PFF Running Back Rankings: Assessing all 32 starters ahead of the 2026 NFL season

• Legendary veterans are still going strong:Derrick Henry and Christian McCaffrey both crack the top four thanks to their longevity, whether as a rusher or receiver.

• Jeremiyah Love makes the top 25: This year's third overall pick will be in the spotlight early in Arizona.

After ranking all 32 projected starting quarterbacks entering the 2026 NFL season, analysts Dalton Wasserman and Max Chadwick assess every team's top running back going into this upcoming year. The pair weighs career production, work as a runner and receiver and both standard as well as advanced statistics.

It’s rare for running backs to prove they’re worthy of a top-10 selection in the draft, but that’s exactly what Robinson has done since being taken eighth overall in 2023. 

His 204 forced missed tackles since entering the league are 25 more than any other back, while his 2,716 yards after contact in that span trail only Derrick Henry. Not to mention, his 1,738 career receiving yards also top the NFL as well. No running back has been more valuable than Robinson over the past two seasons, per PFF’s Wins Above Replacement metric.

Gibbs is one of the most electric players in the league both as a runner and receiver. His 1,449 receiving yards since getting drafted in 2023 are third among all running backs, while his 39 rushing touchdowns in that span are second. 

Gibbs is one of the fastest players in the NFL, running a 4.36-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. And he uses that speed to his advantage, tallying 95 explosive runs since 2023 (4th).

Henry has built a first-ballot Hall of Fame resume in his career and shows no signs of slowing down at almost 32 years old. His 122 career rushing touchdowns are already fourth in NFL history while placing 10th all-time with 13,018 career rushing yards.

Henry’s 1,595 rushing yards in 2025 were second to only James Cook, while his 1,103 yards after contact ranked third. Henry has accrued 2,240 yards after contact since signing with the Ravens in 2024. That not only leads the NFL in that span, but would also be 10th among all running backs in total rushing yards.

McCaffrey is the gold standard when it comes to receiving ability at the running back position. He led all backs with 924 receiving yards in 2025, the fourth time he’s paced the league in that statistic across his nine-year career. McCaffrey’s 5,390 career receiving yards are already sixth all time at the position.

He’s no slouch when it comes to running the ball, either. In 2025, McCaffrey was seventh in the NFL with 859 yards after contact while running for over 1,000 yards for the fifth time in his career. 

Achane is one of the fastest players in the NFL, which makes him a threat to score whenever he touches the ball. His 24 carries that went for at least 15 yards led all backs in the league, and his 46.1% breakaway rate was the highest as well. 

In 2025, Achane’s 977 yards after contact were fourth in the NFL, as were his 488 receiving yards.

Cook was the NFL’s rushing leader in 2025, pacing the league with 1,621 yards. It was his third straight season topping 1,000 yards, which is one fewer than what his older brother, Dalvin, had in his career.

Cook’s 39 explosive runs placed second in the league last season, while his 62 forced missed tackles tied for third. 

Taylor looked like a potential MVP candidate through the first 10 weeks of the season before tapering off down the stretch. However, he still led the league with 18 rushing touchdowns, and his 1,585 rushing yards slotted third. 

Taylor’s 3,016 rushing yards since 2024 are third in the NFL, as are his 1,949 yards after contact. His 83.5 PFF rushing grade in 2025 was also his highest in four years. 

Barkley’s 2024 season was one for the ages, becoming only the ninth running back in NFL history to cross 2,000 yards in a season. His 2025 campaign wasn’t nearly as fruitful, but Barkley still finished 10th in the NFL with 1,140 rushing yards. His 28 explosive runs were eighth as well. 

The 2025 season was the best of Walker’s career and culminated with a Super Bowl MVP trophy. Walker left the Seahawks in the offseason and signed a three-year, $43 million contract with the Chiefs.

His 91.5 PFF rushing grade was the highest of any running back in the league, while his 61 forced missed tackles were fifth. Walker’s 94.1 career PFF rushing grade trails only Derrick Henry since 2022.

Williams was taken in the fifth round back in 2022 and has significantly outperformed that draft position over the last few seasons. 

