NFL teams are throwing more than ever, but a solid rushing attack is still a weapon. Our latest NFL Power Rankings break down the best for next season.
In this edition of NFL Power Rankings, we will rank the best rushing offenses for the upcoming 2023 season.
In the modern era, NFL offenses tend to be pass-heavy, but elite rushing offenses can still lead teams to success. The 2019 Ravens were a prime example. They broke the single-season rushing yard record (3,296) and finished with a league-best 14-2 record.
Last season, we saw a slight increase in rushing attempts. Overall, teams averaged 27.3 carries per game, which was the highest mark since 2011. Dual-threat quarterbacks are partly responsible for the surge. Lamar Jackson, Justin Fields, Josh Allen, Jalen Hurts, Kyler Murray, and Daniel Jones all rank in the top 20 in NFL history in single-season rushing yards by a quarterback. That trend should only increase in 2023 with the arrival of Anthony Richardson.
Without further ado, let's take a look at every team's rushing attack.
NFL Power Rankings: 32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2022 rushing yards rank: 32nd
2022 yards per carry rank: 32nd
This one is clear. Last season, the Buccaneers were last in the NFL in rushing yards (1,308), rushing touchdowns (five), and yards per carry (3.4). Individually, no running back even reached 3.8 yards per carry.
The offensive line did not help matters, as their run block win rate of 69 percent ranked 31st in the NFL.
To remedy the situation, the front office signed 27-year-old Chase Edmonds. He found success in the past with the Arizona Cardinals and Denver Broncos.
In addition, they will look for a second-year jump from 2022 third-round pick Rachaad White. As a rookie, he had 129 carries for 481 yards and one touchdown.
Still, the duo will face an uphill battle running back a lackluster offensive line. Furthermore, the Buccaneeers' uncertainty at quarterback will only put more pressure on the running game.
NFL Power Rankings: 31. Los Angeles Rams
2022 rushing yards rank: 27th (tied)
2022 yards per carry rank: 27th
The Rams will deploy a similar look in 2023 with Cam Akers, Sony Michel, and Kyren Williams vying for carries.
Akers was the clear lead back last season, rushing for 786 yards and seven touchdowns. Michel played for the Rams in 2021, rushing for 845 yards and four touchdowns. After a down season with the Chargers, he will look to bounce back with his old team. Williams played a complementary role in the second half of the season.
One key loss is Darrell Henderson Jr. After starting seven games, he was surprisingly released in November.
Sixth-round pick Zach Evans is a dark horse to watch. After the draft, head coach Sean McVay stated that Evans had a "complementary skillset to Cam Akers". As a junior at Ole Miss, Evans rushed for 936 yards and nine touchdowns
NFL Power Rankings: 30. Minnesota Vikings
2022 rushing yards rank: 27th (tied)
2022 yards per carry rank: 26th
After fielding a bottom-six rushing offense, the Vikings cut four-time Pro Bowl running back Dalvin Cook. On paper, that does not look like a recipe for success.
Cook was far from a problem for the Vikings' rushing attack last season, as he rushed for 1,173 yards and eight touchdowns. Personally, he accounted for 70.6 percent of Minnesota's rushing yards. That is staggering.
Alexander Mattison has proven himself to be a capable starter in the past, but he is not in the same tier as Cook. Last season, Mattison averaged 0.6 yards per carry fewer than Cook.
The Vikings did select UAB running back DeWayne McBride in the seventh round. I was very high on McBride as a prospect. I even ranked him as the fourth overall running back on my big board:
McBride was an absolute force at UAB. Last season, he was second in rushing yards (1,713) and third in yards per carry (7.4). That combination of production and efficiency is unheard of.
McBride performed well against top-level competition, as well. In 2021, he had 13 carries for 61 yards against No. 2 Georgia, which is impressive given the talent disparity at the line of scrimmage. He also had 28 carries for 183 yards and a touchdown against No. 13 Purdue.
McBride is a perceptive back. He has great vision and awareness. Critics will get caught up in the lack of receiving usage, but McBride's floor is still a reliable two-down back.
