Fantasy Football 2024 RB Exit Interview: The year of the running back renaissance

Derrick Henry simply wrapped up a period in which he completed the following:

• Rushed for 1,921 backyards, 11th-most in NFL background;

• Averaged 5.9 backyards per bring;

• Gained 2,114 skirmish backyards;

• Scored 18 goals

And yet in some way Henry did not really lead the organization in any one of those groups. So yes, it was a rather strong year for expert running backs. Henry was just one of numerous best responses at dream football’s make-or-break setting.

In 2023, Christian McCaffrey was the only running back that removed 1,200 hurrying backyards for the period. This year, 7 various gamers covered 1,200 backyards and one more (Chuba Hubbard) completed simply 5 backyards brief. Twelve backs acquired at the very least 1,400 skirmish backyards and 13 do with double-digit goals. Saquon Barkley probably would have removed Eric Dickerson’s single-season NFL hurrying document if Philadelphia had not relaxed vital beginners in Week 18.

All points thought about, it was just an outstanding period for running backs– from the newbies to the aging veterinarians. It was a throwback to the very early 2000s in regards to the manufacturing we got from this area. Even the RB dead zone had lots of success tales.

Let’s evaluation the setting’s significant booms and breasts …

(Most of) The RB hits

Saquon Barkley: All he handled to do in his initial year with the Eagles was generate a historical hurrying period while likewise reimagining the restrictions of human mobility:

An outrageous gamer, a near-perfect back in an upper-tier infraction. He got to triple-digit yardage in 13 of his 16 video games, covering 150 backyards 7 times.

Bijan Robinson: If we were coming off a common period– one in which a 1,400-yard, 12-TD running back was really an uncommon product– we ‘d most likely all settle on Robinson as the agreement RB1 for 2025. He’s as outlandish as Barkley as a jogger and no much less talented as a receiver. Robinson’s 1,887 backyards from skirmish rated 4th in the organization.

Derrick Henry: In the period in which he transformed 31, Henry generated one of the most effective year of his Hall of Fame occupation. He established brand-new occupation highs in backyards per bring (5.9) and backyards per touch (6.1 ). If you wish to discolor him in 2025 due to age or gas mileage or some such point … well, OK, penalty. But you can not locate any type of proof of decrease on tape or in the numbers. He led all running backs in missed out on tackles this period (80) while balancing 3.5 backyards after call per effort.

Jahmyr Gibbs: After a supernova efficiency in the season-ender versus the Vikings, Gibbs inevitably led the NFL in hurrying goals (16) and overall TDs (20 ). He should have to lead the organization in something substantial, since his period could or else have actually gone forgotten, offered the horrendous performance of Saquon, King Henry and different others.

This is most likely the offseason in which the Lions ultimately shed OC Ben Johnson, which is a little worry for 2025 and past. Gibbs is plainly mosting likely to stay a fundamental item of an unjust infraction, nevertheless. He will not transform 23 till March.

Josh Jacobs: Every year, we look the deepness graph behind Jacobs for gamers that could swipe his work. And annually, Jacobs advises us that he is, as a matter of fact, among the organization’s most reliable and evasive backs. He played every ready the Packers in 2024, ending up the period with 1,671 skirmish backyards and an eight-week TD touch. Per his typical, Jacobs completed amongst the setting leaders in missed out on deals with (67) and backyards after call (1039 ).

De’Von Achane: Many points failed for Miami in 2024, however Achane had not been amongst them. He was remarkable, showing up in every video game and providing 907 backyards on the ground, plus one more 592 backyards as a receiver. Achane led all backs in paths run according to PFF (408 ), playing one of the most port breaks at his setting by a mile (120 ). Not remarkably, he led all running backs in functions (78 ), also.

Kyren Williams: It might have seemed like a silent period from Williams, however that’s simply a testimony to the phenomenal variety of beast dream periods at this setting. Williams held back the Blake Corum difficulty all year, do with brand-new occupation highs in lugs (316 ), hurrying backyards (1,299) and goals (16 ). He really did not rather repeat last period’s dream playoff binge, however he did typical 102.6 overall backyards per video game over his last 4, getting to completion area 4 times.

