The quarterback is the most important position in sports, period, and in today's NFL, we have seen a bit of a resurgence at the running back position. It seems like ever since defenses figured out how to take away the deep pass, offenses are correcting and now embracing the run a lot more than they have.
This could continue into the 2026 NFL Season, but there will always be high-end, prolific quarterbacks even if the run game continues to take center stage in this league. With training camp on the horizon for all 32 teams, let's take a deeper look at the quarterback and running back positions.
We've power-ranked all 32 QB/RB duos ahead of training camp. For this ranking, we've tried to best use the total body of work for the duos as the primary basis for our rankings.
NFL Power Rankings: Ranking each team by their QB/RB duo ahead of training camp
32. Deshaun Watson/Quinshon Judkins, Cleveland Browns
Quinshon Judkins did do some neat things as a rookie for the Cleveland Browns, but Deshaun Watson, assuming he wins the starting job, is really dragging this ranking down. Watson hasn't been a competent player in years, and there also is no guarantee that Judkins can build on his rookie season, either.
31. Bryce Young/Chuba Hubbard, Carolina Panthers
Bryce Young and Chuba Hubbard is certainly a do. Rico Dowdle was the guy for the Carolina Panthers last year, but he signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers in free agency. In 2025, Hubbard averaged fewer than four yards per carry and only amassed 511 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown in 15 games
30. Jaxson Dart/Cam Skattebo, New York Giants
Both rookies in 2025, Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo were also hurt at one point during the season, with Skattebo suffering a season-ending injury. While the vibes with this duo could be high, the duo ranked among their peers is quite low right now. Skattebo doesn't really profile as a bell-cow running back in my opinion, and Dart does have to prove himself in a crucial second year.
29. Cam Ward/Tony Pollard, Tennessee Titans
Tony Pollard is a lower ceiling, high floor running back who knows how to just barely run for 1,000 yards, but that's about it. Cam Ward is also an unproven player who did make some big-time throws here and there. I would be shocked if the Titans didn't try to make some sort of major running back move in the next year or so to make life easier for Ward as he continues to develop.
28. Geno Smith/Breece Hall, New York Jets
I really love Breece Hall as a player, but he continues to be in a less-than-ideal situation with the New York Jets. If you ask me, the Jets plan on making a big-time move for a rookie quarterback in the 2027 NFL Draft, a draft where the team has three first-round picks.
For the time being, Geno Smith is going to play quarterback, which isn't a good thing. Smith has tossed 32 interceptions over the last two seasons and is now on his third team in as many seasons for a reason. Hall is doing all the heavy-lifting he can in this ranking, as Smith isn't a starting-caliber player anymore.
27. Kirk Cousins/Ashton Jeanty, Las Vegas Raiders
Kirk Cousins and Ashton Jeanty could hold the fort down for the Las Vegas Raiders in 2026, perhaps paving the way for Fernando Mendoza in 2027. Jeanty, despite being surrounded by a horrendous offensive line in 2026, did manage to accumulate more than 1,000 scrimmage yards. He wasn't that efficient as a runner, but many are thinking that was due to the product of the offensive line.
Cousins is a 'meh' player at this point - he has backup upside and should only be a team's starter in this exact situation - being a bit of a runway for a rookie quarterback to come in and take the reins over at some point.
26. Jacoby Brissett/Jeremiyah Love, Arizona Cardinals
Jeremiyah Love has not taken a snap in the NFL, so while you might 'project' that Love plays awesome this year, it's not guaranteed. Jacoby Brissett is also a backup-caliber player and is obviously not the Cardinals long-term solution. Love could end up being a stud, as he has all the qualities, but this could be like a Jeanty-rookie-season situation, where we all know the talent is there, but the high-end production has to wait.
25. Trevor Lawrence/Chris Rodriguez, Jacksonville Jaguars
I guess it's Chris Rodriguez as the de-facto starter? In 13 games for Washington back in 2025, Rodriguez had 500 yards and six touchdowns, but he's never played more than 13 games in a season and has just seven starts in three years. This does fery much feel like a committee approach in 2026, which is fine.
As for Trevor Lawrence, he was red-hot to end the 2025 season, but he was also not nearly as efficient until the last month and a half, so Lawrence hasn't really sustained a high level of play across an entire season as of yet.
