The Philadelphia Eagles have one of the top young running backs in the NFL with Miles Sanders but during the 2020 season, they’ll face a gauntlet of ball carriers capable of winning a game all on their own.
In the NFC East alone, the Eagles will face Saquon Barkley, Ezekiel Elliott, Darius Guice, and Adrian Peterson. During their AFC North jaunt, the Birds will see Joe Mixon, James Conner, Mark Ingram, JK Dobbins, and Joe Mixon.
The opposing running backs are talented, dynamic, true playmakers and we ranked them below:
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13. Cam Akers/Darrell Henderson — LA Rams
Akers’ “upside is huge, and he could have been the starter for several other NFL teams entering the 2020 season. LA selected Akers at No. 52 overall in this year’s draft when many analysts and experts expected Darrell Henderson to take over as the lead back in Los Angeles. Henderson is a talented third-round pick from 2019, but Akers has the ability to remind fans of Gurley, especially in the passing game.
12. Derrius Guice — Washington Redskins
Often injured in his first two seasons, Guice is a talented running back who gives the Redskins a dynamic playmaker when he’s healthy. After returning from an ACL injury Guice had a breakout performance against the Panthers in Week 13, rushing for 129 yards, averaging 12.9 yards per carry, and a pair of touchdowns. If he can remain healthy he’ll climb up this list.
11. Raheem Mostert, San Francisco 49ers
A surprise for the NFC champion 49ers, the former Eagles running back ignited the San Francisco rushing attack late last season and had a performance for the ages against the Packers.
Mostert has tremendous vision, game-breaking speed, and a dynamic skill set when he’s on.
10. James Conner — Pittsburgh Steelers
The guy who finally made Le’Veon Bell expendable in Pittsburgh, Conner has taken a step back as a runner and we’ll need a huge 2020 season. Injuries to him and Ben Roethlisberger caused the Steelers struggles in 2019 and he could see his workload reduced in favor of Benny Snell.
9. Chris Carson — Seattle Seahawks
2019 stats: 278 rushing attempts, 1,230 yards, and 7 rushing TDs
Carson is a violent, downhill runner who fits the Seahawks backfield. Carson is a volume rusher who has a tendency to get banged up, causing him to land this low on the list.
8. Kenyan Drake — Arizona Cardinals
Talk about a difference in culture and opportunity. Early in the 2019 NFL season, Drake was wasting away in Miami before being dealt to the Arizona Cardinals in October. In eight games with Kyler Murray as his quarterback, Drake rushed for 643 yards on 123 carries. A threat from the backfield or as a pass-catcher, Drake is set to have a true breakout season.
7. Joe Mixon — Bengals
2019 stats: 278 carries for 1,1137 yards and 5 rushing TDs.
A big, strong, and powerful runner, Mixon displays exceptional patience at the line of scrimmage and outstanding balance while making his way through the hole. Mixon has rushed for 1,000-yards in two out of his first three seasons thus far and could have an even bigger 2020 with A.J. Green back and Joe Burrow at quarterback.
6. Mark Ingram/J.K. Dobbins — Baltimore Ravens
The ranking is supposed to be for No. 1 running backs the Eagles will face but the Ravens run the ball in swarms and with former Ohio State star JK Dobbins added to the mix, this rushing attack won’t be a one-trick pony. Ingram recorded his third 1,000-yard season in his first year with the Ravens, and even at 30 years old, he’ll pound the rock for the most physical offense in the NFL. Dobbins is a dynamic playmaker and was added to the list because he’ll get his share of carries too.
5. Aaron Jones 88
2019 stats: 236 carries for 1,084 yards (4.6 yards per carry) and 16 TDs; 49 receptions for 474 yards (9.7 yards per reception) and three TDs.
Jones burst onto the scene in 2019, proving that he belongs in the conversation with the games elite running backs. Jones finished tied for the league lead in total touchdowns (19).
4. Alvin Kamara — New Orleans Saints
2019 stats: 171 carries for 797 yards (4.7 yards per carry) and five TDs; 81 receptions for 533 yards (6.6 yards per reception) and one TD.
Kamara missed multiple games last season with an ankle injury and hinted at playing on one leg for the majority of the 2019 campaign. He’s still one of the toughest running backs in the NFL.
Kamara is one of the most elusive ball carriers in the NFL, capable of keeping his balance or tip-toeing into a huge gain.
Last season Kamara ranked 12th in broken tackles on run plays (42) and his 81 receptions ranked third at the position.
3. Saquon Barkley — New York Giants
2019 stats: 217 carries for 1,003 yards (4.6 yards per carry) and six TDs; 52 receptions for 438 yards (8.4 yards per reception) and two TDs.
Barkley took a step back after a dazzling rookie season but like Kamara, he was playing on one leg. an ankle injury hampered Barkley’s effectiveness for most of 2019. Barkley averaged just 61 rushing yards per game through Weeks 1-14 but averaged 131 yards per game and 6.2 yards per carry after getting healthy. With Daniel Jones taking the next step as a passer, the sky is truly the limit for Barkley in 2020.
2. Nick Chubb — Cleveland Browns
2019 stats: 298 carries for 1,494 yards (5.0 yards per carry) and eight TDs; 36 receptions for 278 yards (7.7 yards per reception).
Chubb was impressive as a rookie but showed out on a disappointing Browns team last season. Showing the explosive running ability, coupled with elusiveness, power, and balance, Chubb finished second among all running backs in broken tackles on run plays (66), according to PFF.
1. Ezekiel Elliott — Dallas Cowboys
2019 stats: 301 carries for 1,357 yards (4.5 yards per carry) and 12 TDs; 54 receptions for 420 yards (7.8 yards per reception) and two TDs.
Chubb may have had more yards last season, but Elliott is the top back on this list.
Last season Elliott finished 183 yards behind league leader Derrick Henry and was fourth in run success rate (56%) among running backs with at least 100 carries.
A horse who needs to be fed the ball, Elliott averaged 4.5 broken tackles per game in the last 10 weeks, according to Pro Football Focus while also leading all running backs in first-down runs (77).
