- The Falcons come in No. 1: Led by the NFL's highest-ranked running back and with a competent backup, Atlanta has an edge in the run game.
- Detroit ranks second: Jahmyr Gibbs has averaged more than 5.0 yards per carry in each of his first three seasons, with Isiah Pacheco joining the backfield.
- Philadelphia rounds out the top three: Saquon Barkley leads a deep Eagles group that also features Tank Bigsby, Dameon Pierce, Elijah Mitchell and Will Shipley.
PFF's 2026 NFL position rankings continue with all 32 running back groups. The position remains one of the league's most polarizing, with some teams leaning on every-down workhorses, while others spread the workload across multiple contributors. We begin in Atlanta, where Bijan Robinson headlines the NFL's top-ranked backfield.
1: Atlanta Falcons
Bijan Robinson is the best running back in football, and by virtue of that alone, the Falcons have the best running back room in the league as long as he stays healthy. Robinson’s 86 missed tackles forced and 0.3 missed tackles forced per carry were each the best in the league. He was also one of just two running backs to average over 4.0 yards after first contact. Tyler Allgeier has moved on, so Atlanta proactively addressed the need for a relief pitcher and brought in Brian Robinson, who should see a similar workload to his 400-yard season with the 49ers last year. It's unlikely that any of the depth options behind the two Robinsons see meaningful play time.
2: Detroit Lions
Jahmyr Gibbs is one of the most electrifying players with the football in his hands. He has posted three consecutive seasons with over 5.0 yards per carry to start his career. Isiah Pacheco had a rough final season as a receiver in Kansas City, but his power running isn't up for debate. His 9.3% stuff rate was the lowest of any running back with 100 carries last year, a testament to how Pacheco simply gobbles up early yardage. He's a fitting replacement for David Montgomery and should help rekindle the “Sonic and Knuckles” pairing in Detroit.
3: Philadelphia Eagles
Only one back in Philadelphia's room started his career there: Will Shipley. The group is headed by Saquon Barkley, who is coming off his lowest-graded season since 2021 after being stuffed on almost a quarter of his carries. However, he was also the only running back to take 300 handoffs last year without a fumble. The additions of Dameon Pierce and Elijah Mitchell carry tangible prior NFL success if Barkley happens to miss time. Tank Bigsby, acquired via trade last September, is probably the main roster lock behind Barkley. His 0.31 missed tackles forced per attempt since 2024 ranks second among qualifying running backs.
4: Baltimore Ravens
The success of PFF’s top-ranked running back unit from a year ago once again faces the age-old question: Is this finally the year Derrick Henry begins to slow down? His 79.4 PFF rushing grade from 2025 was his lowest since 2021, but Henry has a track record of following up down years with more dominance. As time marches on, the need for a legitimate secondary option behind Henry grows stronger, and it'll be Justice Hill again this season. Keep an eye on fifth-round rookie Adam Randall out of Clemson, who has drawn hype so far this offseason.
5: San Francisco 49ers
Christian McCaffrey remains the best aerial threat at the running back position in the NFL, as proven by his 91.7 PFF receiving grade last year. His career receiving yards already rank sixth all time among backs. However, now at age 30, McCaffrey is coming off his lowest yards-per-carry season since his rookie year. This is a quietly stacked group behind him though, provided they can stay healthy, with rookie Kaelon Black battling Jordan James for the second-string job, and also dealing with preseason injuries. The aging wonder that is fullback Kyle Juszczyk also boosts San Francisco's standing here.
6: Miami Dolphins
De'Von Achane proved he's one of the best players in football last season with a 90.5 PFF rushing grade and 5.7 yards per carry, 4.1 of which came after contact — the highest rate in the league. Behind him, Ollie Gordon is a big power back who should serve as a nice change of pace from the explosive Achane. However, he was one of only two running backs to average fewer than 3.0 yards per carry on 50 or more handoffs last season. Jaylen Wright rounds out the room. Achane already possesses a blistering burst of acceleration, but playing alongside a legitimate dual-threat quarterback for the first time may only unlock more of his danger as defenders hesitate on read option plays.
7: Los Angeles Rams
It’s an unchanged backfield in Los Angeles led by Kyren Williams, with Blake Corum and Jarquez Hunter ready when called upon. At ages 26, 25 and 23 to begin the season, this is a well-rounded group with all three backs in or near their peak years. Williams and Corum each finished inside the top 10 in yards before contact last season.
8: Buffalo Bills
It'll be the James Cook show once again after accruing 348 carries for almost 1,800 yards last season. Cook’s 734 yards before contact were over 200 more than the next-closest running back. This backfield is as close to a one-man operation as it gets in the NFL, and even Cook's fumbling issues aren’t enough to keep him off the field for a prolonged period. Ty Johnson and Ray Davis sit in reserve.
