Last week, we checked out the four quarterbacks in the AFC North and how they fall in line. Today, we will turn our attention to the running backs. We’ll just look at the expected starting running backs for each team or at least the ones that will be given the most work for each team. In other words, only four running backs, one from each team, will be on this list.
1. Joe Mixon, Cincinnati Bengals
While some may have had their feathers ruffled with the bottom-ranking of Andy Dalton, their running back situation is much better, with Mixon leading the way in the division. Mixon was the only running back in the division to reach 1,000 rushing yards in 2018. James Conner would have gotten there had he not been injured, however.
Still, Mixon averaged a very respectable 4.9 yards per attempt in 2018, even with the Bengals’ offensive line being as big of a question mark as it was, and finished fourth in the league with 1,168 rushing yards. Only Christian McCaffrey and Saquon Barkley averaged more yards per attempt while rushing the ball at least 200 times during the season.
Entering his third season, Mixon is poised to continue expanding his game, as he also continues to be involved in the passing game. 50 receptions are not out of the realm of possibility, as he’s tallied 30 catches in 2017 and 43 receptions in 2018.
2. Nick Chubb, Cleveland Browns
Sure, the Browns went and added Kareem Hunt to the mix, but he’s also suspended for the first eight games of the season. That will really allow Chubb to show how great he can be.
Chubb broke onto the scene in 2018 as a rookie and showed a very healthy recovery from his history of knee injuries in college. Chubb finished just four rushing yards shy of 1,000 for the season and was tenth in the league with 996.
Chubb wasn’t heavily used in the passing game, but that role could grow for him with Duke Johnson unhappy and possibly on his way out, meaning more opportunities, especially in the first half of the season, for Chubb.
3. James Conner, Pittsburgh Steelers
James Conner quickly made Steelers fans forget about Le’Veon Bell with his two-touchdown performance in Week 1. And he didn’t stop there. He had three more games with 100-plus rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns. He also recorded at least three catches in every game he played in except the Week 10 blowout win against the Carolina Panthers.
As talked about earlier, had Conner not gotten injured, he was easily topping the 1,000-yard mark for the season. In fact, he was on pace for approximately 1,200 yards on the ground before missing three games near the end of the season.
The emergence of Jaylen Samuels will mean Conner won’t carry a full workload, but that will just mean he stays fresher throughout the season and doesn’t have to be the focal point of the Steelers’ offense, especially with Juju Smith-Schuster on the outside.
4. Mark Ingram, Baltimore Ravens
Ingram is one of the new kids in town to the division but he brings a lot of experience and still a good bit in the tank to the Ravens’ offense. And that we’re ranking him No. 4 just shows how good the position is in the division. The AFC North just continues to be the division of grind-it-out football.
While Alvin Kamara was the clear lead back for the Saints in 2018, Ingram still showed solid running ability, posting 4.7 yards per attempt on 138 rushes. Gus Edwards showed some promise as a rookie last season, but Ingram provides a spark and veteran leadership for the Ravens.
Ingram is by far the oldest running back among these four at 29 years old. Mixon will only be 23 in July, Conner just turned 24 in May and Chubb turns 24 in December. So his years as a featured back are certainly numbered, but he’ll still be a welcome addition for a still-developing Lamar Jackson.
