The NFC has some of the perfect combinations of head coaches and offensive play-callers who know how to use dynamic playmakers at running back, and the star power required from the players to execute a vision flawlessly.
This might very well be a new golden age at the running back position around the NFL, where a handful of players will not only be in the running for Offensive Player of the Year honors, but possibly make a big enough impact to be considered for league MVP.
The question, as we get closer and closer to the start of the 2026 season, is -- which running backs are going to be the best this season? Our newest NFL Power Rankings will be taking a closer look at the top 5 running backs in the NFC for 2026, based on their bodies of work up to this point as well as projecting for the upcoming season.
NFL Power Rankings: Top 5 RBs in the NFC for the 2026 season, ranked
5. Kyren Williams, Rams
You can credit Sean McVay all you want for this, but Kyren Williams has produced enough at this point to be considered one of the top-5 running backs in the NFC heading into the 2026 season.
When you think of game-changing backs around the league, Williams might not be the first, second, third, or maybe even 10th name that comes to mind. But fantasy football players out there know this guy's value, and what he brings to the table for the Rams is a finisher.
Williams has 44 total touchdowns over the last three seasons combined, and is coming off of arguably his most efficient overall season yet as a pro with 5.2 yards per touch, a career-high 1,533 yards from scrimmage on 295 touches, and only two fumbles. Most importantly, he played all 17 games for the Rams.
4. Saquon Barkley, Eagles
It was always going to be difficult for Saquon Barkley to match the type of otherworldly performance we saw from him during the 2024 season, his first with the Eagles.
He ran for over 2,000 yards that season, looking like a man possessed, and averaged a staggering 125.3 yards per game. With 2,283 yards from scrimmage, Barkley was understandably named a 1st-team All-Pro as well as the NFL Offensive Player of the Year, finishing 3rd in MVP voting.
The entire Eagles offense struggled a bit last season, and Barkley's numbers took a dip. He averaged just 4.1 yards per carry and was limited to 71.3 yards per game. That's more than a 50-yard difference -- per game -- than where he was at in 2024.
We're all expecting him to bounce back in a big way this upcoming season, even if that doesn't necessarily mean another 2,000-yard season.
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