9: Indianapolis Colts
Like Buffalo, this is also close to a one-man show with 2025 rushing touchdown leader Jonathan Taylor hoping he can rekindle the same MVP-caliber play from early last year. Only Derrick Henry has more rushing yards and touchdowns than Taylor over the last five years, and the pair have tallied identical yards before contact. DJ Giddens and incoming rookie Seth McGowan do little to elevate a backfield that has leaned on the same player for years now.
10: Arizona Cardinals
Just like in our receiving corps rankings, running back is another area where the otherwise lackluster Cardinals aren't devoid of talent. The luxury selection of Jeremiyah Love pushes them inside the top 10 of the league's rankings, as this was frankly a respectable group even before that pick. Tyler Allgeier, James Conner and even Trey Benson could all reasonably take snaps anywhere in the league. Arizona had the most pass-heavy offense in football last year, running the ball on just 30% of plays by virtue of trailing so often.
11: Kansas City Chiefs
Super Bowl 60 MVP Kenneth Walker III is an outstanding upgrade at running back after posting a league-best 91.5 PFF rushing grade last season. The Chiefs also have seventh-round pick from a year ago Brashard Smith, who carries plenty of potential as a receiving back, while Emari Demercado, who averaged 7.1 yards on 44 handoffs in Arizona last season, deserves to see more of the field.
12: Pittsburgh Steelers
Expect the Steelers to lean on this backfield again in 2026 with Aaron Rodgers returning under center. The room has gotten crowded behind Jaylen Warren, who recorded his first 1,000-yard season a year ago. The free-agent addition of Rico Dowdle and the late-draft selection of Eli Heidenreich add depth. Don't forget about Kaleb Johnson, an exciting draft prospect a year ago who barely showed a glimpse of that upside as a rookie. On top of all that, the Steelers brought in Travis Homer for good measure.
13: New England Patriots
It feels like New England will always have a handful of backs it can lean on, to the point where one missing a few weeks wouldn't be overly noticeable. Rhamondre Stevenson continues as the power back having amassed 13 explosive runs over seven games in the lead-up to the Super Bowl. Also, big things are expected from TreVeyon Henderson in year two.
14: Green Bay Packers
Josh Jacobs had a down year in his second season in Green Bay, but he still posted his sixth 1,000-yard season in seven years. Significant contributor Emanuel Wilson has left for Seattle, while 2024 third-round pick MarShawn Lloyd has taken just six career handoffs amid a litany of injuries. His NFL career hinges on staying healthy for a prolonged stretch for the first time since college. Chris Brooks is an underrated piece of this unit and one of the better pass-protecting backs in the league, ranking sixth in PFF pass-blocking grade last year.
15: Chicago Bears
The Bears don't have a standout star like some of the groups above, but D'Andre Swift was the third-highest-graded running back in the league over the latter half of last season. Second-year player Kyle Monangai converted over 60% of third- and fourth-down runs last year, and Roschon Johnson somewhat surprisingly returns after seeing just four snaps through the first half of last season before he was placed on injured reserve. Last year, Chicago’s 15.1% explosive run rate trailed only the Ravens.
16: Los Angeles Chargers
Poor offensive line play did rookie Omarion Hampton no favors last season. He still managed respectable numbers while also working through multiple injuries. With a clean bill of health and reinforcements in the run game via added tight end depth, Hampton is an obvious breakout candidate. If not, Jim Harbaugh must lean on Keaton Mitchell or Kimani Vidal to shoulder the load. Hampton and Vidal had the second- and third-worst stuff rates in the league last season among qualifying running backs.
17: Las Vegas Raiders
It's going to be all about Ashton Jeanty once more in the Vegas backfield, as it should be given the draft capital invested in him. His offensive line did him no favors last season, as he managed just 0.6 yards before contact per carry, the third-worst mark among all players with 100-plus carries. As a whole, the Raiders recorded the lowest PFF rushing grade in the NFL. Fourth-round rookie Mike Washington Jr. wasn't especially productive in college, but he's one of the most athletic backs the league has seen, running a 4.33-second 40-yard dash at 223 pounds.
18: Cincinnati Bengals
This is a fairly standard, if not uninspiring, group headed by Chase Brown. Brown enters a contract year having posted almost identical back-to-back seasons with 4.3 yards per attempt in both years, along with differences of just nine carries, one missed tackle forced, three first downs, 12 yards after contact and one touchdown between 2024 and 2025. Veteran Samaje Perine retains his backup role, and no clear third option has emerged behind the duo.
19: New York Jets
Fresh off a career-high 83.7 PFF rushing grade and a three-year extension, Breece Hall has a real case as a top-10 back in the league, with age on his side relative to names like Barkley and Taylor. Braelon Allen, a bruising change of pace, won't turn 23 until after the upcoming regular season, but he has forced just one missed tackle per every 10 carries since he was drafted.
20: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Rachaad White has moved on, replaced by Kenneth Gainwell, who moved the chains on 30% of his handoffs last season — the most of any running back with 100-plus carries. He should see respectable playing time to help keep Bucky Irving fresh. Irving's best football may still be ahead of him after a prolonged injury absence stunted his progress in 2025. The third-year back remains the highest-graded and most productive of any NFL running back aged 23 or below.
