The NFL is flooded with talented running backs and we’re ranking every starter.
The 2020 NFL Draft shook up the running back market by injecting yet another talented rookie class into the league. As many as four rookies could win starting jobs within the opening weeks of the upcoming season. Along with several veteran free agent signings from earlier in the spring, the 2020 draft class dramatically altered the running back power rankings.
The best 32 running backs in the NFL aren’t starting. Instead, some of the best backs are preparing for seasons as backups. For instance, Kareem Hunt in Cleveland or Phillip Lindsay in Denver could serve as feature backs on several teams. Instead, they’ll probably serve as backups this year. Some former starters and Pro Bowlers, like Devonta Freeman, remain unsigned.
However, these power rankings are only concerned with the projected starters for each team in Week 1, which puts rookies in competitive situations, like Indianapolis’ Jonathan Taylor, at a disadvantage. Even if the rookies take over as starters by Week 4 or 5, they don’t qualify for this article.
I assembled the following group of running backs under the assumption that all 32 will be ready for Week 1. This premise primarily relates to any potential injuries or recovery problems, which rehabbing backs like Seattle’s Chris Carson could encounter. It also covers potential contract holdouts, which refers mainly to Minnesota’s Dalvin Cook.
While the quarterback power rankings article took supporting casts into account, this article relies almost solely on individual skill. Even if I mention offensive lines during a player’s slide, their performances did not play a role in the player’s ranking. Last year’s performances impact a running back’s positioning, but the rankings aren’t based solely on how the back played last year.
As the offseason rolls on, there’s a slim chance the running back power rankings will change. Most teams already know who their starters are for the season opener. Nevertheless, this is how the 32 projected starting running backs rank heading into the long summer stretch of the offseason.