d make between the two is that McCaffrey’s ability seems to swing games in favor of the Panthers, but Barkley hasn’t shown us that game-changing factor just yet. Still, 1,441 total yards in just 13 games isn’t anything to sneeze at – I’m splitting hairs here, y’all.
2. Christian McCaffrey, Carolina Panthers – McCaffrey had a whopping 2,392 yards from scrimmage in 2019 to go along with 19 total touchdowns. Dude is THE weapon in the NFL right now, and that’s the reason he was a two-time All-Pro in 2019. He did it all for the Panthers and that impact is the only reason they were remotely competitive on offense.
1. Derrick Henry, Tennessee Titans – I know backs like McCaffrey and Barkley are a little more dynamic than Henry, but you can’t watch that man win the rushing title (1,540 yards), and then go on to have the postseason he did and tell me they don’t call him the king for a reason. The man is the best pure running back we’ve seen in the NFL in years, he’s faster than people give him credit for, and he made this happen:
Derrick Henry is a monster. Literally made Earl Thomas his lead blocker on this play. pic.twitter.com/5bx9ITmFlX
— Brian Chojnacki (@BroadcastingBri) January 12, 2020
Give the king his crown – best back in the game.
OTHER 2020 NFL TOP 10S
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Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD and #BeBetter. “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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