We Bet You Can't Name Over 80% Of These NFL Running Backs!
- by W. Aloysius
- – on
- in Sports
For a number of years, the running back position in the NFL was being criminally undervalued, but thanks to an explosion of fresh talent, it appears as through the running back revolution the NFL has desperately needed is finally underway. The best backs in the NFL are able to lead their teams to victory should they get enough touches during a game, and a strong rushing attack can keep defenses on their heels and open up the passing game for huge chunks of yards. With the 2018 NFL Draft right around the corner, many people expect a certain running back from Penn State to become one of the top picks in the NFL Draft.
We are seeing a changing of the guard in terms of running back play in the league, and the last few NFL Drafts have given us some of the most explosive running backs the league has ever seen. Just last season, we saw at least three running backs become fixtures on their teams and take the league by storm. In fact, it was a rookie running back that wound up leading the league in rushing.
Now that the revolution is underway, let us go ahead and see how well you know your NFL running backs!
Can You Name This Player?
The Kansas City Chiefs already have weapons on the offensive side of the ball and, after this man fumbled on his very first touch in the NFL, the Chiefs quickly learned that they struck gold in the NFL Draft. This rookie was the man who led the NFL in rushing yards last season, and despite having a lull in the middle of the year, he got things going again late en route to shocking the NFL and staking his claim at being one of the best backs in the league.
Can You Name This Player?
The sophomore slump was very real for this man here, and people didn’t know what to expect in 2017. The Rams had anointed Sean McVay as their coach and they were awful the year prior. Well, all that quickly went out the window, as this man and the team as a whole were one of the most surprising success stories of the league last year. This running back’s play is a huge reason why quarterback Jared Goff was able to have so much success throughout the year.
Can You Name This Player?
Is there a better running back in the NFL than this man here? There will always be a debate about who is the best, but this man’s name is always in the conversation. He is perhaps the most patient running back in the league, and this is why he is able to sniff out openings and make a huge play. He has been in a contract war with the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the team would be wise to pay this man before he heads somewhere else and dominates.
Can You Name This Player?
Seeing the Philadelphia Eagles win the Super Bowl last season must have been bittersweet for this player, but he kept his head down and continued to play at a high level all throughout the year. He is etching out a place for himself in NFL history, and a few more great years could see people calling for his induction into the Hall of Fame. Few running backs in the league can play like this man here, and when a game is in the snow, he is nearly unstoppable.
Can You Name This Player?
Among the dominant running backs in the NFL, this player here became the forgotten man last season, and this is due to his season-ending injury. Prior to going down, he was putting up ridiculous numbers, and many felt that he could have made a legitimate case for NFL MVP in 2017. The Arizona Cardinals desperately need this guy to stay healthy, and if he is able to, there may be a reason for this team to have a shred of hope in 2018.
Can You Name This Player?
It may have taken a few years to get things going, but this player is full steam ahead these days. He has developed into a punishing running back for the New Orleans Saints, and he has given them stability in their backfield. Paired with a dynamic rookie last year, the team as a whole flourished, and heading into 2018, everyone expects them to pick up where they left off and make a deep playoff run again. Then again, this team is always dangerous with Drew Brees.
Can You Name This Player?
The Chicago Bears had few reasons to celebrate last year, but though they struggled, they have a man in their backfield that looks as though he is the real deal. No one knew what to expect when he was named the started, but not unlike some other players on this list, his time on the field was spent terrorizing defenses. After adding some weapons for quarterback Mitch Trubisky, a solid draft haul for Chicago could see them start to turn things around.
Can You Name This Player?
People are always quick to label a player a bust early on in their career, and after an abysmal rookie season in which he struggled to get anything going, people were ready to write this man off. Since then, however, he has become an absolute force for the Los Angeles Chargers, and he is a reason why their fans have something to look forward to going into 2018. He is one of the few players in the league who has a nose for the end zone.
Can You Name This Player?
Coming out of college, people just knew that this player was going to change any team that he went to and, with him leading the charge, the Jacksonville Jaguars were able to make a deep run in the playoffs. Yes, their defense was a key factor in their success, but there is no denying that this offense wouldn’t be nearly as effective without this player. With the departure of several offensive weapons, the team will lean on this man heavily in 2018.
Can You Name This Player?
The NFL led a witch-hunt against this player all throughout the season, and despite being suspended for a number of games, he still rushed for over 900 yards. When he is in the backfield, the Dallas Cowboys offense truly shines. When he is gone, however, this team is a shell of itself on the football field. It just goes to show you how valuable and talented he truly is. Expect him to come back with a vengeance in 2018 and have a monster year.