Nearly every year there is an overlooked running back, who goes on to a big rookie season (James Robinson, Elijah Mitchell, Tyler Allgeier). In the right situation, McBride can make an immediate impact in the NFL.
Still, how many touches will the Vikings give the Day 3 pick? That is a huge variable moving forward.
At the moment, the Vikings are a bottom-tier rushing offense that is primed to take another step back.
NFL Power Rankings: 29. Houston Texans
2022 rushing yards rank: 31st
2022 yards per carry rank: 31st
Yes, the numbers do not look good, but Dameon Pierce showed promise in his injury-shortened rookie season. In 13 games, he rushed for 939 yards and four touchdowns.
Running back depth proved to be a real problem in 2022. With Pierce in the lineup, the Texans averaged 89.9 rushing yards per game. With him out of the lineup, that number plummeted to 76.8 rushing yards per game. Excluding Pierce, the Texans' running backs averaged an underwhelming 2.87 yards per carry.
Well, that made some nice moves to address that need this offseason, signing Devin Singletary and Mike Boone. Singletary has rushed for 800+ yards in back-to-back seasons, while Boone has been startlingly efficient as a reserve back. Since 2019, Boone has averaged 5.3 yards per carry, which is fifth among NFL running backs (minimum 85 carries).
There are real offensive line concerns here, though. They finished 27th in run block win rate last season (70 percent).
Trade acquisition Shaq Mason should make an immediate impact at guard. Second-round pick Juice Scruggs was an All-Big Ten center at Penn State. Both players have the potential to improve their run game.
NFL Power Rankings: 28. Cincinnati Bengals
2022 rushing yards rank: 29th
2022 yards per carry rank: 29th
Joe Mixon has consistently produced for the Bengals. Over the past five years, the Pro Bowl running back has rushed for 4,752 yards. However, he has not been particularly efficient. For his career, he has rushed for 4.1 yards per carry.
Last season, Mixon's statistics followed a similar pattern, as he rushed for 814 yards while averaging 3.9 yards per carry.
During the offseason, No. 2 running back Samaje Perine signed with the Denver Broncos. To fill the need, the Bengals drafted Chase Brown in the fifth round. The All-Big Ten running back rushed for 1,643 yards and 10 touchdowns as a senior. The rookie has potential, but he will likely remain behind Mixon on the depth chart.
After finishing as a bottom-five rushing offense, there is no clear path to massive improvement for the Bengals in 2023.
NFL Power Rankings: 27. Washington Commanders
2022 rushing yards rank: 12th
2022 yards per carry rank: 28th
The Commanders had a productive rushing offense in 2022; they recorded the 12th-most rushing yards in the NFL (2,143).
However, most of that "success" was attributed to pure volume. The Commanders were fourth in rushing attempts (538) and 28th in yards per carry (4.0). Brian Robinson Jr. and Antonio Gibson both averaged under 4.0 yards per carry.
If quarterback Sam Howell wins the starting job, he would give them another rushing threat. Howell rushed for 828 yards and 11 touchdowns as a junior at North Carolina. As a rookie, he rushed for 35 yards and a touchdown in his lone start.
The Howell variable could boost the Commanders up these rankings. He would open up the offensive playbook with zone reads.
NFL Power Rankings: 26. Los Angeles Chargers
2022 rushing yards rank: 30th
2022 yards per carry rank: 30th
There is a lot of pressure on Austin Ekeler's shoulders. The veteran back led the NFL with 18 rushing and receiving touchdowns and rushed for a career-high 915 yards.
However, a career year from Ekeler still was not enough to lift the Chargers' rushing attack from the bottom three.
This season, they will look for a second-year leap from 2022 fourth-round pick Isaiah Spiller. He played a limited role as a rookie with 18 carries for 41 yards.
Justin Herbert's rushing production is an under-the-radar factor to watch. In 2021, he rushed for 302 yards and three touchdowns. In 2022, that fell to 147 yards and zero touchdowns.