His 220 carries that have gone for a first down or touchdown since 2023 are second to only Derrick Henry. Williams is also fifth among all running backs in that span with 143 forced missed tackles and 2,434 yards after contact.

Jacobs led the league in rushing back in 2022 with the Raiders but had a bit of a down season in 2023. However, he has found new life since joining the Packers in 2024. 

Jacobs ranks fifth among all backs over the last two years in forced missed tackles (113) and yards after contact (1,756). His 91.8 PFF rushing grade in that duration is fourth in the NFL as well. 

After perhaps the best season of his career in 2025, the Jets made Hall one of the NFL’s five highest-paid tailbacks this offseason with a fresh three-year, $43.5 million deal. 

He’s been one of the NFL’s best receiving backs over the last few seasons, placing fourth in the league with 1,424 receiving yards since 2023. Hall also crossed 1,000 yards on the ground for the first time in his career this past season, while his 17 runs of 15-plus yards were fourth in the NFL.

The 2025 campaign was the best of Swift’s career so far, as his 86.6 PFF rushing grade and 1,087 rushing yards were each the highest across his six seasons. His 30 explosive runs slotted seventh in the NFL, and his 299 receiving yards were 13th as well.

Warren finally emerged as Pittsburgh’s lead back in 2025 and certainly earned his keep as a runner and as a receiver. His 958 regular-season rushing yards and 76.6 PFF rushing grade led the team’s qualified rushers, while his 84.4 PFF receiving grade was the sixth-best among all qualified running backs. Warren’s 77 combined missed tackles forced as a rusher and receiver during the regular season were the fourth-highest total in the NFL.

Etienne totaled over 1,000 rushing yards for the third time in his four-year career with the Jaguars this past season. That led to him receiving a four-year deal with the Saints worth $48 million. 

Etienne’s 791 yards after contact culminated in 10th in the NFL in 2025. He should form one of the NFL’s most dynamic duos at the position alongside Alvin Kamara. 

Williams’ career was rejuvenated in Dallas last season. His bruising running style allowed him to finish the regular season with 1,201 rushing yards and 54 missed tackles forced, both top-10 marks in the NFL. He also placed among the top six qualified running backs with 3.56 yards after contact per carry and 67 first downs gained during the regular season.

Primarily due to injury, Irving suffered a letdown in 2025 after a spectacular rookie season that saw him rush for over 1,100 yards. His 3.4 yards-per-carry mark was the lowest among running backs with at least 100 carries. Yet Irving still managed to make an impact as a receiver, tallying 1.49 yards per route run, eighth-best among qualified running backs. The third-year pro will be looking for a major bounce-back in 2026.

The Bengals are known for their lethal aerial attack, but Brown has become a stable force in their backfield. He recorded his first 1,000-yard campaign in 2025 while placing fifth among all running backs with 69 regular-season receptions. If Brown can continue to offer that same level of production, the Bengals can boast an authentic two-dimensional offensive unit.

Saddled with injury issues and horrendous offensive line play, Hampton still managed to prove why he was a first-round pick when on the field. He averaged 3.34 yards after contact per carry, which ranked 11th among qualified running backs. The North Carolina product managed to force 32 missed tackles across just 125 carries. If the Chargers improve up front after posting the worst run-blocking grade in PFF history last season, Hampton could be a breakout star.

Similar to his first-round counterpart Omarion Hampton, Jeanty battled through atrocious offensive line play in his rookie season. His 0.6 yards before contact per carry was the third-lowest mark among all players with at least 100 carries. On the bright side, Jeanty’s 84 combined missed tackles forced were the third-most in the NFL during the regular season. Like Hampton, he could have a much better sophomore campaign with improved line performance.

Pollard has been a bell-cow back in each of the last few seasons and has now crossed 1,000 rushing yards in four consecutive years. While his 1,082 rushing yards in 2025 represented a career high, it was also accompanied by a career-low 70.5 PFF rushing grade. That’s mainly due to Pollard forcing a missed tackle on just 16% of his carries, which was 36th in the NFL. Still, he’s a player who can handle a heavy workload for an offense, which is useful for the Titans as they continue to let quarterback Cam Ward get his feet wet. 