24. Aaron Rodgers/Rico Dowdle, Pittsburgh Steelers
Dowdle is a 1,000-yard player, and I do believe he'll get the 'starter' carries at the position over Jaylen Warren, who could also have a notable role, but Dowdle is definitely a lower ceiling player and more of a 1A at the position. At quarterback, Aaron Rodgers is fine at this stage of his career, but he's far removed from his prime years.
On paper, he'll be efficient, but the Steelers' offense didn't do much of anything well and just don't really scare you at any position. Rodgers is quite limited at this stage of his career and is probably the 18-20th best player at the position on his best days.
This duo is nothing to get excited about.
23. Malik Willis/De’Von Achane, Miami Dolphins
If nothing else, De'Von Achane rocks and is, arguably, a top-5 player at the position, but Malik Willis is honestly as unknown as a rookie quarterback. In mop-up duty for the Green Bay Packers, Willis was quite good these past two seasons, but there just isn't anything to stay one way or another if Willis is anything more than a spot-starter.
He still does have youth on his side, which is good for him, but Willis not being much at the position right now does hurt the Miami Dolphins duo in our rankings.
22. Tyler Shough/Travis Etienne, New Orleans Saints
Tyler Shough played well down the stretch for the New Orleans Saints, helping the team win four of their final five games. Landing Travis Etienne in free agency was also a huge get, as he's a 1,000-yard running back with receiving upside, which is ideal for Shough's development.
But, like many teams in this tier in our power rankings, Shough is still unproven, so while I am quite high on the Saints this year (and you should be, too), I'd be doing a disservice to the other duos if I ranked this one any higher at the moment.
But if we revisited this mid-season...
21. Kyler Murray/Aaron Jones, Minnesota Vikings
I refuse to believe that Kyler Murray signed with the Minnesota Vikings to be in a 'quarterback competition' with JJ McCarthy. Unless something major happens, Murray is going to start. The Vikings may continue to trot out Aaron Jones as the de-facto RB1, but it's clear that Jones just isn't the same player he once was.
This duo would have been awesome about four years ago, but that is no longer the case in 2026.
20. Baker Mayfield/Bucky Irving, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Baker Mayfield and Bucky Irving are both fine. Irving had a breakout rookie season back in 2024 but struggled to stay on the field in 2025, so it's almost as if he has to re-establish himself again. Baker Mayfield is in a similar boat, as the quarterback, one year after throwing for 41 touchdown passes and 4,500 yards, fell back down to earth in 2025.
All in all, while the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a lot in place that could end up leading to an NFC South title, nothing really stands out as being quite good enough to accomplish anything more than that.
19. Tua Tagovailoa/Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons
Bijan Robinson is a fantastic player and might be a top-5 player in the sport, but Tua Tagovailoa is on the flip slide of that. If Atlanta gets the 2022-2024 version of Tagovailoa with the Dolphins, this team is going to be in a great spot in 2026 and beyond.
But the 2025 version of Tagovailoa got him cut from Miami, so we have to proceed carefully here. The Falcons do have the best roster in the NFC South, and if Tagovailoa can simply play average football for the team in 2026, they'll win the NFC South and be one of the more fun duos in the NFL.
18. Jayden Daniels/Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Washington Commanders
Jayden Daniels only played in seven games for the Washington Commanders in 2025, so he takes a hit here. Jacory Croskey-Merritt did have a fun rookie season, but it's not clear if he can become a legitimate bellcow running back. All things considered, the Commanders do have a solid duo here, and if Daniels is able to get back on the field for all 17 games, which is something he did in 2026, all players will be elevated, and Croskey-Merritt could then become more of a household name.
17. Sam Darnold/Jadarian Price, Seattle Seahawks
Sam Darnold struggled with 20 turnovers last year, but yes, he was good enough to help the Seattle Seahawks win the Super Bowl. However, Kenneth Walker III departed in free agency, so now the Seahawks figure to deploy a new RB duo in Jadarian Price and Zach Charbonnet. With Price being a rookie, this ranking comes in lower than some might have expected it to be.
But the Super Bowl-winning GM, John Schneider, did let Walker leave in free agency, so maybe he is onto something here...