NFL Power Rankings: 25. Pittsburgh Steelers
2022 rushing yards rank: 16th
2022 yards per carry rank: 25th
This might sound harsh, but I got to go with the numbers on this one.
Since drafting Najee Harris in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft, the Steelers have made Najee Harris their three-down back, and the results have not been great. Last season, Harris averaged a mere 3.8 yards per carry. On the NFL rushing leaderboard, that ranked 40th of out 46 qualifying players.
Furthermore, Harris rushed for 100+ yards in only one game last season, despite being fifth in the league in carries (272). According to NFL Next Gen Stats, he was last in the rush yards over expected (-81).
Jaylen Warren thrived in a limited role, and quarterback Kenny Pickett even flashed a little rushing upside.
Pittsburgh's offensive line took a step forward last season, recording a 72 percent run block win rate (14th in the NFL). So, there is potential for the Steelers to improve their run game.
The Steelers can take a step forward if they give Warren a larger share of the workload. He is an efficient option, and he could take some of the pressure off Harris's shoulders. Without an overwhelmingly large workload, Harris could become a more effective and efficient weapon.
NFL Power Rankings: 24. Arizona Cardinals
2022 rushing yards rank: 22nd
2022 yards per carry rank: 20th
Fun fact: The Cardinals were sixth in the NFL in run block win rate (73 percent).
Unfortunately, that was not enough to propel their run game into the top half of the league.
The talent is there. James Conner is a solid veteran with 700+ rushing yards in three consecutive seasons. More importantly, Kyler Murray is one of the most dynamic dual-threat quarterbacks in the NFL. In 2020, he rushed for 828 yards and 11 touchdowns. He has rushed for less than 500 yards in each of the last two seasons. Incoming offensive coordinator Drew Petzing would be wise to implement more designed runs for Murray this season.
With little offseason movement, the Cardinals should produce at a similar level in 2023.
NFL Power Rankings: 23. Kansas City Chiefs
2022 rushing yards rank: 20th
2022 yards per carry rank: 8th
The Chiefs finally found their franchise running back. After taking over the starting job in Week 7, Isiah Pacheco seized his opportunity and never looked back.
Over the final nine games of the regular season, he rushed for 633 yards and four touchdowns, while averaging an efficient 5.0 yards per carry. That puts him on pace for 1,196 rushing yards over the course of a full season.
Notably, Pacheco finished eighth in the NFL in rush yards over expected per attempt (0.76), per NFL Next Gen Stats.
Behind Pacheco, things get murkier. Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Jerick McKinnon both underperformed last season.
Curiously, there is a large gap between Edwards-Helaire and Pacheco in yards before contact. Edwards-Helaire averaged only 1.9 yards before contact last season, which was tied for the worst mark in the NFL (minimum 70 carries). Conversely, Pacheco's 3.2 yards before contact was 10th in the NFL. YBC can be indicative of two factors: offensive line play and speed behind the line of scrimmage. A nearly league-wide gap between teammates is rare to see. It is an interesting stat to monitor moving forward with this group.
NFL Power Rankings: 22. Indianapolis Colts
2022 rushing yards rank: 23rd
2022 yards per carry rank: 23rd
Anthony Richardson. Jonathan Taylor.
The upside of this rushing attack is huge.
However, the offensive line remains a significant question mark. Last season, they were 23rd in run block win rate (71 percent) and last in pass block win rate (49 percent). A lot of the Colts' offensive line hopes fall on the shoulders of guard Quenton Nelson. Nelson has been one of the most dominant individual players in the league, but he took a step back last season. After giving up four total sacks across his first four seasons, he allowed five sacks in 2022. He also posted a career-low PFF grade of 68.4.
Without dominance from Nelson, the Colts' offensive line is much more vulnerable. Not a single projected starter had a top-15 PFF grade at their position last season. This will make life more difficult for Richardson and Taylor.
There is another factor at play here. Gardner Minshew II could begin the season as the starting quarterback. Minshew is a capable quarterback, but he does offer the rushing upside of Richardson.