Stevenson continues as the power component of New England’s backfield alongside young speedster TreVeyon Henderson. While he rushed for a career-low 603 yards in the regular season, Stevenson still carried a solid 4.6 yards-per-carry average. Postseason included, his 3.47 yards after contact per carry was the seventh-best mark among qualified running backs. 

There’s an immense amount of pressure on Love to be an instant star with the Cardinals after Arizona took him with the third pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. The $53 million guaranteed on his contract is $17 million more than any other running back right now. 

It’s fair to assume that Love will live up to the hype, though. His 95.3 PFF grade across his last two seasons at Notre Dame was the highest of any running back in the nation. His 35 touchdown runs in that span led the FBS, while his 63 explosive runs were third. 

Skattebo provided a spark to the Giants’ offense before suffering a season-ending injury in the team’s second matchup versus Philadelphia in Week 8. His dual-threat ability allowed him to earn an 80.5 PFF grade that ranked 12th among qualified running backs. Alongside Jahmyr Gibbs, Josh Jacobs and Bijan Robinson, Skattebo finished the year as one of just four qualified backs to record an 80.0-plus grade as a runner and as a receiver. Assuming good health, Skattebo could be the engine of New York’s offense this season.

Judkins powered through poor offensive line play to record 998 yards from scrimmage before his rookie season was curtailed due to injury. He also led the Browns with seven rushing touchdowns while ranking 18th among all running backs with 41 missed tackles forced on the ground during the regular season. With good health and better offensive line play, Judkins should carry a heavy load for Cleveland in 2026.

Montgomery enters his age-29 season coming off of three productive years in Detroit. Though he set new career-lows in carries, rushing yards and missed tackles forced in 2025, Montgomery ranks sixth in the NFL with 33 rushing touchdowns over the past three regular seasons. He’ll continue to play a complementary role in Houston alongside youngster Woody Marks.

Injuries, along with Rico Dowdle’s emergence, conspired to force Hubbard into arguably his least productive NFL season in 2025. Including the postseason, he averaged just 3.8 yards per carry, while his 15 missed tackles forced were the third-fewest among all running backs with at least 100 attempts. Dowdle has since departed to Pittsburgh, so Hubbard should have a prime opportunity to retake hold of his starting position.

The story of Dobbins’ career has been both unfortunate and consistent: Productive play stunted by injuries. That was the case again in 2025, when he averaged 5.0 yards per carry and ranked 18th among qualified running backs with an 80.8 PFF rushing grade. However, he suffered a season-ending foot injury in Week 10, which severely hampered the Broncos’ run game from that point forward. Despite that, Denver handed Dobbins a fresh two-year contract, displaying its belief in his efficiency when healthy.

Jones is in the twilight of his career, but he still racked up 747 yards from scrimmage across just 12 games last season. When healthy, he can still be a productive committee piece, which he currently is alongside Jordan Mason. A healthier offensive line could also contribute to increased production on the ground, while potentially superior quarterback play could offer more chances for Jones in the passing game.

Croskey-Merritt was one of the league’s best underdog stories last season as a seventh-round pick who played just one college game in 2024. He ended up leading the Commanders with 805 rushing yards and recorded a solid 75.4 PFF rushing grade. Washington did right in the offseason by adding receiving complement Rachaad White, but Croskey-Merritt should garner the majority of the carries — particularly with Chris Rodriguez Jr. departing for Jacksonville.

Rodriguez may finally get a chance to start after three seasons as a reasonably productive rotational piece in Washington. He’s not blessed with explosive speed, but he’s forced 49 missed tackles across 198 carries in his career. His strength, alongside Bhayshul Tuten’s speed, should create a productive rotation in Jacksonville’s backfield in 2026.

