As NFL training camps begin to open, let's start looking at the best position players across NFL Divisions. Today we've got the running backs in the AFC South.
MORE RANKINGS:
AFC SOUTH QBS | AFC WEST QBS | AFC WEST RBS
There are a few top-tier running backs in the division, headlined by several 1,000-yard rushers from a year ago. We'll also throw in a few backups and the rookies to keep an eye on.
Here we go!
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Rookies to Watch:
Leonard Fournette, Jacksonville
Marlon Mack, Indianapolis Colts
D'Onta Foreman, Houston
On principle, I won't put a rookie running back ahead of an established player. Let's see them on the field first. Now, would I rather have Leonard Fournette than several of these players below? Definitely. But he hasn't done anything in the NFL yet, so we'll wait to see how he turns out.
D'Onta Foreman and Marlon Mack could easily find themselves as No. 2 backs on their teams this fall, while Fournette will have a chance at starting for the Jaguars and will likely be an early Rookie of the Year favorite. Come next year, he could be among the leaders on this list.
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7. Chris Ivory, Jacksonville
Ivory has had an up-and-down career. He worked his way to a 1,000 yard season two years ago with the New York Jes, but largely disappointed last year, playing just 11 games and averaging 3.8 yards per carry on the way to 439 yards and three touchdowns, fumbling 5 times and losing 3.
He's likely to lose even more carries to Leonard Fournette this fall.
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6. Derrick Henry, Tennessee
Henry played a solid backup role to DeMarco Murray in his rookie season, taking 110 carries for 490 yards (4.5 yards per carry) and five touchdowns without losing a fumble. He should continue to own that role this fall.
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5. Alfred Blue, Houston
Another backup running back who put together a solid season as the No. 2 for Houston last year, Blue rushed 100 times for 420 yards (4.2 yards per carry) and one score. Blue has starting experience, but is firmly the No. 2 back for the season ahead.
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4. T.J. Yeldon, Jacksonville
Yeldon holds a slight edge above the three running backs we've listed already, but is by no means a runaway for the fourth-best back in the AFC South. Last year he rushed for 465 yards on 130 carries (3.6 per carry) and one touchdown, a step down from the 740 yards he amassed in 12 games in 2015.
Yeldon and Ivory will both likely be playing behind Fournette this season, but Yeldon is likely to keep the No. 2 job as he's a much better receiver than Ivory (50 receptions for 312 yards and a touchdown last year compared to 20 catches for 186 yards and no scores for Ivory). That versatility puts him above Blue, Henry and Ivory on our list.
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3. Frank Gore, Indianapolis
Gore, far and away the oldest running back in the AFC South, is heading into his 13th season — his third with the Colts — after hitting the 1,000-yard mark for the ninth time in his career last season, rushing for 1,025 yards on 263 carries (3.9 yards per carry) and scoring four touchdowns. He also caught38 passes for 277 yards and four touchdowns.
Gore has played all 16 games for the past six seasons, but at 34 years old is practically ancient as far as NFL running backs go. He deserves to be No. 3 on this list, but is in danger of heading toward a quick decline as he continues to age. Expect rookie Marlon Mack to eat away at some of his carries this fall.
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2. Lamar Miller, Houston
Miller put together a strong 2016 campaign in his first season in Houston, rushing for over 1,000 yards as the Texans offense struggled under then-quarterback Brock Osweiler. Miller carried the ball 268 times for 1,073 yards (4.0 yards per carry), registering his second career 1,000-yard season. He added five touchdowns on the ground, and caught 31 passes for 188 yards and another score.
The Texans will feature a new quarterback this season — either Tom Savage or rookie Deshaun Watson — and Miller will be a valuable tool as the offense looks to regain its stride in 2017.
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1. DeMarco Murray, Tennessee
The best running back in the AFC South proved that his success in Dallas wasn't just because of an incredible offensive line. Yes, his 1,287 yards were a little short of the 1,800-plus he rushed for in his last seaosn in Dallas in 2014, but it was a big step up from his 2015 campaign in Philadelphia where he totaled just 702 yards.
Murray finished the year averaging 4.4 yards per carry last season, scoring nine touchdowns on the ground and catching 53 passes for 377 yards and three more scores.
The Titans offensive line is no slouch, and the offense added another weapon in first-round draft pick Corey Davis, so Murray should be in for another big season in 2017.
