With the 2020 NFL regular season and postseason fully in the rearview mirror, now is a great time to complete the tall task of ranking the top 10 at every single position. We continue with running backs.

*These rankings are based on the 2020 season ONLY -- including postseason

Honorable Mention: Antonio Gibson, Washington Football Team

Part of an impressive 2020 draft class for the WFT, Gibson showed enough before the season to make future Hall-of-Famer Adrian Peterson expendable. Although he had a slow start where he crossed the 50-yard threshold just once in his first six games, Gibson exploded against the Cowboys and never looked back. From that point on, the only game where he was held under sixty yards was in Washington’s Monday night win over the previously undefeated Pittsburgh Steelers. He finished the season with 795 yards on 4.7 YPC.

10. Miles Sanders, Philadelphia Eagles

Despite being criminally underused, Sanders still managed to be a bright spot for a lethargic Eagles offense. 7th in the league in YPC, the sophomore running back nearly hit 900 yards in just 12 games, despite being 18th in attempts per game. Even with his receiving numbers plummeting, Sanders still flexed his big-play ability, recording three different rushes of over 70 yards in 2020.

9. Kareem Hunt, Cleveland Browns

The Browns’ return to the playoffs was aided largely by Hunt’s unselfishness in the offseason. With a chance to go and become a starter elsewhere, he settled for a two-year deal to remain the Robin to Nich Chubb’s Batman (we’ll talk more about him in a bit) in the Browns monster backfield. He was rewarded with 236 touches, racking up 1145 yards and 11 total touchdowns. 

8. David Montgomery, Chicago Bears

Montgomery struggled early on, playing behind what is arguably the league’s worst offensive line. His breakthrough came when the Bears finally realized that the abysmal QB duo of Trubisky-Foles wasn’t taking them anywhere. Over the second half of the season, Montgomery saw his YPC jump a full yard when the Bears began to lean on him. He recorded four games of over 95 rushing yards and was the main reason Mitchell Trubisky was able to play efficient, winning football, just enough to guide Chicago into the postseason.

7. James Robinson, Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jaguars spent 2020 fully committed to tanking for a high draft pick, but clearly, Robinson didn’t get the memo. The undrafted rookie tied for fifth in the NFL in rushing yards and added 50 grabs for 344 yards. After going under-the-radar during his first season, Robinson has a chance to leap to stardom, alongside “potential” future teammate Trevor Lawrence.

6. Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts

Robinson’s great year still wasn’t enough to make him the best rookie running back, though. That honor goes to Indy’s Jonathan Taylor. Thrown into the fire early because of an injury to Marlon Mack, Taylor flashed early, rushing for over 100 yards in his very first game. His best came at great times too, as Taylor first broke the 150-yard mark to put the Raiders playoff hopes on life support in Week 14. Three weeks later, Taylor ran for 253 yards (2nd all-time by a rookie, 9th all-time by anyone) to punch the Colts’ ticket to the postseason against the Jaguars.

5. Aaron Jones, Green Bay Packers

Jones continues to get better every single year. While watching his fellow Aaron [Rodgers] throw his way to MVP honors, Jones rushed for a career-best 1104 yards to go along with the 355 he put through the air. He was also third among RBs in YPC with 5.5, remaining in-line with his career average of 5.2. That mark puts him second all-time among RBs with 650+ career totes. His best performance came in Week 2 against Detroit, when he had 236 total yards from scrimmage and three trips to the end zone.

4. Nick Chubb, Cleveland Browns

After being labeled the best runner in the NFL by PFF, Chubb made sure to help them back up their claim. In only 12 games (missed four due to an MCL injury in week 4 vs Dallas), Chubb ran for 1,067 yards while sharing carries with the talented Kareem Hunt. Chubb was also second among all backs in YPC with a stellar mark of 5.6. After returning from injury, he averaged 91.5 yards per game and had four 100-yard outings.

3. Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints

Kamara was actually in serious MVP talks before a midseason slump put that discussion to bed. For the third time in his career, he broke 700 yards in both rushing and receiving, this year putting up a career-high 83 receptions. He also recorded career-bests in rushing yards and both receiving & rushing touchdowns. Speaking of touchdowns, he was also the first player in the entire NFL with a whopping 21 of them, the most by any skills player since 2007.