21: Dallas Cowboys
The lowest-ranked unit in this exercise last offseason has enjoyed a nice bounce-back, namely thanks to a career year from Javonte Williams. Entering his sixth NFL season, Williams won’t turn 27 until next April. He delivered the fourth-most chain-moving runs on first down last season. Behind him, former fifth-round pick Jaydon Blue will hope for an expanded role in Year 2.
22: Tennessee Titans
It's mostly as you were in the Titans backfield with Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears returning. Pollard has the eighth-most yards after contact of any running back over the last two years. As the league’s fourth-most pass-heavy offense last year, Tennessee is far more concerned with getting its aerial attack up and running, though both backs can contribute there as well. Behind them is rookie Nicholas Singleton out of Penn State, no stranger to a committee role after operating alongside Kaytron Allen throughout college.
23: New York Giants
Cam Skattebo‘s eagerly awaited return to action will see him reassume the lead role in an unchanged backfield, which was ranked second-worst in this exercise ahead of last season. When Skattebo featured between Weeks 2 and 7, his 82.2 PFF rushing grade ranked fourth in the league. Tyrone Tracy and Devin Singletary round out the platoon. We've seen plenty of each of these players in recent years — they have combined for 1,000 carries over the last four seasons.
24: Denver Broncos
J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey return, with fourth-round rookie Jonah Coleman snapping at their heels. Coleman has an extremely compact build at 5-foot-8, 220 pounds. Dobbins remains productive when healthy, but availability has long been his biggest concern. Depth option Tyler Badie posted the top PFF pass-blocking grade in the league among qualifying running backs last year.
25: Cleveland Browns
This might feel a little high, but the Browns have youth on their side in the backfield, with second-year players Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson both in the fold. Sampson struggled with just 2.7 yards per carry but showed promise in the passing game. Judkins leans more on power than speed compared to former teammate TreVeyon Henderson, and several aspects of his game project well to a key every-down role moving forward. Browns running backs totaled just 134 yards before contact last season, comfortably the lowest in the league.
26: Houston Texans
With a stacked defense and suspect ball security at quarterback, expect the Texans to lean on the run in 2026. David Montgomery is a like-for-like replacement for Nick Chubb, with a bit more youth. Montgomery is coming off a slight down year, but he finished strong with an 85.0 PFF rushing grade from Week 14 onward. Montgomery will likely continue to split reps as he did in Detroit. There isn't much competition behind Woody Marks as his running mate.
27: Carolina Panthers
Chuba Hubbard, Trevor Etienne and AJ Dillon are all recognizable names, but collectively, the group lacks standout explosiveness. Hubbard failed to build on his highly productive 2024 campaign. He received double-digit carries only three times after Week 4 of last season. Question marks remain over the health of Jonathon Brooks, who has taken just nine handoffs since he was drafted 46th overall two years ago.
28: Seattle Seahawks
The team with the highest PFF rushing grade in the league last season lost Kenneth Walker in free agency but has reloaded thoroughly. Zach Charbonnet is returning from a torn ACL, and the signing of Emanuel Wilson, who posted the second-lowest stuff rate in the NFL last year, is a strong one. Adding Jadarian Price in the draft turns this into one of the more exciting committee backfields in football. If the Seattle defense continues to dominate, expect plenty of opportunity for all three pieces.
29: Minnesota Vikings
At 31 years old, Aaron Jones is still a viable threat, closing in on 10,000 career rushing yards. However, his PFF rushing grade dipped below 70.0 for the first time in his career last season. Jordan Mason is one of the more established secondary options in the league. This group could have trouble staying healthy again. Improvements up front are the first step toward Minnesota fielding a competitive rushing attack.
30: New Orleans Saints
Travis Etienne is a strong upgrade for PFF’s second-lowest-graded rushing attack from last season. Veteran Alvin Kamara returns in what should be a passing game-focused role despite his career-low 39.5 PFF receiving grade last season. Kendre Miller and Devin Neal are the other options on the roster.
31: Washington Commanders
The offseason additions of Rachaad White and Kaytron Allen, along with second-year pro Jacory Croskey-Merritt‘s continued development, materially improve the health of this backfield. Croskey-Merritt ran for 805 yards as a rookie, and his receiving chops remain relatively unexposed. We aren't factoring the rushing threat of quarterbacks into this ranking, but the option Jayden Daniels presents is sure to add hesitation for defenders at the mesh point.
32: Jacksonville Jaguars
Bhayshul Tuten and Chris Rodriguez blend speed and power on paper, just not a particularly dangerous version of it. Rodriguez’s 3.5 average yards after contact was among the 10 highest marks in the league last year, but aside from that, there isn't much to get excited about with this pairing of former Day 3 draft picks.
© 2026 PFF - all rights reserved.