NFL Running Back Power Rankings 2024

In this article, you’ll find my power rankings of the Top 50 running backs in the league. This isn’t a fantasy ranking, but more of my assessment of each running back as a player.

The ranks account for each player’s age and skillset, while also understanding that certain schemes are more running back-friendly than others.

With that in mind, let’s get right into the top 50 wide receiver power rankings for 2024 NFL season.

NFL Running Back Power Rankings

NFL Running Back Power Rankings are updated as of April 4, 2024.

NFL Running Back Power Rankings 50-41

50. Ty Chandler, Minnesota Vikings

Ty Chandler showed nice burst last season, rushing for 461 yards on 102 attempts (4.5 YPC). While the Vikings now have Aaron Jones, Chandler is a solid change-of-pace back with the ability to make an impact if he’s forced into a starting role.

49. MarShawn Lloyd, Projected Day 2/3 Pick

MarShawn Lloyd is a big-play threat who can act as a complementary piece in a committee backfield. The former USC standout has elusiveness to make defenders miss, along with pass-catching ability to be an all-purpose threat.

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48. Rico Dowdle, Dallas Cowboys

Rico Dowdle rushed 89 times for 361 yards (4.1 YPC) last season, demonstrating that he can be a supporting player in a running back committee. It will be interesting to see how the Cowboys address running back through the draft.

47. Gus Edwards, Los Angeles Chargers

Gus Edwards is coming off a career year, rushing for 810 yards and 13 touchdowns, establishing himself as a major threat in the red zone. I’m ranking him at RB47 because part of his production was inflated because Lamar Jackson opens up running lanes due to his rushing ability.

46. Keaton Mitchell, Baltimore Ravens

Keaton Mitchell looked like a big-play threat with top-end speed as a rookie. There’s a lot of potential here, but the second-year player is coming off a torn ACL, so I need to bake in some risk. Mitchell can be the lightning to Derrick Henry’s thunder in Baltimore.

🏈 Drafting your fantasy team? See where Mitchell and the other running backs on this list slot in our fantasy football rankings.

45. Jaylen Wright, Projected Day 2/3 Pick

Jaylen Wright has the ability to take it to the house on any given play with his elite speed. At 5-foot-10, 210 pounds, the former Tennessee back can lead a team in touches out of the backfield. I’m interested to see where Wright lands in the draft.

44. Braelon Allen, Projected Day 2/3 Pick

Braelon Allen has great size at 6-foot-1, 235 pounds along with strong college production. The former Badger can be the power back in a run-heavy offense, or act as the red-zone threat in a committee. We could see Allen score a lot of touchdowns in this league.

43. Khalil Herbert, Chicago Bears

Khalil Herbert has been one of the most efficient runners in football ever since coming into the league. The Bears back averaged 4.6 yards per carry last season, and is now going to form a committee with D’Andre Swift. Herbert has the ability to take on an enhanced role, there’s just injury concerns.

42. Chase Brown, Cincinnati Bengals

Chase Brown showed a lot of juice in his rookie season, making big plays through the air and on the ground. For now, Brown is projected to be the complementary back behind Zack Moss, but there’s certainly upside to rise in these ranks.

NFL Running Back Power Rankings 40-31

41. Jerome Ford, Cleveland Browns

Jerome Ford demonstrated that he has the ability to be the lead back last season, putting up over 1,100 yards from scrimmage. Expect the Browns to utilize a committee in 2024, since Nick Chubb is coming back from a serious knee injury.

40. Devin Singletary, New York Giants

Devin Singletary is a bit underrated, demonstrating that he can be a useful piece to an offense in 2023. The veteran rushed for 898 yards (4.2 YPC) with the Texans this past season. Singletary is a savvy addition for a Giants team looking to cut costs at running back.

39. Tyler Allgeier, Atlanta Falcons

Tyler Allgeier is the classic complementary back who can thrive if given a larger role in an offense. The second-year back averaged 4.9 YPC as a rookie. While that fell to 3.7 YPC in 2023, this inefficiency can be explained from the Falcons poor quarterback play.

38. Blake Corum, Projected Day 2/3 Pick

Blake Corum is a patient runner with excellent vision, capable of being the lead back in an offense. It will be interesting to see if Chargers new head coach Jim Harbaugh pounds the table for the team to draft Corum for a Michigan reunion in Los Angeles.

37. Austin Ekeler, Washington Commanders

Austin Ekeler looked like a player in decline in 2023, but I believe that there’s still some juice left in the tank. Let’s remember that Ekeler suffered a high-ankle sprain in Week 1, which zapped most of his burst for the rest of the year. Having said that, I’m baking in some risk by ranking Ekeler at RB37.

36. Zamir White, Las Vegas Raiders

Zamir White was excellent when called into duty with Josh Jacobs injured, putting up 100+ total yards in three of his four starts. The Raiders replaced Jacobs with Alexander Mattison, so White will have a chance to be the lead back in 2024.

