Ranking the top 32 NFL running backs for the 2022 season
18. Cordarrelle Patterson, Atlanta Falcons
2021 stats:
- 1,166 yards from scrimmage
- 11 total touchdowns
- 52 receptions
It’s bizarre to even be putting Cordarrelle Patterson on a list like this.
Cordarrelle Patterson — top 20 running back in the NFL.
Who would have thought?
The former jack-of-all-trades at Tennessee has proven his worth as a versatile weapon in the NFL. That’s why so many teams have wanted him despite being somewhat of a “bust” as a former first-round pick.
Has he lived up to the hype as a first-round receiver? No. But Patterson has found any and every way he can to make an impact in the NFL and most recently, he did it as a running back with the Falcons wearing no. 84.
It was odd to watch on a weekly basis, there’s no question.
For the better part of the last decade, Patterson has made his living as one of the best return men in the game. For the first time since being drafted, he eclipsed 1,000 yards from scrimmage as an offensive player, running for 618 yards and six touchdowns for Arthur Smith’s Falcons.
He also caught 52 passes for 548 yards.
Even at the age of 31, you can’t help but feel that some of Patterson’s best days are ahead of him now that the positionless offensive weapon is en vogue.