2. Dalvin Cook, Minnesota Vikings

It took Cook just 14 games to rack up over 1,900 total yards and 17 total touchdowns. He was second in the league in rushing yards per game and there was an over twenty-yard gap between him and the third-place finisher. Cook had eight games over 100 yards, three games over 150, and one over 200. He never fell under 50 yards in a game, either. If he had played 16 games at this absurd pace, he would’ve finished with 1,779 rushing yards and 18 rushing touchdowns.

1. Derrick Henry, Tennessee Titans

After a historic 2019 playoff run, nobody thought Derrick Henry would get even better. This year:

- first in rushing yards (2,027, 5th all-time)

- first in rushing yards per game (126.7,15.5 more than second place)

- first in rushing touchdowns (17)

- fourth among RBs in YPC (5.4 despite being first in carries)

- 10 games with 100+ rushing yards

- 4 games with 150+ rushing yards

- 3 games with 200+ rushing yards

- 1 game with 250+ rushing yards

In the last week of the season, he needed 223 yards to get to 2,000… he got 250. That’s why he won Offensive Player of the Year.

*All statistics are taken from Pro Football Reference

Writer

-By: Micah Jimoh

Every week there are teams that improve and regress. Some undefeated teams finally fall and others finally start to get on the right track. This is just the nature of an NFL weekend filled with games. Let’s check out how this week has the teams stacking up. 

32. New York Jets

31. New York Giants

30. Atlanta Falcons

29. Jacksonville Jaguars

28. Washington Football team

27. Denver Broncos

26. Cincinnati Bengals

25. Detroit Lions

24. Houston Texans

23. Miami Dolphins

22. Philadelphia Eagles

21. Minnesota Vikings

20. Los Angeles Chargers

19. Dallas Cowboys

18. San Francisco 49ers

17. Carolina Panthers

16. Arizona Cardinals

15. Indianapolis Colts

14. Las Vegas Raiders

13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

12. Chicago Bears

11. New England Patriots

10. Cleveland Browns

• Surprise, surprise. The Browns are seeming like legit contenders this year. No seriously, the Browns are looking to be a solid team on both offense and defense. Offensively, Baker is starting to come into his own with the play-action game they are establishing. The running game is clicking with Chubb and Hunt. Defensively, Myles Garrett is a beast of a player and helps to hide some of the other areas of concern. This team will have a real challenge next week and after that, we will see how well they will be. 

9. New Orlean Saints

• Brees ain’t lose his touch. In a win over a Chargers team led by an up and coming rookie quarterback, Brees still was able to pull out the best of himself. With guys like Kamara, Cook, and Sanders Brees still had reliable targets to get the job done. The main issue for this team is not just the defense but the penalties. They can have the perfect play on defense then have it negated by a bone head penalty. The three starters on the back end all have at least two penalties early on and it's killing the team. If they can clean that up and get Michael Thomas back from suspension this team is still a contender. 

8. Los Angeles Rams

• Another week, another win for this squad. The win was powered this time by a defensive effort that was led by Aaron Donald and Troy Reeder. Between the two they had 15 tackles and seven sacks. Don’t get it wrong, the offense was no slouch as it put up 30 points with Jared Goff accounting for three scores. This team is truly starting to hit its stride both offensively and defensively. They will be a serious threat for the Seahawks if they continue like this. For now, their next potential victim is the injured San Francisco 49ers. 

7. Pittsburgh Steelers

• Chase Claypool is seriously going to be a problem. Four total touchdowns and over 100 yards receiving made him look to be a star in the making. If they can get even half that production on a regular basis from him this team will be dangerous. Offensively, they have the weapons to score 30 points a game. Defensively, their front seven is dangerous in getting to the quarterback. They still need to fortify the backend but they can manage for now. Their next challenge against the Browns will be a good test to see their limits. 

6. Buffalo Bills

• This is a tough hit to take, yet was probably needed to keep this team on track. The Bills just lost by 26 to a Titans team that has barely practiced in the last two weeks. It’s not to say that the Bills aren’t good or that Allen isn’t legit. It’s more about the Titans just being that good. Josh Allen can bounce back for sure with weapons like Diggs, Brown, and Beasley. They just need to get that defense back playing at a high level as they look out of sorts in terms of points allowed. They are getting close to allowing almost 30 points per game. If they get that under control then they still have a chance to contend. The Bills will have a tough matchup next when they face the Chiefs on Monday Night football. 