Given the uncertainty, this feels like an appropriate ranking.
NFL Power Rankings: 21. New England Patriots
2022 rushing yards rank: 24th
2022 yards per carry rank: 21st
Ranking the Patriots' running game this low feels odd, but it is warranted.
I am actually a big fan of both Rhamondre Stevenson and Pierre Strong Jr. Stevenson was outstanding last season; he was one of only five running backs to rush for 1,000+ yards and average 5.0+ yards per carry, along with Nick Chubb, Aaron Jones, Travis Etienne, and Tony Pollard. Meanwhile, Strong has elite speed, running a 4.37-second 40-yard dash at the NFL combine. In his rookie season, he had 10 carries for 100 yards. With Damien Harris in Buffalo, he should play a larger role moving forward.
However, New England's offensive line ranked last in the NFL in run block win rate in 2022 (68 percent). Free agent signing Riley Reiff projects to take over at right tackle, but is that enough? Last season, Reiff posted a PFF grade of 64.3.
New England's running back duo has the potential to be elite, but the offensive line hampers their ceiling.
NFL Power Rankings: 20. Seattle Seahawks
2022 rushing yards rank: 18th
2022 yards per carry rank: 7th
As a rookie, Kenneth Walker III rushed for 1,050 yards (most among the 2022 draft class) and nine touchdowns in 15 games. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, he recorded the fastest ball carrier time among running backs last season (22.09).
The second-round pick was one of the most NFL-ready players in the 2022 draft class. At Michigan State, he was a unanimous All-American and Doak Walker Award winner. He should continue to play at a high level in 2023.
So, why do I project the Seahawks to take a step back? Well, they lost a huge piece in Rashaad Penny. Penny is one of the most underrated players in the NFL. Since 2019, he leads all running backs in yards per carry (5.9). Like Walker, Penny boasts elite speed. Last season, he posted the fifth-fastest ball carrier time among running backs last season (21.44).
Penny struggled with injuries, but his impact was palpable. Last season, the Seahawks averaged 5.5 yards per carry with Penny active and 4.5 yards per carry without him.
NFL Power Rankings: 19. New York Jets
2022 rushing yards rank: 25th
2022 yards per carry rank: 24th
Breece Hall singlehandedly took the Jets' offense to another stratosphere in 2022. Over the first seven games of the season, the rookie rushed for 463 yards and four touchdowns. Behind the star running back, the Jets fielded the 12th-highest-scoring offense during that span. Their rushing offense was averaging an impressive 117.0 rushing yards per game.
Unfortunately, Hall went down with a season-ending ACL injury. Following his departure, the Jets' offensive numbers cratered. Over the remainder of the season, they fell to last in the NFL in total points and 31st in total rushing yards.
Hall has the pure talent to boost this rushing attack into the top 10, but that is a big ask for a 22-year-old coming off ACL surgery.
NFL Power Rankings: 18. Tennessee Titans
2022 rushing yards rank: 13th
2022 yards per carry rank: 16th
Speaking of one-man shows, Derrick Henry took on an incredible workload, once again, for the Titans last season, as he led the league in carries (349) for the third time in his career.
Defenses were unsurprisingly keyed in on Henry. He faced eight or more defenders in the box on 38.11 percent of offensive snaps, which is the second-highest rate in the league. Still, Henry was able to produce at a high level, rushing for 1,538 yards and 13 touchdowns. He led the league in broken tackles (35) and ranked fourth in yards after contact per carry (2.3).
Despite another generational season from Henry, the Titans found themselves in the middle of the pack in team rushing statistics. I expect their team numbers to follow a similar pattern in 2023.
NFL Power Rankings: 17. New Orleans Saints
2022 rushing yards rank: 19th
2022 yards per carry rank: 22nd
The Saints made a great move this offseason, signing running back Jamaal Williams to a three-year, $12 million contract. Williams is a physical runner, who will serve as an excellent complement to veteran Alvin Kamara. In 2022, Williams finished 12th in yards after contact (440) and tied for 12th in broken tackles (13).