Seattle’s running back situation remains up in the air to start the season as incumbent Zach Charbonnet recovers from his knee injury. If Charbonnet is unable to go early on, first-round rookie Jadarian Price will take on the lead role, which he hadn’t even done at Notre Dame. Though Price never amassed more than 121 carries in a season in college, he did average 6.0 yards per carry while scoring 21 touchdowns on the ground over the past three seasons. He also offers value as a kick returner, but needs to improve in the passing game to become a true three-down back.

Honorable Mentions

Arizona may have the deepest backfield in the NFL with veterans James Conner and Tyler Allgeier alongside third overall pick Love. Conner suffered a season-ending injury early in 2025 but slotted among the NFL’s top five backs in PFF rushing grade and missed tackles forced in the two seasons prior. Meanwhile, Allgeier scored a career-high eight touchdowns last season, has not fumbled in his career and is a major asset in pass protection. There’s an easy argument to make that the Cardinals have three of the top 32 running backs in the NFL.

Robinson didn’t get a ton of action backing up Christian McCaffrey in San Francisco, but he does have three separate 700-yard seasons under his belt and forced 22 missed tackles across just 95 carries last season. He should be able to capably give Bijan Robinson a break when needed. 

Monangai combined with D’Andre Swift to give the Bears an elite run game last season. The seventh-round rookie averaged 4.5 yards per carry while producing a strong 75.2 PFF rushing grade. Monanagai doesn’t boast Swift’s explosive speed, but his ability to keep Chicago on schedule between the tackles is extremely valuable. He could be argued as a top-32 back in the NFL.

Marks is yet another rookie rusher who shined in 2025. Though he averaged just 3.6 yards per carry behind a suspect offensive line, Marks added much-needed toughness to Houston’s backfield. He provided his signature performance in the team’s playoff victory over Pittsburgh, as he rushed for a season-high 112 yards and a touchdown. He should form a competent backfield pairing alongside Montgomery.

Kyren Williams is the star of the Rams’ backfield, but Corum should not be forgotten as a productive option. In 2025, he was one of just seven running backs to average at least 5.0 yards per carry. Corum also ranked seventh among that same group with an 85.8 PFF rushing grade and has yet to fumble any of his 229 career carries. 

Mason actually finished 2025 as Minnesota’s leading rusher as Aaron Jones dealt with injuries, and his continued production could warrant top-32 consideration by the end of 2026. His 4.8 yards per carry and 83.8 PFF rushing grade were both top-10 marks among qualified running backs last season. If the 31-year-old Jones appears to be on his last legs early in the season, Mason would be the biggest beneficiary.

Henderson provides blazing speed in New England’s backfield that serves as the perfect weapon to Rhamondre Stevenson’s power. He actually led New England in rushing yards during the regular season, but struggled to just 2.5 yards per carry in the playoffs. Henderson’s four runs of 40-plus yards ranked second in the NFL behind Jahmyr Gibbs. Henderson’s home run ability is extremely valuable to New England’s offense, and his continued development could be the difference in the Patriots properly finishing a Super Bowl run this season.

Tracy was a forgotten man in New York’s backfield for a while last season, but he led the Giants with 740 rushing yards. The former collegiate wide receiver also racked up 288 yards through the air, giving him over 1,000 yards from scrimmage for the season. Whether or not Skattebo is fully recovered from his season-ending injury, Tracy should be a major factor in the Giants’ backfield once again.

Dowdle racked up over 1,000 rushing yards in Carolina last season, primarily due to a hot stretch in which he received starting reps. From Weeks 5 through 9 last season, he led the NFL with 652 rushing yards across just 103 carries. That spurred the Panthers to four wins in those five contests. Dowdle is arguably a top-25 running back in the NFL and will combine with Jaylen Warren to form one of the league’s most underrated backfield duos.

Charbonnet is projected as the incumbent starter in Seattle, but there are concerns that he may not be ready for the start of the season as he recovers from a knee injury suffered in the divisional round. He doesn’t rip off a ton of explosive runs, but Charbonnet is a productive chain mover who ranked third in the NFL with a 90.0 PFF rushing grade last season. His 12 rushing touchdowns also slotted fifth in the league. The distribution of touches between Charbonnet and first-round pick Price will be one of the biggest stories in Seattle in 2026.