Can You Name This Player?
People had better be preparing his bust for the Hall of Fame already, because this man has guaranteed his place alongside the greats. At a position where most people decline at the age of 30, this man has defied father time for far longer than anyone anticipated, and he is slowly climbing his way up the list of all-time rushing yards. He signed with Miami so that he could finish his career in the same city where he played his college ball.
Can You Name This Player?
Yes, he’s really from Oakland, though. After a brief stint in retirement where he traveled the world eating Skittles, this man decided to come back to the NFL and play for the team he grew up rooting for. The Raiders fell apart last season, and they failed to use this man early on. Later in the season however, they finally realized that this man still has it, and he became one of the most productive backs in the league the last half of the year.
Can You Name This Player?
After departing the Oakland Raiders in favor of Minnesota, this player was all set to be the featured back before the team spent an early pick on Dalvin Cook. While this player was willing to share his reps, an injury to the starter ultimately thrust him back into the featured role, and the Vikings were phenomenal with him. Now that both players will be healthy heading into 2018, expect this offense to be one of the most potent in the league.
Can You Name This Player?
When does it become clear to people that the Houston Texans may be cursed? Each year, this team is poised to make a legitimate run, but injuries never fail to deplete them of their best stars and the team fails to meet expectations. Since coming to the team in 2016, this player has been the featured back in Houston, and he has put up solid numbers during his time with the team. If they can stay healthy, they have a team that can do big things in 2018.
Can You Name This Player?
There are plenty of appropriate words to describe this man’s play on the field, though I’m sure the words change drastically depending on which side of the ball you play on. Since bursting onto the scene as a rookie, this player has continued to show the world that he can change a game and fuel an offense whenever he is on the field. He splits his playing time with another player on this quiz and, when playing together, the Falcons are nearly unstoppable.
Can You Name This Player?
If you have been paying close attention to this player, then you probably have noticed that wherever he goes, a team tends to win the Super Bowl. After taking home the Lombardi Trophy in New England, he decided to head over to Philadelphia and play for the Eagles. Sure enough, the Eagles would go on to win the Super Bowl, giving this player another title on his resume. Rejoice Detroit Lions fans, because this man is now in your backfield.
Can You Name This Player?
Towards the end of the 2017 season, it became exponentially clear that the Tennessee Titans needed to give this man the ball if they wanted any amount of success on offense. The team’s aerial assault was completely non-existent throughout the season, and the team’s best chance at success came on the ground. With the departure of DeMarco Murray, this man is going to be the featured back in Tennessee moving forward, and fans couldn’t be happier about it. Expect him to have a monster 2018.
Can You Name This Player?
Coming out of college, many people though that this man could have a solid impact in the NFL, but people had no idea that he would dominate quite like he did during his 2017 campaign. The Saints began the season with a crowded backfield before they wised up and shipped off Adrian Peterson to the Arizona. Cardinals With only two mouths to feed, the Saints offense took flight and the team would have themselves one heck of a 2017 season.
Can You Name This Player?
This man was poised to become the greatest running back of all time before personal issues and injuries derailed things. At the top of his game, he was without a doubt the best back in the NFL, and his accolades are nearly unrivalled by any running back in history. He made the Pro Bowl 7 times in his career, he was selected as an All-Pro 7 times and he was the 2012 NFL MVP. It goes without saying that he will be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Can You Name This Player?
Though his career in the NFL has been relatively short, we have seen both sides to this man’s game. When he is firing on all cylinders, he is practically unstoppable and can completely change any game that he is in. However, we have also seen him struggle to put things together and play at a high level on a consistent basis. Thankfully for Philadelphia, he averaged 5.8 yards each carry, and he was instrumental in them taking home a Super Bowl.
Can You Name This Player?
The Denver Broncos may have had wildly unstable quarterback play that bogged the team down last year, but this man here was not opposed to killing it on the field. The team added Case Keenum in free agency to help stabilize the position and, moving forward, they could look to take a quarterback in the first round of the NFL Draft. Regardless of the approach they take, having this man in the backfield will make the transitional process much easier.
Can You Name This Player?
After getting his shot at the starting gig thanks to a few key injuries to the Ravens backfield, this player emerged as a real threat on the field. The team was on desperate need of playmakers and, while they didn’t perform up to snuff last year, this player gave them hope moving forward. They were able to add Michael Crabtree recently and, combined with this running back here, the team has a lot to look forward to enter 2018 season.
Can You Name This Player?