In Detriot, Williams received heavy goal-line usage. His 28 carries inside the five-yard line led the NFL; it was 12 carries higher than the second-highest running back (Ezekiel Elliott).
Kamara remains an effective three-down back. Last season, he finished 11th among running backs in scrimmage yards (1,387).
The Kamara/Williams duo should give the Saints a solid rushing attack this season.
NFL Power Rankings: 16. Detroit Lions
2022 rushing yards rank: 11th
2022 yards per carry rank: 15th
Speaking of Jamaal Williams, let's take a look at his former team.
The Lions' offseason was truly confounding. Williams and D'Andre Swift led the Lions to offensive success on the ground. As I previously mentioned, Williams was the most prolific goal-line back in the NFL. Meanwhile, Swift was quietly elite in his role. He averaged an efficient 5.5 yards per carry, which was third among running backs.
Despite the production, the front office decided to overhaul the position. Williams and Swift departed in free agency. They signed veteran David Montgomery. In a shocking move, the Lions also opted to select Jahmyr Gibbs with the 12th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Montgomery has talent, but he was not very efficient in Chicago. In 2022, his 4.0 yards per carry ranked 36th out of 46 qualifying running backs. Gibbs has upside, but I do not view him as a generational prospect.
In the short term, the Montgomery/Gibbs combo will face a tough test to replication the statistical production of Williams/Swift.
One big positive is Detroit's talented offensive line, which ranked 9th in run block win rate last season. The group lifts their rushing floor and ceiling.
NFL Power Rankings: 15. Jacksonville Jaguars
2022 rushing yards rank: 14th
2022 yards per carry rank: 9th
Travis Etienne Jr. played at a superstar level in 2022. He rushed for 1,125 yards and five touchdowns. More importantly, he did it in an efficient fashion, finishing second in the NFL in rush yards over expected (263), trailing only Nick Chubb. His top speed of 21.62 miles per hour was the fourth-highest ball carrier time among running backs, per NFL Next Gen Stats.
There are some concerns here. Jacksonville's offensive line was 29th in run block win rate last season. Furthermore, they lack a proven No. 2 option after trading away James Robinson. Somehow, Etienee and the offense still managed to finish ninth in yards per carry last season, despite those factors.
NFL Power Rankings: 14. Miami Dolphins
2022 rushing yards rank: 25th
2022 yards per carry rank: 19th
After playing together in San Francisco, the Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson Jr. duo reunited in Miami last season. Both players placed in the top 15 in yards per carry.
The 2022 season numbers are a bit deceiving. The Dolphins had a big roster shakeup at the trade deadline, acquiring Wilson and moving on from Chase Edmonds. Following the deals, the Dolphins finished 10th in yards per carry (4.6).
With Tua Tagovailoa back under center, Mostert and Wilson should face less defensive pressure this season. Despite deploying a pass-first offense, the Dolphins are capable of beating opponents on the ground.
NFL Power Rankings: 13. Green Bay Packers
2022 rushing yards rank: 15th
2022 yards per carry rank: 12th
The dynamic duo of Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon will return. In 2021, the pair became only the fourth running back duo in franchise history to each record over 1,000 scrimmage yards in the same season; they were the first to accomplish the feat since 1980 (Gerry Ellis and Eddie Lee Ivery).
In 2022, they kept the momentum rolling, as they combined for 2,492 scrimmage yards and 14 total touchdowns.
Quarterback Jordan Love is the x-factor here. In his lone NFL start, he flashed dual-threat ability, rushing five times for 23 yards. I don't expect the Packers to run a lot of designed runs for Love, but he has the speed and athleticism to make plays in the open field.
Despite being quietly mobile earlier in his career, Aaron Rodgers did not offer much rushing production last season; his 94 rushing yards were his lowest single-season mark since taking over as the starter in 2008. So, Love should give the Packers' rushing attack a slight boost in 2023.
NFL Power Rankings: 12. Denver Broncos
2022 rushing yards rank: 21st
2022 yards per carry rank: 17th
The Broncos might be the trickiest team to rank.
