Two weeks have passed since the first rendition of these rankings, giving us plenty of film to adjust them with. While the QBs didn’t change much, the RBs did shake up a bit. Onto the rankings:

1. Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints

Stats: 5 GP, 61 ATT, 281 YDS, 4 TD, 38 REC, 395 YDS, 3 TD

Kamara’s rushing stats pale in comparison to the others on this list, but the receiving game is where he makes his money. Kamara is third in the league in receptions, making him the only RB in the top ten. With Michael Thomas out, Kamara has embraced being the focal point of this offense. There is a 372-yard gap between him and the Saints second-place leader in yards from scrimmage. Altogether, he’s first in the NFL in yards from scrimmage and tied for first in total touchdowns. That new contract continues to look good.

2. Dalvin Cook, Minnesota Vikings

Stats: 5 GP, 92 ATT, 489 YDS, 7 TD, 1 FMB

The last time these rankings were written, Cook snuck on as an honorable mention thanks to a huge game against the Tennessee Titans. After racking up another 235 scrimmage yards and three scores in the past two weeks, Cook surges to the near top of the list. He may not be first place here, but Cook does lead the league in rushing with 489 yards, 112 more than the second-place Josh Jacobs. His seven rushing scores put him on pace for a ridiculous 22 touchdowns over a 16-game slate. He’s doing all this while still maintaining a hyper-efficient mark of 5.3 yards per carry. It’s unfortunate for Cook that his team can’t match his energy. The Minnesota Vikings have stumbled to a 1-4 mark to start the season.

3. Aaron Jones, Green Bay Packers

Stats: 4 GP, 65 ATT, 374 YDS, 4 TD, 135 REC YDS, 2 TD

The two Aarons of the Packers offense are the reason the unit has remained so lethal despite injuries to important players. Aaron Rodgers is having an MVP-level season while Aaron Jones ranks fifth in the league in rushing. The special thing about Jones is his ability to be so efficient with his runs. So far this season he’s averaging a ridiculous 5.8 YPC, far ahead of anyone else who ranks top 10 this season in rushing yards. It’s not a fluke, as his career YPC mark of 5.1 is also one of the best in NFL history. His contributions to the receiving game haven’t gone unnoticed either. He’s on pace to record 60 receptions and eight receiving scores this season. Those who speculated that former HC Mike McCarthy was holding back the talented Jones have been proven correct these past two seasons.

Honorable Mention: Todd Gurley, Atlanta Falcons

Week 4’s List:

1. Alvin Kamara

2. Nick Chubb

3. Aaron Jones

HM: Dalvin Cook

*All stats are taken from Pro Football Reference

Writer

-By: Micah Jimoh

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

Writer

-By: Micah Jimoh

The running back position is a constant revolving door. Some catch passes, some play on the goal line, and then you have Christian McCaffrey who does both. This year’s class features a little bit of all of that. Let’s preview the 2020 running back draft class and see what the future holds for them and their respective teams.

Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Kansas City Chiefs

Even though he was not expected to be the first running back taken in this year’s draft, the Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs drafted the LSU product with the last pick of the first round. Now, with starting running back Damien Williams opting out of the 2020 season, Edwards-Helaire will be thrown right into the mix and be the starting back. The former Tiger showed versatility from the running back position, running through the tackles while also catching passes. In his junior year at LSU, he caught 55 balls while also rushing for 1,414 yards, totaling 17 touchdowns. Clyde is a great fit for the high-flying Chiefs offense led by Patrick Mahomes and will be poised to have a big rookie season. 

D’Andre Swift, Detroit Lions

Coming into the draft, many felt that D’Andre Swift was the best in the class. Even though he was the second running back taken, Swift has the chance to be a star in the NFL and be an every-down back. In three years at Georgia, Swift had 440 carries for 2,885 yards and 20 touchdowns, averaging 6.6 yards per carry. Swift will start his career sharing the Lions backfield with Kerryon Johnson, but an explosive first few weeks may lead to Swift getting the bulk of the carries. Whether it was Nick Chubb, Todd Gurley, or even Herschel Walker, Swift has a chance to be yet another Georgia running back that succeeds in the NFL.

Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts

Out of everyone in this running back class, Jonathan Taylor had by far the best college career. Taylor went over 2,000 yards twice, with the other year rushing for 1,977 yards. He also had 50 rushing touchdowns for his college career, averaging 6.7 yards per carry. He has the fifth-most rushing yards in college football history and will look to continue his success to the pros. Taylor will join Marlon Mack in the backfield for Indianapolis with a chance to earn carries in his rookie season. With Mack reaching free agency after this season, there is a chance that Taylor becomes the bell-cow back for the Colts in 2021. Taylor has some fumbling problems which can be concerning, but if he can overcome that, Taylor can be a solid back in the NFL.

Cam Akers, Los Angeles Rams

The most intriguing running back in this class is Florida State product, Cam Akers. Akers, a three-year starter as a Seminole, was taken by the Los Angeles Rams in the second round. Earlier in the calendar year, the Rams cut star running back Todd Gurley, leaving the starting running back position wide open. Akers will be joining a running back room with Malcolm Brown and Darrell Henderson but is the favorite to become the starter. Sean McVay loves to run the ball, which is part of the reason they regressed in 2019, their inability to run the ball. If McVay gives Akers 18-25 carries a game, he has a real chance to break out as the top running back in this class.

J.K. Dobbins, Baltimore Ravens

Along with Jonathan Taylor, J.K. Dobbins also had 2,000 rushing yards in 2019, earning a second-round draft selection by the Baltimore Ravens. Baltimore has committed to running the ball down team’s throats to win football games, led by QB Lamar Jackson and RB Mark Ingram. Baltimore uses a committee at the running back position, so success will get Dobbins more carries. Although, Ingram is approaching his thirties and only has two years left on his deal. When that deal runs out, it may be Dobbins’ backfield if he plays well enough. If you are a running back, Baltimore is where you want to be, and Dobbins should enjoy a lot of success with John Harbaugh and crew.

A.J. Dillon, Green Bay Packers

After enjoying a nice career at Boston College, A.J. Dillon will look to continue his success in the NFL. The only question is, where is Dillon getting playing time? He has not been a major factor in the passing game, and Aaron Jones is the clear-cut back for Green Bay with Jamaal Williams behind him. Dillon has a chance to be the backup over Williams, but his playing time may not come in 2020. However, Aaron Jones is a free agent after this season and there is a chance he does not re-sign. This could be an opening for Dillon, but it is too early to tell how many carries he will truly get in 2020.

Stats from footballreference.com

Contract info from spotrac.com

Writer

By: Richie Dordas