16. CJ Stroud/David Montgomery, Houston Texans
Both rather average, CJ Stroud and David Montgomery have both flashed notable upside during their careers. Montgomery figures to be the 1A in Houston, and he does have low ceiling 1,000-yard ability. Stroud has been average since his breakout season in 2023, so he's needing to prove himself in 2026, or Houston would end up in a tough situation.
15. Justin Herbert/Omarion Hampton, Los Angeles Chargers
Justin Herbert is who he is at this point - he's been the same quality quarterback his entire career but does own an 0-3 playoff record. Omarion Hampton is a massive specimen of a running back who ran for 545 yards as a rookie in nine games. Hampton's health in 2026 is going to be a major thing here, but the main issue with Herbert and why this duo isn't ranked higher is it seems like there just isn't that truly elite level that many think he's at.
Besides the shiny regular season statistics, what else is present with Herbert?
14. Daniel Jones/Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts
Jonathan Taylor is one of the very best players in the NFL and is also one of the best pure runners in this league. He does most of the heavy-lifting here, but Daniel Jones was playing extremely well before his Achilles injury. Being ranked No. 14 is definitely closer to average, and that does feel fair given the performance of Jones and how good Taylor is.
If both are healthy and playing close to how they did in the first half of 2025, the Indianapolis Colts could be a special football team.
13. Bo Nix/J.K. Dobbins, Denver Broncos
Both Bo Nix and J.K. Dobbins can be great in 2026. We all know the story with Dobbins - injuries have robbed him of what could have been an insanely successful career, as he does still average over 1,000 yards averaged out over a 17-game season, and he also averages 5.2 yards per carry over his career.
But he has not played more than 15 games in a season, and that came all the way as a rookie. As for Nix, he's an ascending quarterback with a lot of awesome qualities, but many are wondering if Nix is able to take his game as a passer to the next level, as it does seem like Denver's passing attack has been capped over these past two seasons, but Dobbins was on pace for over 1,300 rushing yards in 2025, and Nix did have the Broncos within one game of the Super Bowl.
12. Caleb Williams/D’Andre Swift, Chicago Bears
Caleb Williams is a special player, and D'Andre Swift more than held his own in 2025 for the Chicago Bears. Williams does seem to be getting a lot of media love, and that could also be due to the fanbase finally seeming to have a franchise quarterback after years of dysfunction. Williams is a good quarterback, but he's far from a finished product.
As for Swift, he's a legitimate dual-threat option with solid, efficient upside as a runner, and he had at least 1,345 scrimmage yards for the second year in a row, so he's a darn good football player.
11. Patrick Mahomes/Kenneth Walker III, Kansas City Chiefs
Patrick Mahomes hasn't been nearly as efficient these past few years as he was earlier in his career, but many may put that on coaching, still thinking that Mahomes' 'magic' is still as present as ever. Coming off a major knee injury is going to be a huge stepping stone for him, and if he can get back to his old self, the rest of the NFL is in trouble.
He does finally seem to have a solid running back now in Walker, who isn't a legitimate bellcow and did get overpaid in free agency, but he does have the ability to be a 1,000-yard player and is going to make Kansas City's running back room a little bit better in 2026, which is much-needed, as the Chiefs run game just has not gotten it done in recent years.
10. Jalen Hurts/Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles
The entire Philadelphia Eagles offense regressed big-time in the 2025 season. Saquon Barkley still eclipsed 1,000 yards and is one of the best running backs of this generation. He did have a 2,000-yard season in 2024. Jalen Hurts has been the same type of player his entire career - he's a threat as a ball-carrier, but he's not a threatening passer, and now not having AJ Brown in the mix could hurt the modest production he was able to rack up with Brown in the mix the past four season.
9. Joe Burrow/Chase Brown, Cincinnati Bengals
Joe Burrow is excellent and is a top-3 quarterback when healthy. Chase Brown is also a good player - he's nothing special but does have modest rushing and receiving upside, and he's far from a liability on the Cincinnati Bengals offense.
All in all, there are many, many teams who would love to have this duo on their side.
8.Drake Maye/TreVeyon Henderson, New England Patriots
Drake Maye and TreVeyon Henderson is quite the duo. Maye himself finished second in MVP voting in the 2025 season, just barely losing out to Matthew Stafford. Yes, the New England Patriots had an easy schedule, but production is production. As for TreVeyon Henderson, it wasn't the most consistent season, but the potential is there.