In 2021, Javonte Williams and Melvin Gordon became the second duo in franchise history to rush for 900+ yards each, and the Broncos finished 10th in the NFL in yards per carry.
They seemed primed to build on that momentum in 2022. Unfortunately, nothing went according to plan. Williams suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 4. The Broncos elected to cut Gordon after he fumbles five times in 10 games. Left tackle Garett Bolles suffered a broken leg in Week 5 and missed the remainder of the season.
This season, Williams and Bolles should return to the lineup. In addition, the front office made a big move, signing offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey to a five-year, $87.5 million deal. Since 2018, McGlinchey has posted a PFF run block grade of 85.4, which is in the top 10 among offensive tackles. Veteran running back Samaje Perine will offer some depth behind Williams, as well. Last season, he recorded 681 scrimmage yards with the Bengals.
Russell Wilson is a player to watch. In 2022, he carried the ball 55 times, which was the second-lowest single-season mark of his career. The 34-year-old still flashed mobility, averaging 5.0 yards per carry. Will Wilson show an increased willingness to run the football? I'm not counting on it, but it would be a pleasant surprise.
As long as Williams stays healthy, the Broncos' run game appears destined to rebound in 2023.
NFL Power Rankings: 11. Carolina Panthers
2022 rushing yards rank: 10th
2022 yards per carry rank: 14th
After trading away Christian McCaffrey, Carolina's rushing attack shockingly rose to an even higher level. Before the deal, the Panthers averaged 90.3 rushing yards per game. After the trade, they averaged a blistering 151.6 rushing yards per game (fifth-most in the NFL).
D'Onta Foreman and Chubba Hubbard both emerged as starting-level running backs. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, both players were top-three performers in rushing efficiency and top-seven in rush yards over expected per attempt.
The front office made a big splash in free agency, signing Pro Bowl running back Miles Sanders. Last season, he rushed for 1,269 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Unfortunately, the Panthers also lost Foreman in free agency, but the addition of Sanders would have clouded his role, anyway.
Will the Panthers continue to be a top-five rushing offense? That seems like a big ask, but it is not impossible.
NFL Power Rankings: 10. Las Vegas Raiders
2022 rushing yards rank: 17th
2022 yards per carry rank: 6th
Josh Jacobs led the NFL with 1,653 rushing yards. The first-team All-Pro accounted for 80.3 percent of the Raiders' rushing yards and all 12 of their rushing touchdowns.
Jacobs finished in the top five in many advanced metrics: first in yards after contact (821), second in broken tackles (31), and third in yards after contact per carry (2.4).
Behind Jacobs, the Raiders offer little depth. Zamir White and Ameer Abdullah combined for 90 rushing yards last season. Nevertheless, the Jacobs one-man show has proved to be a success. As long as he is on the field, the Raiders should boast a top-10 rushing attack.
NFL Power Rankings: 9. Cleveland Browns
2022 rushing yards rank: 6th
2022 yards per carry rank: 11th
Nick Chubb continues to be one of the best running backs of the modern era. Since entering the league in 2018, he is second in total rushing yards (6,348), behind only Derrick Henry.
Last season, Defenses were keyed in on Chubb with the Browns' pass offense struggling. Nevertheless, he still rushed for 1,525 yards and 12 touchdowns. He finished third in the NFL in both yards after contact (695) and broken tackles (28). He also led the league in rush yards over expected (389), according to NFL Next Gen Stats.
In six games, quarterback Deshaun Watson struggled as a passer, but he rushed for 175 yards and a touchdown. His mobility gives this group a slight boost.
Former No. 2 running back Kareem Hunt remains a free agent, so Jerome Ford and Demetric Felton Jr. project to take on larger roles this season.
NFL Power Rankings: 8. Dallas Cowboys
2022 rushing yards rank: 9th
2022 yards per carry rank: 18th
Tony Pollard SZN is here!