The New England Patriots can take just about any player in the NFL and make them serviceable, but this player is a legit talent. He was a steady presence for the New England Patriots throughout the 2017 season, but the team decided to let him walk in free agency. After testing the waters, he decided to sign with the Tennessee Titans to add some solid depth to their backfield and provide another weapon for quarterback Marcus Mariota. This team is shaping up to be a serious contender.
Can You Name This Player?
After losing 31 out of their last 32 games, the Cleveland Browns had few bright spots on their roster. With a new regime coming in to town, the Browns had a busy time this offseason, and this included allowing this player to test free agency. Despite being one of the better players on the roster, the team failed to re-sign him and he headed off to New York to play with the New York Jets. He rushed for just north of 850 yards last season.
Can You Name This Player?
At this point in what has been a fantastic career, this player has certainly seen better days. He was a mainstay in the Carolina Panthers backfield for years, and the team finally decided to move on from him after the 2017 season came to an end. Shortly thereafter, he was scooped up by the New York Giants who were looking to add pieces to their offense. He will be looking to prove that he has plenty left in the tank in 2018.
Can You Name This Player?
The decision that Miami made to ship off their starting running back came as a major shock to NFL fans and, while that running back would go on to win a Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles, this player would fill in quite nicely in his absence. He played his college football at Alabama under Nick Saban, and when he was finally given his shot, he was able to show the Dolphins organization that they were wise to select him in the NFL Draft.
Can You Name This Player?
At the peak of his career, there was hardly a running back in the NFL who was as dominant as this man here. He catapulted to the top of the league while playing with the Dallas Cowboys before falling off the face of the earth while playing for the Philadelphia Eagles. Many people thought he was done until he resurfaced in Tennessee and revived his career. As it stands now, this man is currently on the down swing, but he has the talent to reach the top once again.
Can You Name This Player?
The Atlanta Falcons are one of the few teams in the NFL that are lucky enough to have two legitimate threats in their backfield, and this man is the other half of that stellar duo. His running mate may be the starter and get most of the touches, but this man is able to deliver fantastic performances whenever he is on the field. After a rather disappointing year, the Falcons are full steam ahead in their quest to get back to the Super Bowl in 2018.
Can You Name This Player?
At one point, people believed that this man was the next big thing in college and that he was going to be a lock to be taken early in the NFL Draft. This, however, was not the case, and after an assault case ruined his public perception, he slid a bit in the draft. He was taken by the Cincinnati Bengals who have no issues employing people with a checkered past, and he performed well at times throughout the year. They hope he can take the next step in 2018.
Can You Name This Player?
The 2017 NFL Draft had a number of running back prospects who were viewed as players that could completely change the team they went to, and when the Carolina Panthers selected this player in the first round, they knew that he could help Cam Newton get things going. While his play in the backfield didn’t set the world on fire, his ability to play all over the field changed the game for the Panthers and they are banking on his development next season.
Can You Name This Player?
Rookies coming into the NFL expect to come in and compete for playing time, but when the Minnesota Vikings got their hands on this back, it was all but guaranteed that he would be the starting back for the team. He was playing at a high level before an injury robbed him of his rookie season. The team was successful in his absence, and with Kirk Cousins leading the charge, his presence in the backfield next season is going to be huge.
Can You Name This Player?
It is a crying shame that this man was never able to secure a Super Bowl ring during his time in the NFL. For years, this man was the reason why the Chicago Bears were able to win games thanks to his incredible play on the field, but the team’s lack of huge success has left his career missing a key milestone. He was able to do everything that was asked of him while playing in Chicago, and he had some success in New York finishing out his career.
Can You Name This Player?
This once dominant running back has had a promising career go completely sideways thanks to injuries and issues with his weight. Unfortunately for him, keeping his weight under control has long been a problem, and when he signed with the Seattle Seahawks, he was given financial motivation to keep things under control. Unfortunately for him, his time in Seattle has left a lot to be desired. Those of us who watched him in Green Bay remember how talented he was.
Can You Name This Player?
When he was in his prime and playing for the Tennessee Titans, there were few backs in the NFL who were as explosive as this man here. He once rushed for over 2,000 yards in a single season, which is a feat that few men in NFL history have been able to achieve. More recently, he has spent time with the Arizona Cardinals looking to finish his career somewhere that will play to his strengths so that he can end things on a positive note.
Can You Name This Player?
Though he may not be the player he was when he was in his prime, this man can still make some plays on the field when healthy and he cane be used to mentor younger backs with his wealth of knowledge. When he was at the top of his game, he was nearly unstoppable on the field and he was an absolute nightmare for opposing defensive coordinators. It is a shame that he isn’t in his prime now that the running back revolution is well underway in the NFL.