- An event-based system: Unlike other grading areas, ball carriers are evaluated based on “events.” Each event can earn a +0.5 grade, and multiple events on a single play can stack — for example, two +0.5 events would result in a +1.0 grade. These events typically include forcing a missed tackle to gain extra yards, churning through contact, or making a sharp burst through the line of scrimmage for a meaningful gain, among others.
- Bijan Robinson stands out at the play level: Robinson earned 181 positive play-level grades in 2024, 11 more than the next closest player (Derrick Henry).
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Last week, we broke down how PFF grades on a play-by-play basis, using quarterbacks as the example. If you missed it and are curious about our grading process, I highly recommend checking it out.
Here’s a quick refresher before we dive into running backs:
At the core of our play-by-play grading system is a “zero” — the grade awarded when a player does exactly what’s expected on a given play. From there, players can earn positive or negative grades in 0.5-point increments based on how much their performance exceeds or falls short of expectations. It’s a straightforward yet powerful framework that underpins every PFF grade you see.
Now, let’s look at running backs specifically.
An event-based grading system
Unlike other grading areas, ball carriers are evaluated based on “events.” Each event can earn a +0.5 grade, and multiple events on a single play can stack — for example, two +0.5 events would result in a +1.0 grade. These events typically include forcing a missed tackle to gain extra yards, churning through contact, or making a sharp burst through the line of scrimmage for a meaningful gain, among others.
These events are key, as they represent the running back’s individual contributions on each play. Whether it’s forcing a missed tackle three yards behind the line of scrimmage to turn a significant loss into a 1-yard gain, or finding a crease at the line, hitting it with burst and picking up 15 yards before the next defender brings you down, there are multiple ways to earn a +0.5 grade.
Negative grades aren’t included here, as they’re nearly as rare as a +2 throw for a quarterback. The only notable exception on the negative side is fumbles, which receive a standard -1.5 downgrade.
Let’s revisit those two setups. Say the back who’s dead to rights 3 yards in the backfield not only escapes the first tackler but also shakes off another at the line before picking up eight yards — that’s two events and a +1 grade. Or picture the back who finds an open hole, hits it with burst, gets contacted 15 yards downfield and breaks that tackle to tack on seven more. Again, that's two events and a +1 play.
The running back starts at 0 and, unless he fumbles or makes a clear mistake — like running backward and unnecessarily losing yards — he ends the play at zero if he doesn’t register any +0.5 events.
A look at positively graded run rate
With all of that in mind, let’s examine the 2024 NFL running back class through the lens of positive grade rate, focusing solely on rushing plays and run grade. We’ll also highlight Z-scores, which measure how many standard deviations each back’s positive grade rate is from the positional average.
Among all running backs with at least 100 carries last season, these were the top 10 based solely on positive grade rate — how often they earned any level of positive grade per rushing attempt.
Just as we did with quarterbacks last week, it’s important to note that looking strictly at positive grade rate doesn’t necessarily reflect the top 10 running backs of the 2024 season. Nor does it align with the top 10 in the 0-100 rushing grades.
While positive grade rate is a useful evaluation tool, it doesn’t paint a complete picture of a player’s overall production. Now, let’s take it a step further by applying weights — proportionally rewarding higher individual play grades more than smaller (though still positive) grades.
That top 10 list is beginning to take shape, but let’s add one final layer: volume.
Remember, PFF’s event-based grading system for ball carriers not only evaluates how often a player generates positive plays but also rewards the total volume of those events. By combining positive grade rate with weights that account for both higher-impact plays and sustained success over a larger workload, we arrive at this final top 10.
By applying both weights, the picture becomes exponentially clearer. While this still doesn’t represent the full scope of what factors into the final 0–100 PFF grade, it lays out a substantial part of the foundation. Of the 10 players listed, nine earned a rushing grade of at least 85.0 last season. The lone exception, Kyren Williams, was heavily impacted by his league-leading five -1.5 fumble downgrades.
No single stat tells the entire story, but focusing on positive events—and weighting them appropriately—brings us one big step closer to understanding the true value a running back provides.
Click here to access each running back’s full 0–100 overall grade, and use the interactive tool below to explore their play-by-play evaluations in greater detail.
Play-by-play grades: Running backs
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