35. Chuba Hubbard, Carolina Panthers

Chuba Hubbard is one of the most underrated backs in the NFL, putting up 1,100+ total yards despite playing in an atrocious offense. With Dave Canales now calling plays, expect a big jump from Bryce Young, opening up more opportunities for Hubbard.

34. Nick Chubb, Cleveland Browns

The only reason why Nick Chubb is this low on the power rankings is because he’s coming off a significant knee injury and entering his age-28 season. I need to bake in some risk that Chubb may not ever bet the same, especially since he dealt with injuries in college as well.

33. Brian Robinson Jr, Washington Commanders

Brian Robinson Jr. runs hard and can catch passes out of the backfield, putting up 368 receiving yards in 2023. The former Alabama back will form a committee with Austin Ekeler in 2024. There’s a reasonable chance that Robinson still leads the team in touches.

32. Najee Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers

Najee Harris has shown the ability to be a workhorse, but the lack of big-play ability keeps him lower on this list. I’d also argue that teammate Jaylen Warren is the better runner. Having said that, Najee is still a dependable runner who can lead a backfield.

31. Joe Mixon, Houston Texans

Joe Mixon is an all-around back who can be a high-volume runner while catching passes out of the backfield. However, Mixon is now entering his age-27 season and seems to have lost some burst. Despite that, Mixon is still in an excellent situation in a high-powered Texans offense.

NFL Running Back Power Rankings 30-21

30. Zack Moss, Cincinnati Bengals

Zack Moss is the most underrated running back in the NFL right now. This is an efficient runner (4.3 YPC) who is an excellent pass protector, making him a perfect fit to play alongside Joe Burrow in Cincinnati. I’m projecting forward here and expecting a career year from Moss in 2024.

29. Jonathon Brooks, Projected Day 2/3 Pick

Jonathon Brooks is an elusive back who can make an impact in the passing game. At 6-foot, 216 pounds, Brooks has the ability to lead a backfield at the professional level. It wouldn’t shock me to see Brooks immediately step in as the lead runner wherever he lands.

28. Raheem Mostert, Miami Dolphins

Raheem Mostert is coming off a career year where he rushed for 1,012 yards and 18 touchdowns. The only reason why Mostert is lower on these ranks is because he’s now 31 years old with injury concerns. Expect the veteran to be the 1A in the Dolphins backfield until De’Von Achane overtakes him.

27. D’Andre Swift, Chicago Bears

D’Andre Swift has been misused in Detroit under Dan Campbell and under-utilized in Philadelphia under Nick Sirianni. Perhaps we’ll see the Bears take more advantage of Swift’s receiving ability. In the right scheme, Swift could put forth a Rachaad White-type of season.

26. Tony Pollard, Tennessee Titans

Tony Pollard was a huge disappointment as the lead runner in Dallas last year, but I believe that he was affected by his leg injury, which took away some of his explosiveness. Now fully healthy, we could see Pollard get back to his highly efficient self in Tennessee.

25. David Montgomery, Detroit Lions

David Montgomery is an effective interior runner who offers some production in the passing game. I’m ranking him a bit lower because he’s in an ideal situation, running behind one of the best offensive lines in the NFL.

24. Zach Charbonnet, Seattle Seahawks

Zach Charbonnet has the ability to be a three-down back in this league. While not as explosive as teammate Kenneth Walker III, Charbonnet is a dependable runner who won’t leave yards on the field. If Charbonnet was given a lead role, he’d likely put up rock-solid numbers.

23. Tyjae Spears, Tennessee Titans

Tyjae Spears had a terrific rookie season, where he rushed for 453 on the ground and added 385 through the air. While Spears will share the backfield with Tony Pollard, the second-year back is the more talented option. If Spears got some more touches, we could see high-end production.

22. Trey Benson, Projected Day 2/3 Pick

Trey Benson is 6-foot, 216 pounds with 4.39 speed, boasting strong contact balance with the ability to be a three-down back in this league. We saw Benson put up high-end production in college, so it will be interesting to see where he lands in the pros.

21. Jaylen Warren, Pittsburgh Steelers

Jaylen Warren is my favorite complementary back, one who can put up elite production if given the opportunity. I would love to see what he could do if given the reins as the 1A in the Steelers backfield over Najee Harris.

NFL Running Back Power Rankings 20-11

20. Rhamondre Stevenson, New England Patriots

Rhamondre Stevenson runs hard and can make an impact in the passing game. This is a back who has had suppressed production due to an atrocious Patriots offense. With New England expected to draft a new signal-caller at third overall in this year’s draft, perhaps Stevenson will have more room to run.

19. James Cook, Buffalo Bills

James Cook looked terrific at times last season, especially against the Cowboys, where he put up over 200 yards from scrimmage. Cook is one of the rare backs who can win downfield on a wheel route. We could see a career year in 2024, but I’m tempering expectations in case the Bills add another back.