Across his first four NFL seasons, Pollard excelled in his complementary role behind Ezekiel Elliott. Last season, he rushed for 1,007 yards and nine touchdowns, despite receiving 38 fewer carries than Elliott. Pollard led the NFL in yards after contact per carry (2.6) and was third in rush yards over expected per attempt (1.26). All signs indicate that he can be an elite starter.
In addition, he will be running behind an excellent offensive line. Last season, the Cowboys were seventh in the NFL in run block win rate.
Elliott was a valuable player for the franchise over the last seven years, but the front office has positioned the team to thrive without him.
NFL Power Rankings: 7. Buffalo Bills
2022 rushing yards rank: 7th
2022 yards per carry rank: 2nd
The discourse around Josh Allen surrounds his arm talent, but he has been a historically great rusher, as well. Since 2018, he is second among quarterbacks in rushing yards (3,087), trailing only Lamar Jackson. In 2022, Allen's 762 rushing yards were the 16th-most all-time by a quarterback in a single season.
After four seasons in Buffalo, Devin Singletary signed with the Texans this offseason. As a result, second-year running back James Cook and free agent acquisition Damien Harris will carry the workload. As a rookie, Cook rushed for 507 yards and two touchdowns. Meanwhile, Harris rushed for 2,082 yards and 20 touchdowns over his last three seasons.
The Allen/Cook/Harris trio should propel the Bills to another top-10 rushing campaign.
NFL Power Rankings: 6. New York Giants
2022 rushing yards rank: 4th
2022 yards per carry rank: 5th
After two years of injury struggles, Saquon Barkley played 16 games last season, rushing for 1,312 yards and 10 touchdowns. Behind the star running back, the Giants ranked in the top five in both rushing yards (2,519) and yards per carry (4.8).
Furthermore, the Giants have an underrated rushing threat in quarterback Daniel Jones a.k.a. "Vanilla Vick" (as dubbed by Barkley):
In 2022, Jones rushed for 708 yards (20th-most all-time by a quarterback in a single season) and seven touchdowns (fourth-most among quarterbacks). This was not the first time that Jones has made the record books. In 2020, Jones broke out an 80-yard rush against the Eagles; it was tied for the fourth-longest run by a quarterback in NFL history.
Jones ran a 4.67-second 40-yard dash at his Pro Day, so he does not have the top-level speed of Lamar Jackson or Justin Fields. However, the production speaks for itself. Opposing defenses need to be wary of "Vanilla Vick".
NFL Power Rankings: 5. San Francisco 49ers
2022 rushing yards rank: 8th
2022 yards per carry rank: 10th
Following the Christian McCaffrey trade, the 49ers were sixth in the NFL in rushing yards per game (146.9). In 11 games, CMC rushed for 746 yards and six touchdowns.
Meanwhile, Elijah Mitchell is penciled in as an overqualified backup running back. In 2021, Mitchell rushed for 963 yards and five touchdowns in only 11 games. He was fifth in yards after contact (515). Last season, Mitchell was outstanding in limited action. His 6.2 yards per carry led all running backs (minimum 30 carries).
There is another big wildcard here in quarterback Trey Lance. He is a huge rushing threat. At North Dakota State, he rushed for 1,100 yards and 14 touchdowns as a sophomore. If he can win the starting job, the 49ers could have the best rushing attack in the league.
NFL Power Rankings: 4. Atlanta Falcons
2022 rushing yards rank: 3rd
2022 yards per carry rank: 4th
In one of the most shocking decisions of the 2023 NFL Draft, the Falcons selected Texas running back Bijan Robinson with the eighth overall pick. It was a questionable decision for the organization. Last season, their biggest strength was their run game, and they had plenty of needs all over the roster.
Nevertheless, the Falcons now have the luxury of having Robinson, Tyler Allgeier, and Cordarelle Patterson on their roster. Last season, Allgeier had a phenomenal rookie campaign, becoming the team's first 1,000-yard rusher since 2016. From Week 9 to Week 17, he was fourth in the NFL in rushing yards, trailing only Josh Jacobs, Derrick Henry, and Justin Fields. To make matters more impressive, he faced eight or more defenders in the box on 40.0 percent of offensive snaps, which was the highest rate in the league. The sky is the limit for the 23-year-old.