5. Tennessee Titans

• Derrick Henry is a grown man and if the world hadn’t noticed that yet, they have now. The fact Henry tossed Josh Norman like he was in high school is insane. Not only do they have that monster at running back, but they have a quarterback in Tannehill that just makes the right play. This season he looks to be like Alex Smith with the Chiefs. You add in the opportunistic defense and you have a recipe for success. If they can avoid any more positive COVID tests, this team will be going far in the playoffs. Their next matchup against the Texans should be a win as the Texans are in the midst of a transition period. 

4. Baltimore Ravens

• Patrick Queen is the real deal. The offense of the Ravens is still moving but they aren’t as potent as last year. This year the defense is back as the main attraction for this team. They are in the top five of most defensive categories with Patrick Queen and Marlon Humphrey leading the way. They combine for 70 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 6.5 tackles for loss, a pick, and five forced fumbles with two recoveries. If this team is to continue they need to continue to expand the passing attack on offense and let the defense eat when they go up. This week against the Eagles should be a bit of a challenge but one that they should be able to overcome. 

3. Seattle Seahawks

• Russell Wilson is truly a magician on the field. His connection with DK Metcalf is unreal and can soon become one of the most dangerous connections in the future. The defense is starting to try and come to life after allowing over 400 yards passing on defense each week. They held Cousins to under 250 and even got two turnovers. KJ Wright had one of the best interceptions of the year with the one-handed catch he made. If the defense can progress and continue to improve this team should be the hands-down leader for making the Super Bowl. 

2. Kansas City Chiefs

• Down goes the kings. I repeat, down goes the kings. The loss to the Raiders this past weekend was a blow but one that the Chiefs can overcome. Even after allowing 40 points on Sunday, they still had a chance to go to overtime with Patrick Mahomes at the helm. After going down by two scores, Mahomes led his team to a touchdown with 4 minutes left. The defense just couldn’t get the job done. If they can tight up a bit on defense and get the offense going early the Chiefs will be fine. Their matchup with the Bills should be a good challenge to bounce back from their loss as the Bills will be feeling the same way. 

1. Green Bay Packers

• The bye week didn’t hurt the Packers, it actually helped in their standing as probably the best team in the league. Overall you got one of the baddest men in the game at quarterback. You got a running game that is moving along being led by Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams. Then you add in a defense that has been turning on the clamps and you got a team that is clearly a front runner to win the whole thing. You add in the likely return of Davante Adams and this team will be scary. Their next game is against the Buccaneers and the battle between two legends will be a great show to see.

Writer

-By: Darren Braxton

Each week there is so much change in the NFL. Injuries, matchups and now COVID 19 can make each team look completely different from week to week. With two games affected by COVID and one of them getting postponed, we are seeing the real impact it can cause. Injuries are still hitting teams as usual and there were some great matchups this week. Let’s check out the best of the best in the power rankings for post week 4. 

32. New York Jets

31. New York Giants

30. Jacksonville Jaguars

29. Denver Broncos

28. Washington Football Team

27. Atlanta Falcons

26. Cincinnati Bengals

25. Miami Dolphins

24. Houston Texans

23. Detroit Lions

22. Minnesota Vikings

21. Los Angeles Chargers

20. Dallas Cowboys 

19. Philadelphia Eagles 

18. Carolina Panther

17. Las Vegas Raiders

16. Arizona Cardinals

15. Chicago Bears

14. Cleveland Browns

13. San Francisco 49ers

12. Indianapolis Colts

11. New England Patriots 

10. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

• Even on a new team and multiple injuries to skill positions, Tom Brady found a way for his team to be in the top ten. Even with all the newest and injuries, Tampa Bay is 3-1 and coming off a five-touchdown performance from Brady. The defense which was pretty good last year, looks to be even better this year and is stifling most opponents. In a competitive NFC South, they need to keep the foot on the gas for Thursday night against the Bears. 

9. New Orleans Saints

• This Saints squad looks a bit different than most expected out the gate. Drew Brees and Sean Payton are still there and working. The unfortunate thing is the injury to Micheal Thomas on offense and the injuries all over the defense. They have managed to still beat the Buccaneers and Lions and got Alvin Kamara looking like the stud he is. After the Lions game, even Emmanuel Sanders started to finally get going. If they can hang in there for another week or two and get some of their guys back, this team will look special again. 

