Your top 5 RBs as of 2021

[tyler735]

8 hours ago, iknowcool said:

Fournette is still a alright-ish back, but crazy to think he didn't even end up being a top-5 back in his draft class.  AK, CMC, Cook, Jones, Mixon, Hunt all better. A healthy Mack or Carson are probably better too. 

Yeah the talent in that class is insane, but yeah he definitely didn't live up to the hype from when he was coming into the league. Wonder if there's ever been a draft class with that many quality RB's. 13 RB's have gone for over 1,000 yards from scrimmage in a season that 2017 class (all the guys I listed above).

[Sad People]

1. Nick Chubb

2. King Henry

3. CMC

4. DC33

5. AK

I would put Barkley at 5 but the last couple years have been rough for him.

[TENINCH]

9 hours ago, -Hope- said:

with running backs, more so than, say, wide receivers, there are pretty serious differences based on your system. if you run your offense with a heavy dose of outside zone, i think you'd be pretty silly to choose anyone but henry. but if you're a pass-first offense who uses your backs in the passing game a lot, you probably want CMC. i think they're pretty tough to rank for that reason. but my top 5 would probably include, in whatever order:

henry

CMC

chubb

cook

kamara

Viking fans were crapped on when we said Peterson was the best even though he wasn't much a factor in the passing game. You'll be laughing at those comments as you watch Henry run people over like Peterson did.

[iknowcool]

9 hours ago, Trojan said:

Ezekiel Elliott doesn't make a single top 5 list? He lost Dak and had Andy Dalton and an injured OL still almost got 1000 yards, at the very least he gets Dak back to regain the threat of a passing game. I would be surprised if Zeke, if healthy, doesn't end the year as a top 5 RB.

1. Derrick Henry
2. Nick Chubb
4. Ezekiel Elliott
3/5/6. Saquon Barkley/Christian McCaffrey/Alvin Kamara tier of ultra talented runners and pass catchers that have question mark QB situations that may hold them back, I expect one to be top 3, the other just behind Zeke. Off injury concerns for Barkley and McCaffrey too otherwise they have arguments for RB1 talent if they had health and team situations improved.

Dalvin Cook is the one I'd consider most for making that I didn't list, but he has never started a full season and I just don't trust him to log enough games to be in contention. Obviously could be though, and he has two rookie OL additions to help.

Zeke is good, but what hurts him for me is his lack of explosiveness these days.  His longest run in the last 2 seasons is 33 yards.  Only 3 runs of 20+ yards last year and in 2019, only 4, with 0 40+ yard runs in either season. He's fumbled a lot, with 15 fumbles over the last 3 years.  Last year wasn't all on him as the OL struggled, but he didn't help either.  Watching him play, it's clear he isn't as fast as he used to be, and he doesn't make the first man miss as much as he used to either.

Still a good back, but the guys ahead of him are all better at generating those chunk, explosive plays.  They make guys miss more consistently.  

[BayRaider]

Agreed about Zeke. He is a very solid back and extremely consistent, but to be at the top of your position you have to be explosive + consistent. Zeke is definitely not explosive. One of the reasons I can’t see Jacobs ever being Top 5 either, but still a very good, effective, consistent RB. 

[diamondbull424]

1. Derrick Henry
2a. Alvin Kamara
2b. Dalvin Cook
4. Nick Chubb
5a. Saquan Barkley
5b. CMC

I think above all else, the most important factor for a RB boils down to game on the line, down by 5 and you need a go ahead TD to win. You’re at the 1-2 yard line and it’s 4th down, who do I most feel comfortable handing the ball off/passing it to get me the victory?

Thats not the only thing obviously but from there I’m thinking things like who does more damage when down (stat padding) vs going off and contributing to victories? Who can salt away a close game down the stretch with key carries? I’m thinking who is more explosive? Who has more of an intimidating factor for a defense to face? Who performs best in big games/playoffs? (If applicable) That and the never controversial, 100% accurate ‘eye test’ 👀 (only half joking- 50% of the time I’m right every time).

I’m sure I’ll get flack for Barkley slightly above CMC, but he was the greatest RB prospect I’ve ever evaluated and he didn’t disappoint as a rookie. CMC equally had a top RB season just two years ago (what are the chances he ever has another season like that?), but moving forward I’ll side with talent/potential at the RB position due to how capricious it can be from year to year. That said one more injury season by Barkley and he sharply falls as he will have shown a pattern of being an unreliable back due to durability.

