The year was 2000, a golden year to be a running back in the NFL. After 16 games of regular season football, 23 different running backs broke the 1,000-yard mark for the campaign. This expansive list included names like Edgerrin James, Marshall Faulk, Corey Dillon, Jerome Bettis, Eddie George, Jamal Lewis, Curtis Martin, and Fred Taylor. Fast-forward to 2022, and the position’s value came under scrutiny in the pass-heavy era of gridiron play. Names like Josh Jacobs and Saquon Barkley were fighting through contract negotiations. Both of them agreed to one-year deals and then found new homes the next season.
But now in 2024, a resurgence at the running back position seems to be on the horizon. We may not see 23 players hit 1,000 yards this season. But the field is more stacked than it has been in years. Here are a few good names leading this newfound resurgence.
NFL Running Back Surge…Is It 2000, Again?
The Four WORK-Horsemen
With five weeks still to go before the postseason, four running backs have tallied 1,000 yards on the ground already. Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry have broken into their cleats rather quickly while in their first seasons on new squads. Both eclipsed 1,400 yards while racking up over ten rushing touchdowns on over 5.5 yards per carry. The signings of these two superstars have not only brought their new squads new levels of success, but they have also shown the league the true value of a position that has been labeled as outdated.
This past Thursday night, two more players have reached the 1K mark: Green Bay’s Josh Jacobs, and Detroit’s Jahmyr Gibbs. Jacobs may have had the better day at the office, but Gibbs and the Lions won to go 12-1. Both have been instrumental to their teams’ success in 2024 and will continue to dominate if they can remain healthy.
The Rest of the Pack
Following the aforementioned stars are quite a few names looking to reach 1,000 yards before the final week. Such names include Alvin Kamara, Joe Mixon, Chuba Hubbard, and Kyren Williams. Like with any other season, some of these players have more and better opportunities to produce than others, due to their environments. While Mixon will once be seen in the playoffs, Hubbard and Kamara will likely see their 2024 outing end in early-to-mid January.
For the time being, it can be safe to say that between ten and fifteen running backs will reach 1K for this regular season. But hopefully, these players will have better opportunities to build upon their hot streaks in 2025.
The College Prospects
Like the 2024 NFL Draft was a gold mine for quarterbacks and wide receivers, the 2025 draft could be one for the running back position. Names like Ashton Jeanty, Omarion Hampton, Ollie Gordon II, Tahj Brooks, and R.J. Harvey are eligible to enter after this season. Jeanty, from Boise State, currently stands as a Heisman favorite, alongside Colorado’s Travis Hunter. Grabbing the coveted hardware could gain Jeanty much-needed attention from NFL scouts far and wide.
Other draft prospects will be looking to strike gold at the professional level. Also, the revival of the running back position should teach this new era a valuable lesson: if one wants to set up the passing game for success, get the running game going.
Main Image: Kirby Lee – Imagn Images