8. Los Angeles Rams

• Rams are seeming to be a complete team with the win over the Giants this past week. Whether they need the defense to win for the majority of the game, whether they need the offensive fireworks to win, or just a great combination of both. Jalen Ramsay and Aaron Donald have led that defense to hold opponents under 20 points per game. Jared Goff meanwhile has led the offense well with the help of Darrell Henderson and Malcolm Brown. Both backs have had at least one game with over 100 yards from scrimmage. And multiple touchdowns. This team may be looking up to the Seahawks but are in the thick of the playoff outlook. 

7. Pittsburgh Steelers

•  Even without playing this past week, the Steelers still look good enough to keep their spot on this list. The defensive front seven is going crazy with their pressure and ability to get in the backfield. They still need to figure out the backend but Minkah Fitzpatrick looks to be the real deal. The offense is still getting it together, but Big Ben looks solid and the plethora of receivers they have only helped the cause. If they can get James Connor from two years ago this team can cause some serious trouble for the AFC. 

6. Tennessee Titans

• This is a team that deserves its spot from its past performance. You can’t beat a 3-0 record with weapons in every key area. Tannehill, Henry, Brown, and Smith make for some impressive offensive firepower. While on defense guys Byard, Clowney, Evans and new addition Kristian Fulton can lead the defense to success. Unfortunately, this team has hit the one thing that a tackle or touchdown can’t help with, COVID-19. They already had one game canceled and 20 players and staff tested positive for the virus. Hopefully, they can get it together before their bout with the Bills.

5. Buffalo Bills

• Josh Allen is the real deal. The main knock on this guy was turnovers and accuracy, but this year that has changed. Josh Allen is completing 71% of his passes and is second in the league in passing yards. The greatest thing is the 12:1 touchdown to interception ratio and only two fumbles in the first game. Now with his new weapon, Stefon Diggs, they are lighting up the league. Diggs is tied for first in yards and averaging 15.5 yards per reception. Not only is the offense cooking, but the defense is holding strong. It may be giving up more points and yards than normal, but are finding ways to keep the games in their favor. 

4. Baltimore Ravens

• That is how you get back on track after an embarrassing loss on MNF. Lamar got it going with his arms and legs against the Washington team with the 50-yard touchdown run being the biggest highlight. Mark Andrews and Marquise Brown got more involved again and the team was rolling on offense. As for the defense they made Haskins uncomfortable all day and even recovered a fumble from the rookie Antonio Gibson. They just need to keep the formula going and their matchup with the Bengals shouldn’t be an issue next week. 

3. Seattle Seahawks

• Russell Wilson is truly making his case for MVP this year. He is single-handed leading this team to wins week in and week out. He got the offense humming on all cylinders as he has thrown for 16 TD to 2 interceptions while completing over 75% of his passes. You add in a Chris Carson and you have a serious problem on your hands defensively. On the defensive side of the ball is where the true issues reside. They have given up over 27 points per game and over 475 yards per game. That can kill this team in the playoffs, but for now Mr. DangeRuss is cooking with fire and not getting burned. 

2. Green Bay Packers

• If there is anything I can say about this team it is that Rodgers is still here. Rodgers put it best this past week on the Pat McAfee Show. He stated he ignores the talk of him having a down year because his down years are career years for others. He is currently on a roll this season not having thrown a pick and throwing 13 touchdowns in four games. Not only that but he has led his team to score over 30 points each game this year with a perfect 4-0 record. The defense has stood up when needed and this team looks to have the best chances in the NFC right now to make it to the SuperBowl.

1. Kansas City Chiefs

• You can only hope to contain Mahomes and this Chief's offense. Belichick, who is regarded as one of the better defensive-minded coaches, even struggles against the Chiefs. The Chiefs were held to two field goals in the first half but in the second exploded. They got two touchdowns from its offense and a Tyrann Mathieu pick-six on a ball that went right through Julian Edelman’s hands. The reason this team is at the top is due to the way that defense has been playing this year. They have stifled some pretty decent offenses. Then on the offensive side of the ball, they have become more balanced in the pass and running games with rookie sensation Clyde Edwards Helaire leading the backfield.