Najee Harris' season was cut short shortly after it began. He appeared in three games before suffering a season-ending Torn Achilles. Going back to 2024, when he was healthy, Harris was an established, solid starting running back. He played with the right amount of patience to set up blocks and the vision to find open lanes. Harris is more fleet-footed than what meets the eye. As a big back, he displayed enough lateral agility to exchange gaps and force alley defenders to miss. With a head of steam, he was a battering ram downhill for closing defenders. Time will tell if he'll be 100% healthy to start training camp and the 2026 season.

Rhamondre Stevenson has been a much-maligned NFL running back and rightfully so, due to his issues with fumblitis over the years. He missed multiple games this year after suffering a toe injury in Week 8. When he protects the football, he is one of the most underrated runners in the league. Stevenson runs with great patience and vision, allowing blocks to form and find an alleyway to daylight. He is densely built with great run strength and contact balance. Stevenson is a big boy with nimble feet. If offensive linemen are dancing bears, he'll settle for a dancing cub.

Tony Pollard was one of the few bright spots offensively for the Tennessee Titans last season. Rushing for a little over 1,000 yards and adding 300 more through the air, Pollard made his share of plays. He ran hard and was most successful on zone concepts. At 29 years old, he is a solid starting running back who can be the lead guy in a committee.

D'Andre Swift is coming off a nice season as the Chicago Bears' starter. 2025 was a career year for Swift, rushing for 1,087 yards and nine touchdowns. He ran decisively with his one-cut play style. Swift ran the hardest in recent years, embracing contact in the alley and driving his legs to fight for extra yards. He made an impact out of the backfield in the passing game. Swift proved to be capable of handling a starter's workload.

Jeanty's rookie campaign epitomized the phrase "Hard Knocks." Behind a subpar offensive line, he had to display toughness and grit to earn hard-fought yards. Jeanty's game is built around elite contact balance, physicality, vision, and patience. When the offensive line opened running lanes, his powerful/slashing running style was on display. Jeanty is a finisher who welcomes contact and will dish out everything he receives. He showcased his receiving skill set out of the backfield, increasing his value going forward. Jeanty's pass protection graded out negatively. Meanwhile, his vision on runs between the tackles was inconsistent. He ran into the back of his blockers; he processes information more quickly with zone-running concepts.

The Rams' leading rusher eclipsed 1,100 yards for the third consecutive season. Williams is a steady ball carrier with good vision and patience to set up blocks and hit the open lanes. He's an above-average receiving option out of the backfield as well. Williams is one of the best pound-for-pound pass protectors at the running back position. Williams lacks high-end athleticism and has struggled with fumbles over his career.

Kenneth Gainwell is a vastly underrated running back due to a lack of touches throughout his career. Last season was his first with over 100 rush attempts, and he averaged 4.7 yards per carry. Gainwell has always been a versatile pass catcher out of the backfield, but he displayed his rushing ability in Pittsburgh last season. He ran with good patience and vision, allowing his offensive line to engage and seal blocks. He accounted for over 1,000 yards and eight touchdowns from scrimmage. Heading into 2026, he joins Bucky Irving in the Buccaneers backfield; do not be shocked if it results in a near 50/50 split in playing time.

David Montgomery is an established quality starting running back who has rushed over 1,000 yards twice in his career. Last season, Jahmyr Gibbs took over the starting role, but Montgomery accounted for 716 yards and eight rushing touchdowns. He runs with great patience, pressing the line of scrimmage before making quick decisions about which lane to hit. Montgomery runs behind his pads and finishes runs with power. He's a functional receiving option out of the backfield. He is a starting running back who happened to be a backup behind a top-tier back last season.

Jaylen Warren is a productive and versatile running back. His compact build, combined with foot quickness, helps force missed tackles in space as both a runner and a receiver. Warren nearly rushed for 1,000 yards last season, something he's never accomplished. He isn't a game-changing player, but he's a very effective and capable one. He looks for work and makes due as a pass protector, chipping and releasing into his route and staying in the pocket to pick up blitzers. Warren is a solid starting running back with three-down value.

Chase Brown is among the most underrated offensive players in the league. Being overshadowed by Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins isn't difficult. Brown is a dynamic runner with elusiveness and quick stop/start ability to evade defenders in the alley. He is a playmaker in space as a receiver on screens, delayed check/releases, and flexed into the slot as a route-runner. Brown's acceleration and top-end speed create big plays for the offense. He runs hard, but his lack of weight creates inconsistencies in pass protection. Regardless, Brown deserves more recognition for his overall playmaking abilities.