Jonathan Taylor: This gent provided us a famous dream playoff efficiency, emerging for 354 skirmish backyards and 5 goals in Weeks 16 and 17. Taylor removed 100 skirmish backyards in each of his last 5 video games, on his method to 1,567 overall backyards for the year.

James Cook: Even in a period in which his quarterback vultured 6 1-yard hurrying ratings, Cook still handled to lead the NFL in hurrying goals (16) while ending up 2nd in overall TDs (18 ). He likewise removed 1,000 hurrying backyards momentarily straight period.

Bucky Irving: It’s inadequate to just describe Irving as “elusive,” or to provide you the information to support the insurance claim. You require to watch this male run the round to actually comprehend just how distinctly unreasonable he can be:

That is some genuinely cartoonish running right there. Irving was a discovery as a newbie, providing over 1,500 skirmish backyards, balancing 5.4 YPC and capturing over 90% of his targets. He led all backs in backyards after call per effort, balancing an unreasonable 4.03. He went to his finest when you required him most, also, creating 479 overall backyards and 2 ratings over the period’s last 4 weeks.

Chase Brown: After taking the included function in Cincinnati’s backfield, Brown was essentially an every-week RB1. Over his last 8 video games, he balanced 116.3 overall backyards and 4.8 catches weekly, going across the objective line 6 times. Extend that degree of manufacturing over a complete period and we’re checking out virtually 2,000 skirmish backyards with 80-plus functions.

Every 49ers back that had not been Christian McCaffrey: Jordan Mason was an unstoppable pressure over the initial month of the period and Isaac Guerendo was akey-to-victory player in the closing weeks Patrick Taylor Jr. also handled to make some sound in the period ending, hurrying for 109 backyards. The just person in this group’s backfield that never ever relocated the needle in dream occurred to be the video game’s agreementNo 1 general choice in 2024.

Shrug

The (remarkably couple of) RB misses out on

CMC: Just a gross and horrible period. Let’s consent to never ever review it once again. It started with a supposed small injury that led to an eight-week lack (and a journey to Germany for unique therapies), after that finished with a various injury, eliminating the last 5 ready McCaffrey.

Breece Hall: To be reasonable, Hall’s year-end numbers do not really appear horrible. He got 1,359 overall backyards, captured 57 passes and racked up 8 goals for an awful group. Hall drops as a miss out on, nevertheless, since we prepared him as the general RB2, in advance of Robinson, Barkley, Gibbs, Henry and every various other back that indulged in 2024. At his ADP, we required substantial year-over-year renovation and it just really did not take place.

Travis Etienne Jr: An definitely revolting period from your second-round choice. Etienne showed up in 15 video games yet got just 812 overall backyards, saw completion area two times and balanced just 3.7 backyards per bring. Tank Bigsby out-rushed him by 208 backyards on just 18 even more lugs.

Isiah Pacheco and Kenneth Walker III: These 2 share a blurb since both saw their periods thwarted by injuries while their back-ups grew.Alas If you prepared either (or both), you just faced misfortune, not a negative gamer. Neither is outside the circle of count on 2025.

Rhamondre Stevenson: He mishandled and fumbly, not able to get over a bad offending setting. In completion, he slid behind Antonio Gibson in the group’s backfield pecking order. Not wonderful. The modification at head instructor is a rather big win for Stevenson, since he would certainly shed Jerod Mayo’s assistance.

Zamir White: Whenever the very best debate for composing a gamer includes their viewed absence of competitors, after that we need to most likely simply stay away from that person. It’s a lesson we relearn annually. White’s power as a highlighted jogger really did not last past September.

Way-Too-Early Running Back Rankings for 2025

• 1) Saquon Barkley

• 2) Bijan Robinson

• 3) Jahmyr Gibbs

• 4) Derrick Henry

• 5) Christian McCaffrey

• 6) Josh Jacobs

• 7) Jonathan Taylor

• 8) De’Von Achane

• 9) Ashton Jeanty

• 10) Bucky Irving

• 11) Kyren Williams

• 12) James Cook