NFL Free Agency 2021: Ranking the 10 best running backs available

GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN - JANUARY 24: Aaron Jones #33 of the Green Bay Packers runs with the ball in the second quarter against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the NFC Championship game at Lambeau Field on January 24, 2021 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /

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Leonard Fournette (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /

4. Chris Carson (Seattle Seahawks)

There was a time when the Seattle ground attack with his consistent as any in the league led by “Beast Mode” Marshawn Lynch, Pete Carroll’s running game was among the league leaders on an annual basis. But now the focus of the offense has shifted to the skills of quarterback Russell Wilson, who doesn’t appear to be the happiest member of the Seahawks these days (see Adam Schein of NFL.com).

Meanwhile, 2017 seventh-round pick Chris Carson led the team in rushing for the third straight year in 2020. After back-to-back 1,000-plus yard campaigns, he ran for just 681 yards and five TDs this past season. The four-year pro owns a career average of 4.6 yards per carry.

3. Leonard Fournette (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

He came within a victory of reaching the Super Bowl during his rookie campaign of 2017. Running back Leonard Fournette had a solid year for the Jacksonville Jaguars when he was the fourth overall pick in the draft that year. After three seasons with the organization, he was let go last offseason and wound up finding a home with Bruce Arians’ team.

And while Ronald Jones got the majority of the carries this season, Fournette made the most of his 97 attempts, running for 367 yards and six scores. During the Buccaneers’ four-game Super Bowl championship run, he ran for 300 yards rushing on 64 attempts, part of his 448 total yards from scrimmage and four touchdowns.

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