Who is the best running back in the NFL right now?

With the NFL tending to be viewed as a predominantly passing game, perceptions have changed in recent times with many teams becoming more focused on rushing the ball, especially with more quarterbacks seemingly able to make plenty of yards on the ground.

The longevity of RBs is something that can vary and only those that stick around long enough truly get slated as a great. There are many recent examples of excellent individual performances over the course of a year or even a few but it is hard to maintain due to the demands of the role. Todd Gurley is one of those examples with the three-time Pro-Bowler a free agent at the time of writing despite being 27. In 92 career games, he has broken the plane for 69 rushing touchdowns as well as chiming in with a further 12 through the air as well as averaging over a thousand rushing yards per season. However, injuries curtailed his career and his best days appear to be a long way behind him.

There are a host of rookie RBs or those with limited experience that have done well since their introduction to the NFL and while we are focusing on the best RBs in the NFL at present, the list below contains those that have shown consistency in their performances over a number of years:

Aaron Jones

Jones is a contentious choice on this list and in truth, a number of players could have taken his spot. The Green Bay Packers is hampered by the fact he plays under one of the greatest QBs of all time who prefers throwing the ball and the Packers can be guilty of neglecting the ground game at times. However, when Jones is utilised, he generally performs and his numbers stand out. He has surpassed 1,000 rushing yards in each of his last two years and he has also crossed for 29 rushing TDs during that time. He can also be effective through the air and has collected 50 receptions in each of those two years.

Dalvin Cook

Cook has had some injury issues to contend with but when he is healthy, he is undoubtedly one of the elite RBs in the NFL. He has achieved some impressive numbers for Minnesota Vikings with him surpassing the 1,000 yard mark in each of his last two years in the league and he may well have hit that in his other two had he not been hampered by injuries. Cook is also a threat through the air too with him producing some solid numbers in terms of yardage but he doesn’t tend to find the end zone very often when catching the ball. On the ground, he has crossed for 31 TDs in his last two years and he will be key for his team once again this time around.

Alvin Kamara

Kamara is a genuine dual-threat and despite playing under one of the all-time great QBs in Drew Brees, he got his fair share of carries on the ground but was also targeted plenty through the air. Kamara is strong and boasts plenty of speed with his elusiveness also a key attribute. While he has not hit the heights in terms of yardage on the ground compared to his rivals on this list, he makes up for that with his numbers in the passing game. His rookie season in the NFL saw him post 794 rushing yards, his lowest total in his four years. However, he still crossed for nine rushing TDs that year to show his value with his total before the start of this season standing at 46. He has also added 18 through the air and has also surpassed at least 500 receiving yards per season, showing his consistency and how valuable his all-round game is.

Derrick Henry

Henry has been the rushing king over the past two seasons, finishing with the crown of most yards and he did so last season by surpassing the 2,000 yard mark. He boasts an incredible physique, making him very difficult to bring down and he is brilliant at making yards after the catch but he combines that strength with the speed to pull away from defenders. Henry’s numbers in the last two years in particular have been phenomenal with 36 rushing TDs and while he does not boast a huge aerial threat, he can be damaging on screen plays. His mere presence causes defenders to panic and makes them think twice when lining up in the backfield and the Tennessee Titans appears to be trending in the right direction with another rushing title in his sights this year if he remains healthy.

Christian McCaffrey

McCaffrey is the ultimate dual-threat RB and has had an astonishing impact in the NFL since his debut back in 2017. He played in every game in his first three years with him taking on an unbelievable workload but he suffered an injury last year which curtailed his progress and limited him to just three games. He will be looking to make a big comeback this year to show his quality and highlight why he is the best RB in the NFL. In his first three years, McCaffrey rushed for 2,936 yards while he also achieved 2,624 through the air. 2019 was a genuine breakthrough year in terms of his performances, achieving just under 2,400 total yards while notching 19 total TDs and a fit McCaffrey sets the standard in terms of NFL RBs with his ability both on the ground and through the air posing defenses all sorts of problems thanks to his size, speed and strength.