[notthatbluestuff]

1 hour ago, diamondbull424 said:

1. Derrick Henry
2a. Alvin Kamara
2b. Dalvin Cook
4. Nick Chubb
5a. Saquan Barkley
5b. CMC

I gave you a football purely because you're one of the rare people who correctly uses the "a/b" thing. 

[DontTazeMeBro]

Dalvin Cook is a dominant runner and can do what McAffrey and Kamara do in the pass game. So I’d go him #1. Chubb #5. Then some combo of Henry, McCaffrey, Kamara 2-4. And you didn’t ask for it but Aaron Jones #6.

[tyler735]

39 minutes ago, DontTazeMeBro said:

Dalvin Cook is a dominant runner and can do what McAffrey and Kamara do in the pass game. So I’d go him #1. Chubb #5. Then some combo of Henry, McCaffrey, Kamara 2-4. And you didn’t ask for it but Aaron Jones #6.

Strange the Vikings wouldn't use him in the pass game much and have him take over games in those ways like McCaffrey and Kamara have the past 4 years. Would indicate extreme incompetence by the Vikings coaching staff or the more likely answer that Cook just doesn't have that skillset.

[SteelKing728]

1. Henry

2. CMC

3. Cook

4. Barkley

5. Kamara

[TENINCH]

On 5/30/2021 at 3:22 PM, tyler735 said:

Strange the Vikings wouldn't use him in the pass game much and have him take over games in those ways like McCaffrey and Kamara have the past 4 years. Would indicate extreme incompetence by the Vikings coaching staff or the more likely answer that Cook just doesn't have that skillset.

Our QB could actually throw the ball deep so tossing the ball to Cook near the LOS wasn't as necessary as it was for Brees and Kamara. Maybe Kamara doesnt have the skillset to be a rusher. Maybe he should be a WR instead since he cant break 1k yards rushing. 

Edited June 1, 2021 by TENINCH

[Eric dunn]

1. Chubb
2. CMC
3. Henry
4. Cook
5. Barkley

HM: A. Jones & Kamara

[tyler735]

10 hours ago, TENINCH said:

Our QB could actually throw the ball deep so tossing the ball to Cook near the LOS wasn't as necessary as it was for Brees and Kamara. Maybe Kamara doesnt have the skillset to be a rusher. Maybe he should be a WR instead since he cant break 1k yards rushing. 

Apples and Oranges. I've seen Kamara and McCaffrey show off a much more full route tree and line up all over the field to be consistently utilized in the pass game. I haven't seem Cook do the same. Plus I would add, I've seen Kamara make catches deep down the field numerous times for big plays.

I've seen Kamara succeed as a rusher in a variety of different ways, so I have zero concerns over his skillset as a rusher given his 3,340 rushing yards, 5.0 career ypc, and 43 career rushing touchdowns in his career thus far.

Or in other words, Cook has more rushing yards in his career (3661 rushing yards), way less rushing touchdowns in his career (33 rushing touchdowns), and a lower ypc (4.8 ypc) in his career. Maybe Cook should retire since he can't stay healthy and handle the physicality of the NFL 🤣

[Sad People]

14 minutes ago, tyler735 said:

Apples and Oranges. I've seen Kamara and McCaffrey show off a much more full route tree and line up all over the field to be consistently utilized in the pass game. I haven't seem Cook do the same. Plus I would add, I've seen Kamara make catches deep down the field numerous times for big plays.

I've seen Kamara succeed as a rusher in a variety of different ways, so I have zero concerns over his skillset as a rusher given his 3,340 rushing yards, 5.0 career ypc, and 43 career rushing touchdowns in his career thus far.

Or in other words, Cook has more rushing yards in his career (3661 rushing yards), way less rushing touchdowns in his career (33 rushing touchdowns), and a lower ypc (4.8 ypc) in his career. Maybe Cook should retire since he can't stay healthy and handle the physicality of the NFL 🤣

16 of those 43 tuddies came in on year so dont forget that. The difference isnt that large between DC and AK

[dtait93]

On 5/27/2021 at 10:05 AM, mattyice0401 said:

1. Nick Chubb

2. King Henry

3. CMC

4. DC33

5. AK

I would put Barkley at 5 but the last couple years have been rough for him.

 

12 hours ago, Eric dunn said:

1. Chubb
2. CMC
3. Henry
4. Cook
5. Barkley

HM: A. Jones & Kamara

Help me understand how you guys rank Chubb ahead of Henry?