Who Are The Top 5 NFL Running Backs So Far This Season

Last week I ranked the current top 5 receivers this season, and now this week we are looking at running backs. An almost impossible thing to predict is how well running backs are going to do. This can result from poor offense lines, injuries, or just bad play in general. Running backs get beat up as, their job is to run into the defense play after play. I rank the top 5 running backs this season who are still healthy enough to perform at a high level.

Honorable Mentions: I know the receivers did not have one of these but I feel there are too many talented running backs not to mention.

• • Leonard Fournette: The rookie running back is dominating in Jacksonville this year. He has 629 rushing yards this season with 6 rushing touchdowns. His recent injury and “infraction of team rules” has caused him to miss 2 games, which results to him being on the honorable mentions list.
  • Jordan Howard: Had he not started the season off slow it is very possible he could have made this list. He is a workhorse with 18 or more carries every week since Week 2. He currently has 716 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns. If he can finish hot he could slip his way into the the top 5.
  • David Johnson: Unfortunately, Johnson left his first game of the season with an injury and seems like he might not return at all this season. He is the biggest “what if”, as he had the chance to dominate the league this year. Last year he showed his potential when he scored 16 touchdowns and was a major force to be reckoned with. I’m excited to see if Johnson can match the numbers he put up a year ago if not improve them.

Alright time to get into the list of the top 5 running backs this season in the NFL.

5. Melvin Gordon

It’s his third year back after he dominated last season despite being a complete disappointment his rookie year. The thing that makes Melvin a top 5 back this year is he has been able to do it all. He can run on all three downs and is a force in the pass game. He is a big back, but can handle getting many carries in a row and can be on the field in obvious passing downs. This year he has 8 touchdowns, half coming in the passing game, and he’s rushed for 553 yards. The biggest concern for Gordon is his health, as he has ended both his two previous seasons early due to injury. He has been banged up this year, but nothing serious enough to make him miss a game.

4. Le’Veon Bell

Coming into this season, Bell and Johnson were seen as the top 2 backs, and when Johnson went down, Bell was supposed to be the top guy. However, Bell did not perform like that top guy, starting the season very slow. He has since picked it up and played very, very well, but not enough to pass the next three guys on this list. Overall, Bell has had a very good season rushing for a league best 840 yards and 5 touchdowns. He has not found the endzone in the passing game, which hs is still very active in, which is the reason he lands 4th on this list. If I were ranking overall running backs based on their careers, not just looking at the 2017-18 season, it is possible that Bell would be number 1 on that list.

3. Kareem Hunt

After Spencer Ware went down in pre season, rookie Kareem Hunt was given the opportunity to run the Kansas City backfield, and that he did. In the first game of his career he rushed for 2 touchdowns and caught one too. He lost his first fumble in this game since he was in HIGH SCHOOL. The man runs for a lot of yards, scores touchdowns, is a great receiver, and he holds onto the football. He has 800 rushing yards and 6 touchdowns, 4 of those being on the ground. The thing holding Hunt back from a higher rank is the fact that he hasn’t found the end zone since Week 3. The fact that Hunt is only a rookie makes it very interesting on what he can do in the future, as he will only get more talented.

2. Todd Gurley

Gurley had a monster rookie season and followed it up with a sophomore slump. It is clear he is no longer in that slump and is having arguably the best year out of any running back this season. He has lead the Los Angeles Rams to a 6-2 record, which is currently good enough for first in the NFC West.  He has 754 rushing yards and 10 total touchdowns, 7 of which are rushing. Only Ezekiel Elliott has that many touchdowns rushing this year. Such an explosive running game with great size and speed, Gurley comes in at number 2 with his amazing 2017 campaign so far.

1. Ezekiel Elliott

Alright, this man has just about done the impossible. He has come into the NFL after being a rookie and dominated. He then silenced questions of a sophomore slump, again by dominating. He has avoided a 6 game suspension that has been nipping at his heals since the offseason. Additionally, even if this 6 game suspension is a distraction, one person who most definitely does not seemed distracted by it is the man himself, Ezekiel Elliott. Let’s be real Zeke should probably be suspended, no suspension has been avoided for this long. Every other week he is again suspended and then gets the ok to play. It appears now he will have to serve his suspension, which just about ends his season. Alright, I am done blabbering about this anymore let’s give the man some credit. He is tied for league lead with Todd Gurley having 7 rushing touchdowns and he has 2 more TD’s receiving.  He is 2nd in the league in rushing yards with 783 yards. He had one bad game at Denver, every other game he has had at least 80 yards rushing. The man is using his anger that the league continues to try to suspend him to rush for first downs. He is a big back that can play all three downs and is a work horse. Whatever happens with his suspension Zeke has already shown that he is having the best year of any running back, no questions asked.

Written by Casey Spilka