Ranking every RB room in the NFL by tiers: Christian McCaffrey, 49ers headline top backfield group

For those who may not have control of player movement in the NFL, let me be the first to say it has been a whirlwind offseason at the running back position. Several well-known names are now with new teams, who are not only ready to shake up their fantasy football drafts later this summer, but are expected to have an impact on the league itself in 2024.

As these clubs come together in the coming weeks and months for their offseason training program, including mandatory minicamp, it’s a good time to take stock of all these backfield changes and compare them to one another. Below, we’ve collected all of the league’s backfields and divided them into one of seven tiers, ranging from the “Thoroughbreds” section to the “Work in Progress” section.

Level 1: Thoroughbred

Not only will you find stars at this level, but what separates these teams is also the depth behind their stars. While Christian McCaffrey is arguably the best quarterback in the league, the 49ers also have capable quarterbacks like Elijah Mitchell Jordan Mason and rookie Isaac Guerendo in their stable along with defensive back Kyle Juszczyk.

As for the rest of the teams at this top tier, they have all undergone seismic changes this offseason with some of the biggest free agency signings. Baltimore signed Derrick Henry to lead a backfield that also boasts Justice Hill and Keaton Mitchell (recovering from a torn ACL). In addition to the impact off the field. Meanwhile, the Eagles signed Saquon Barkley and the Packers signed Josh Jacobs, who are capable of leading the league in rushing if fully healthy. The Ravens and Eagles also have the luxury of having quarterbacks (Lamar Jackson and Jalen Hurts) contribute to the rushing attack.

Layer 2: Quality Depth

This is a group that may not have the high-end star power like the group above, but it has plenty of depth to make them a formidable unit. The Lions are knocking on the door to move up a level with the combination of second-year forward David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs. The Dolphins also have a pair of young veterans in Raheem Mostert and De’Von Achane, who are arguably the fastest tandem in the league. Miami also drafted Jaylen Wright from Tennessee and has veteran Jeff Wilson Jr., who surpassed 1,000 yards from scrimmage in 2022.

The Steelers are another club that has several defenders capable of handling a heavy workload. Najee Harris has surpassed 1,000 yards from scrimmage in each of his first three seasons in the league, while Jaylen Warren and Cordarrelle Patterson offer an electric change of pace. New Orleans has arguably the most decorated team in this tier in Alvin Kamara, who has surpassed 1,000 yards from scrimmage every year he has been in the league. In addition to Kamara, the Saints have Jamaal Williams as a strong veteran backup and an intriguing sophomore in Kendre Miller.

Travis Etienne rushed for over 1,000 yards for the second consecutive season for the Jaguars and scored a career-high 11 rushing touchdowns in his second season. While he leads the pack, Tank Bigsby and D’Ernest Johnson are capable backups.

Tier 3: Newbies

This is a group that could be labeled the stars of tomorrow – young defenders who have huge upside and a career still ahead of them. New York has Breece Hall, who should be in line for a breakout in Year 3 after having a full season removed from her torn ACL in her rookie season. James Cook had a sensational sophomore season in 2023 when he took the majority of the touches in Buffalo’s backfield and turned it into 1,567 yards from scrimmage. Similar to Cook, Rachaad White made the most of his additional opportunity with the Buccaneers last season and also surpassed 1,500 yards from scrimmage.

Isiah Pacheco is already two-time champion Super Bowl champion and a mainstay in Kansas City’s backfield, while Atlanta’s Bijan Robinson has the talent to be the best running back in the league in a short time. After being a fifth-round pick in 2022, Kyren Williams took the NFL by storm last season, averaging a league-best 95.3 rushing yards per game. His performance last season was good enough to earn him second-team All-Pro honors. Remaining in the NFC West, the Seahawks complete this division thanks to their two quarterbacks Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet.

Level 4: Led by a veteran

Some of the headliners in these backfields may be a bit slow, but they are more than capable of making an impact. James Conner is coming off one of the best seasons of his career in 2023, despite having played just 13 games. He rushed for a career-high 1,040 yards. In addition to Conner, the Cardinals drafted Florida State’s Trey Benson in the 2024 third round. NFL Draft. Meanwhile, the Commanders, Bears and Vikings were all involved in the musical chairs of free agency. Washington signed Austin Ekeler to compliment Brian Robinson Jr., while Chicago added D’Andre Swift to a room that has Khalil Herbert and Roschon Johnson. The Vikings were able to steal Aaron Jones after he was released by the Packers and will be the standout in front of Ty Chandler.

Level 5: Injury Concerns

Both clubs have some of the most talented running backs in the league, but they are surrounded by health concerns. Jonathan Taylor hasn’t played a full season since his All-Pro campaign in 2021. Indy also let Zack Moss leave as a free agent, which hurts Taylor’s depth. As for the Browns, Nick Chubb continues to recover from a knee injury last season. When healthy, he is among the best pure rushers in the NFL, but it remains to be seen what he will be able to do in 2024. Cleveland has Jerome Ford and D’Onta Foreman to help cushion the blow of any limitations Chubb may have.

Level 6: More to Taste

These teams have quality running backs, but there are still a few more that these backfields need to prove to move up to the next level. Tennessee signed Tony Pollard as a free agent, but he struggled at full time in Dallas a season ago. If they click, Pollard and Tyjae Spears should form a nice duo for the Titans. Speaking of duos, Joe Mixon and Dameon Pierce have the potential to be quite a duo for Houston. That said, Mixon’s efficiency has stumbled over the last few seasons and Pierce has slipped in his second campaign, so there is still a lot to be figured out with the Texans defense.

The Patriots signed Antonio Gibson as a free agent to be a change of pace in welcoming back Rhamondre Stevenson. As for Stevenson, he’s coming off an injury-shortened season in 2023, but has the ceiling to be within 1,500 yards from scrimmage when he’s right. Meanwhile, the Raiders are handing the keys to the backfield to Zamir White after seeing Josh Jacobs leave in free agency. In addition to White, Las Vegas has Alexander Mattison and Ameer Abdullah, who are capable of taking on the workload of a starter in trouble.

Cincinnati signed Zack Moss in free agency and it will be interesting to see how the veteran performs after a stellar 2023 season with Indy. As for Carolina, they drafted Jonathon Brooks to be their future returner, but he is coming off a torn ACL at Texas last season. While he returns, the Panthers have Chuba Hubbard, Miles Sanders and Rashaad Penny as veteran options.

Layer 7: Work in Progress

The Giants lost Saquon Barkley to the Eagles in free agency and signed Devin Singletary to replace him. Aside from the demotion at the starting position, New York doesn’t have much behind Singletary, with Eric Gray, Tyrone Tracy Jr. and Gary Brightwell rounding out the position group. There was a considerable amount of fanfare for Javonte Williams early last season, but the former second-round pick is averaging just 3.6 yards per carry in 2023. Samaje Perine is a solid veteran to have in the backfield , but this position group doesn’t have a ton of high-quality upside.

The Chargers effectively adopted the Ravens’ backfield after signing Gus Edwards and JK Dobbins as free agents. Dobbins has suffered injuries throughout his career, including a torn Achilles tendon last season. Meanwhile, Edwards has a stout back but doesn’t have a huge ceiling. Finally, the Cowboys lost Pollard in free agency and brought back Ezekiel Elliott, but the veteran isn’t the same player he was in the early days of his first stint in Dallas. Outside of Elliott, the Cowboys have Rico Dowdle and Deuce Vaughn. It really feels like Dallas’ defense is in a transition phase right now.