Week 4 Skill Position Rankings: No Worries for Chubb
After three weeks of NFL football, there is finally enough game film to begin the fun task of ranking players. Always remember, this list is based on play from THIS SEASON only. For example, Christian McCaffrey is clearly the best running back in the league, but he will not crack the list this week. As we near the end of the season, the rankings will likely be nearly identical to everyone’s idea of the best players in the league.
We continue with RBs.
Running Backs
1. Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints
Stats: 153 YDS (4.9 YPC), 27 REC, 285 YDS, 6 TOT TD
History says don’t pay running backs, but history didn’t account for Alvin Kamara. Fresh off of a five-year, $75 million extension, Kamara looks better than he ever has. He’s accounted for a whopping 438 total yards in only three games and his six total touchdowns pace the league. He’s also second in the league in receptions, trailing only DeAndre Hopkins. His most recent game was a masterpiece; he packed the stat sheet with 197 total yards and a mind-blowing 13 catches. With Drew Brees’ withering arm becoming a topic of discussion, it’s up to AK41 to keep this team where it belongs.
2. Nick Chubb, Cleveland Browns
Stats: 51 RUSH, 292 YDS (5.7 YPC), 4 TD
Many were convinced that the presence of Kareem Hunt would affect Chubb’s production, but it appears that the opposite has taken place. Thanks to his elite backfield mate, Chubb has been able to remain fresh and trample over defenses nonstop. He’s only carrying the ball 17 times a game yet still is on the verge of breaking 300 rushing yards. His yards per game average of 97.3 is actually almost four full yards more than his mark last year when he nearly broke 1,500 yards. PFF called him the best running back in the game, and he’s making their case for them.
3. Aaron Jones, Green Bay Packers
Stats: 303 YDS (6.1 YPC), 95 REC YDS, 5 TOT TD
After inexplicably having his talents wasted by former coach Mike McCarthy, Jones has put on an absolute clinic over the past two seasons. He’s picked up the slack with Davante Adams gone, racking up 322 total yards over the last two weeks. His outstanding mark of 6.1 YPC puts him sixth in the NFL currently, and although he won’t be able to keep it up, don’t expect him to regress too much. Jones’ career mark of 5.1 YPC would rank sixth all-time if he was eligible for the list. Jones’ 22 touches, 236-yard outing against Detroit in Week Two may very well be the NFL’s best performance so far this year.
Honorable Mention: Dalvin Cook, Minnesota Vikings
*All stats are taken from Pro Football Reference
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