18. Isiah Pacheco, Kansas City Chiefs

Isiah Pacheco had a breakout season in 2024, putting up over 1,100 total yards and nine touchdowns. This is a player who runs hard and can make an impact in the passing game. The Chiefs clearly trust him as the lead back, so expect similar production this season.

17. Rachaad White, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Rachaad White is a bit of an inefficient runner, but he’s one of the best receiving backs in the NFL, which is why he finds himself at 17th on this list. There’s a chance that the Bucs add another runner in the draft, which could affect White’s upside in 2024.

16. Kenneth Walker III, Seattle Seahawks

Kenneth Walker III is a big-play threat whenever he touches the ball. This is an elusive back with home-run hitting ability. If he had the backfield to himself, there’s a chance that he could lead the league in rushing. However, Walker doesn’t add much in the passing game, which keeps him at 16th.

15. Javonte Williams, Denver Broncos

Javonte Williams was inefficient in 2023, but let’s remember that he was coming off a significant knee injury. Now fully healthy, we could see a more efficient season in 2024, although he’s likely to be held back by erratic quarterback play. Williams would thrive if he was in a better offense.

14. Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints

Alvin Kamara is lower on this list because it’s clear that he’s starting to decline as a runner. However, he can still make an impact in the passing game with the best of them, which is why I’ll keep him in the top 15 running backs right now.

13. James Conner, Arizona Cardinals

James Conner just averaged 5.0 yards per carry while playing in a poor offense up until Kyler Murray returned. This is a three-down back who is a major threat in the red zone. After being underrated for years, it’s time to give Conner his flowers.

12. Kyren Williams, Los Angeles Rams

Kyren Williams was phenomenal in 2023, putting up 1,300+ total yards with 15 touchdowns in only 12 games. The only reason why he’s outside of the top 10 is because he’s in the perfect situation for a running back, playing in Sean McVay’s scheme.

11. Derrick Henry, Baltimore Ravens

Derrick Henry has lost a step, but he’s still a power back with home run hitting ability. The veteran just landed in the perfect spot to help maintain elite production, playing alongside Lamar Jackson. Expect double-digit touchdowns with more efficient running this season.

NFL Running Back Power Rankings 10-1

10. Aaron Jones, Minnesota Vikings

Aaron Jones is one of the most efficient running backs in the NFL. The only reason why he’s lower on this list is due to durability concerns. The veteran landed in a terrific spot in Kevin O’Connell’s offense, as this is a Kyle Shanahan-style scheme. Perhaps we’ll see more touches for Jones in Minnesota.

9. Josh Jacobs, Green Bay Packers

Josh Jacobs is higher on this list because he’s a proven workhorse with durability. The former Raider can do it all in the backfield, including make defenders miss, get tough yards on the interior, and make an impact in the passing game.

8. De’Von Achane, Miami Dolphins

De’Von Achane is one of the most explosive backs in the NFL, averaging an absolutely ridiculous 7.8 yards per carry as a rookie. While durability is a concern due to his size, Achane could put up Jamaal Charles-like numbers if given more of a workload.

7. Travis Etienne Jr, Jacksonville Jaguars

Travis Etienne Jr. just put up almost 1,500 total yards with 12 touchdowns last season. This is an explosive runner who can also put up production in the passing game. If Trevor Lawrence can stay healthy, we can expect better efficiency from Etienne in 2024.

6. Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions

Jahmyr Gibbs is an excellent receiver, but he made more of an impact on the ground as a rookie, showcasing elusiveness with the burst to take it to the house on any given play. Perhaps we’ll see the Lions take more advantage of Gibbs’ receiving skills in 2024.

5. Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts

Jonathan Taylor is an all-around back with explosive ability. It’s going to be fun to watch him alongside Anthony Richardson, who should open up running lanes with his elite rushing ability. We could see Taylor be among the leaders in rushing yards this season.

4. Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles

Saquon Barkley is among the most talented backs in the NFL, boasting size, explosiveness, and receiving ability. The former Penn State standout has been held back by injuries and erratic quarterback play throughout his career. It’s going to be exciting to watch Saquon in an elite offense.

3. Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons

Bijan Robinson’s rookie season was ruined by head coach Arthur Smith, who completely under-utilized this elite talent. Now playing with Kirk Cousins, we could see Bijan utilized more in the passing game. It wouldn’t shock me to see him at number one on this list after next year.

2. Breece Hall, New York Jets

What an impressive season Breece Hall just had, putting up almost 1,600 total yards despite playing with some of the worst quarterback play you’ll ever see. if we can get a full year out of Aaron Rodgers, the sky is the limit for Breece in 2024.

1. Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers

Christian McCaffrey is the best running back of this generation. As an explosive runner with the best receiving ability in football, expect CMC to continue to put up videogame-like numbers. Let’s just hope that he can continue to stay healthy.