The NFL’s best and worst running back stables, ranked from teams 1-32

This is the second piece in our four-part series about offensive position groups in the NFL. Part 1 is on quarterbacks. Part 3 is wide receivers. Part 4 is tight ends.

One great running back can carry an offense. A stable filled with them can transform one, though.

The NFL’s transition away from top-heavy backfields hasn’t come full circle yet, but the amount that can be devastated by a single injury continues to dwindle. Versatile running back rotations have become the norm rather than an exception, giving teams the opportunity to showcase a wide variety of ground options and a way to embarrass slow-footed linebackers through the air. A deep vein of multi-purpose backs can plaster over holes elsewhere in the offense and open up game-changing gaps for their offenses downfield.

So who does it best?

After ranking 2019’s backup quarterback situations, I decided to take on the running back (and, in a few cases, fullback) rotations that offer the most support to their clubs. The result was a lineup 1-32 of the NFL’s most potent backfields.

This array doesn’t only count star power at the top. The lineup is a look at depth and versatility at running back, so while stars like Todd Gurley, Saquon Barkley, and Christian McCaffrey may lead individual tailback listings, a relative lack of power behind them ultimately kept their groups from cracking the top five. The teams at the top of the rankings are the ones that can carve up a defense in a hundred different ways both on the ground and through the air — and the ones that won’t get derailed if their No. 1 back goes down.

Injuries and depth-sapping trades have already taken a toll on these rankings. The 49ers, once the deepest group in the league, dropped from the top spot into 10th, and even their place there depends on Matt Breida and Tevin Coleman being able to complement each other to drive an offense that badly needs playmakers. The Texans escaped from the bottom five only as long as Carlos Hyde can prove he’s not washed.

So, with an eye on depth, power, and flexibility in mind, let’s take a look at the strongest — and weakest — backfields in the league.