Last week we began our annual NFC South positional rankings with Drew Brees at the top of the heap of quarterbacks. Today, we turn our attention towards the division’s talented running back group.
Here are the top six running backs in the division as we head towards the 2019 NFL season.
1. Christian McCaffrey -Panthers
2018 Stats: 219 carries, 1,098 rush yards, 7 rushing TDs, 107 catches, 867 receiving yards, 6 TDs
McCaffrey took the clear lead as the NFC South’s top running back in 2018. He didn’t just go over 1,000 yards rushing on five yards per carry, he also put up an insane league-record for a running back 107 catches for over 800 receiving yards. McCaffrey scored 13 total touchdowns from scrimmage and was 135 all-purpose yards short of a 2,000-yard season. Speed, vision, elusiveness, hands and power – McCaffrey has it all and then some.
2. Alvin Kamara – Saints
2018 Stats: 194 carries, 883 rushing yards, 14 TDs, 81 catches, 709 receiving yards, 4 TDs
If not for McCaffrey’s emergence in 2018, Saints RB Alvin Kamara would be the top dual-threat back in the division and possibly the entire league. Kamara has posted over 1,500 yards from scrimmage in each of the last two years and scored 31 total touchdowns. Kamara in a great spot with Sean Payton’s offense and represents the ideal modern-day NFL running back.
3. Devonta Freeman – Falcons
2018 Stats: 14 carries, 68 rushing yards; 5 catches, 23 receiving yards
This ranking should come with an asterisk, meaning *if* Freeman remains healthy. Freeman only played in two games last season, but the Falcons will need him to carry the majority of the workload this year with Tevin Coleman leaving for the 49ers. In the three seasons prior to 2018, Freeman rushed for total of 3,005 yards, 29 touchdowns and looked like one of the most talented backs in football.
4. Peyton Barber – Buccaneers
Barber can’t compete with the top three backs on this list, but 2018 was clearly the most consistent season of his young career. He ran for a career-high 874 yards and distinguished himself as a superior rusher to Ronald Jones. Going forward, he should be Tampa’s clear No. 1 and might showcase more of a dual-threat role in Bruce Arians’ offense. To date, his best season catching the football came in 2017, when he put up 114 receiving yards. Barber still has a lot to prove, but his best years are ahead of him.
5. Ito Smith – Falcons
2018 Stats: 90 carries, 315 rushing yards, 4 TDs, 27 catches, 152 receiving yards
Entering his second year, Ito Smith will likely see an increased workload after Coleman’s departure for San Francisco. In limited time as a rookie, Smith flashed his ability as a pass-catcher, catching 27 of 32 targets and dropping zero catchable passes. Smith also showed a nose for the end zone, with four rushing touchdowns in 2018. As the Falcons continue to commit their resources to becoming a more “balanced” team, they’ll need Smith to step up if Freeman is injured again.
6. Latavius Murray – Saints
2018 Stats: 140 carries, 578 rushing yards, 6 TDs, 22 catches, 141 receiving yards
Adding Latavius Murray was a wise decision for a Saints team trying to replace the valuable presence of veteran Mark Ingram, who’s now in Baltimore. Murray is getting up there in RB years (29), but was still effective for the Vikings in 2018. In fact, last season was Murray’s fourth straight with at least six touchdowns. Murray offers a strong change of pace option behind Kamara for New Orleans.
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