In college, Robinson was a Doak Walker Award winner and unanimous All-American. In 2022, he rushed for 1,580 yards and 18 touchdowns.
Patterson is an excellent No. 3 running back. Throughout his career, he has been a big play threat with the ball in his hands. He rushed for 695 yards and eight touchdowns last season.
The quarterback change will slightly affect their team rushing numbers in 2023. Last season, Marcus Mariota averaged 33.7 rushing yards per game, which was seventh among quarterbacks (minimum two games played). Across his four starts, Desmond Ridder averaged 16.0 rushing yards per game.
NFL Power Rankings: 3. Philadelphia Eagles
2022 rushing yards rank: 5th
2022 yards per carry rank: 13th
In 2022, the Eagles were fifth in rushing yards (2,509). Miles Sanders led the team with 1,269 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns. He departed the team in free agency, but somehow, the Eagles got better…
They signed veterans Rashaad Penny and D'Andre Swift. In case you missed it, here is my excerpt on Penny from the Seahawks' slide:
Penny is one of the most underrated players in the NFL. Since 2019, he leads all running backs in yards per carry (5.9). Like Walker, Penny boasts elite speed. Last season, he posted the fifth-fastest ball carrier time among running backs last season (21.44).
Penny struggled with injuries, but his impact was palpable. Last season, the Seahawks averaged 5.5 yards per carry with Penny active and 4.5 yards per carry without him.
Swift is another efficient player. In 2022, he rushed for 542 yards and five touchdowns, while averaging 5.5 yards per carry.
Both players are well-positioned for success. They will get to run behind the Eagles' offensive line, which posted the second-best run block win rate in the NFL.
In addition, Jalen Hurts remains one of the dynamic dual-threat quarterbacks in the league. Last season, he led all quarterbacks with 13 rushing touchdowns; it was the second-highest all-time single-season mark.
NFL Power Rankings: 2. Chicago Bears
2022 rushing yards rank: 1st
2022 yards per carry rank: 1st
In 2021, the Bears were 14th in rushing yards (2,018) and 21st in yards per carry (4.2). In 2022, they leaped up to first in both of those categories.
Justin Fields led the way with a historic season. His 1,143 rushing yards were the second-most by a quarterback in a single season.
David Montgomery rushed for 800+ yards for his fourth consecutive season, and Khalil Herbert finished as the top NFL running back in both yards per carry (5.7) and rush yards over expected per attempt (1.44).
Despite the production, the Bears made a bold move in the offseason; they moved on from David Montgomery and signed D'Onta Foreman. Foreman will raise the team's ceiling. He was excellent with the Panthers. After the McCaffrey trade, he was third in the NFL in rushing yards (877). For the season, he finished third in rushing efficiency, per NFL Next Gen Stats.
Still, the continued production of one team staves off the Bears from the top spot…
NFL Power Rankings: 1. Baltimore Ravens
2022 rushing yards rank: 2nd
2022 yards per carry rank: 3rd
Baltimore's three main rushers (Lamar Jackson, J.K. Dobbins, and Gus Edwards) missed a combined 22 games last season. Still, the Ravens managed to record the second-most rushing yards in the NFL (2,720). That's how good this rushing attack is.
Since 2018, Jackson (6.1) and Dobbins (5.9) are second and third, respectively, in yards per carry (minimum 200 carries). Edwards is not far behind; his 5.2 yards per carry is the fifth-highest among running backs during that span.
That success has translated at the team level. Since 2018, the Ravens lead the NFL with 14,007 rushing yards, which is 2,535 yards higher than the second-place Titans.
The playmakers are not solely responsible for the Ravens' success, either. They led the league in run block win rate in 2022.
With the core of Jackson, Dobbins, and Edwards returning, the Ravens are well-positioned to reclaim the top spot in 2023.