He is a legitimate dual-threat running back and should be able to step into a more significant role on the Patriots offense in 2026. In 2025, Henderson racked up 1,132 scrimmage yards and 10 touchdowns, playing in all 17 games and averaging a very strong 5.1 yards per carry. Henderson is an obvious league-wide breakout candidate this coming season.
7. Jordan Love/Josh Jacobs, Green Bay Packers
Jordan Love and Josh Jacobs come in at No. 7 in our power rankings. Both are consistently good. Love has missed four regular season games in the last two seasons and has actually not won more than nine games in any year of his starting career, but no one mistakes Love for a bad player. He's a very good quarterback and could still have another level to his game.
Jacobs is an efficient, solid runner. Definitely one of the more rugged, pure runners in the NFL, Jacobs is more of the old-school running back. Well-built at 5-10 and 223 pounds, Jacobs has only averaged 4.2 yards per carry across his career, but he does have 7,803 rushing yards in his seven years in the league, so he is a 1,000-yard player and is approaching 10,000 scrimmage yards, which he should hit very early into the 2026 season.
6. Dak Prescott/Javonte Williams, Dallas Cowboys
Javonte Williams had the best season of his NFL career for Dallas in the 2025 season, which earned him a three-year contract extension. Dak Prescott has also been one of the more prolific quarterbacks in the NFL since entering the league and is an elite pocket passer. The Cowboys, as a whole, finished with the 7th-ranked scoring offense, and it started with Prescott and Williams.
Williams always had the potential to be a 1,000-yard runner, but he never fully found his footing with the Broncos, his previous team.
5. Brock Purdy/Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers
Brock Purdy and Christian McCaffrey come in at No. 5 in our power rankings. Purdy has been efficient his entire career, and he's won a ton already. McCaffrey might honestly be a borderline Hall of Fame player at this point. In 2025, McCaffrey led the NFL with a whopping 413 touches, amassing 2,126 yards.
4. Lamar Jackson/Derrick Henry, Baltimore Ravens
Both Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry will one day end up in the Hall of Fame, and I don't say that lightly. Jackson is the best dual-threat quarterback of all-time, and there is a non-zero chance that Henry could end his career with the most rushing yards in NFL history.
Yes, the Baltimore Ravens had a down year in 2025, but that doesn't take away from just how elite this duo is and their ceiling. If Jackson stays on the field and Henry is still able to be efficient and isn't set to regression, the Ravens are going to be an absolute handful on offense once again.
3. Josh Allen/James Cook, Buffalo Bills
Josh Allen is one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks of all-time, but he has stayed healthier than Jackson, and James Cook is a much younger player than Henry, so the Buffalo Bills duo gets the nod for these rankings. Cook actually led the NFL in rushing touchdowns in 2024 and led the league in rushing yards in 2025.
He's an insanely productive player, and playing with Josh Allen certainly helps, as Allen himself is an elite rushing threat at the position. Cook has 32 total touchdowns over the past two seasons, and Allen has been a touchdown machine his entire career.
2. Jared Goff/Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions
Jared Goff is underappreciated across the quarterback landscape, but Jahmyr Gibbs does at least get the credit he deserves. Goff is a high-end passer who has thrown no fewer than 29 touchdown passes in each of the last four seasons, and Gibbs continues to be one of the best, most dynamic weapons in football.
Gibbs has been in the NFL for just three seasons but already has 49 total touchdowns, and Goff has been a high-end, efficient passer for the bulk of his career. There is also a realistic chance that Goff one day ends his NFL career quite high on some all-time quarterback categories like passing yards and touchdowns.
1. Matthew Stafford/Kyren Williams, Los Angeles Rams
Our No. 1 ranked duo in our power rankings, Stafford won the MVP this year and was the best player in the NFL not named Myles Garrett. Kyren Williams, while not the most dynamic player in the world, did rush for 1,252 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2025. Williams does have three-straight seasons of at least 1,000 yards and has 44 touchdowns over the time. While Williams may not always be seen among the best running backs in the NFL, statistically, he's there, forming the best QB/RB duo in the league ahead of 2026.