Week five was a great week for some of the league’s best running backs as we saw them take charge and have incredible performances on the field, whether their respective NFL teams won or lost.
However, some running backs took a bit of a step back and struggled in the backfield but had a decent day catching passes. Regardless, the running backs will always have something to excite us with for the 2024 NFL season.
Here are the grades for all 32 NFL teams’ running backs after week five.
Who are the top running backs in the NFL after week 5 of games?
Arizona Cardinals: James Conner: B-
James Conner had a nice afternoon on the ground, even though he didn’t score a touchdown in the Cardinals’ 24-23 comeback win over the San Francisco 49ers. Conner rushed for 86 yards on 19 carries and caught two receptions for 14 yards. A good afternoon for Conner, but it would’ve been very nice to see him score a touchdown in the victory.
Atlanta Falcons: Bijan Robinson: C
Robinson had a decent Thursday night on the ground as the Falcons defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 36-30 in overtime. Robinson rushed for 61 yards on 12 carries and caught three receptions for 16 yards. Although Robinson played well, it would’ve been very nice to see Robinson put some points on the board, as he hadn’t scored a touchdown since week three when the Falcons lost to the Kansas City Chiefs. Hopefully, Robinson will score more touchdowns as the season continues.
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Baltimore Ravens: Derrick Henry: A-
Derrick Henry had another very impressive game as he and the Baltimore Ravens defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 41-38 in overtime. Henry rushed for 92 yards on 15 carries, scored a touchdown, and caught one reception for four yards, but was tackled in the end zone and gave the Bengals a safety. Henry also rushed for 51 yards to set up Justin Tucker’s game-winning kick to close the game out in overtime as the Ravens are back to being over 0.500 in the win column, for now.
Buffalo Bills: James Cook: B+
Cook had a very nice game even though the Bills failed on a comeback attempt in their 20-23 loss to the Houston Texans. Cook rushed for 82 yards on 20 receptions, scored a touchdown, and caught two receptions for 17 yards. Cooks had a very good afternoon for the Bills, as he established himself as one of the most important guys on the team’s offense this season.
Carolina Panthers: Chuba Hubbard: B+
Despite the Panthers getting dropped 10-36 by the Chicago Bears, Chubba Hubbard had a very productive afternoon for the team as he gave the team their lifeline all game. Hubbard rushed for 97 yards on 13 carries and scored the team’s only touchdown. Hubbard continues to be the main rusher for the Panthers, as he is a positive sign of hope for a Panthers team down in the dumps. Hopefully, the rest of the Panthers find a way to win more games down the stretch of the regular season.
Chicago Bears: D’Andre Swift: B+
Swift and the Bears continued their winning ways as they defeated the Carolina Panthers 36-10 at home. Swift had another great game as he rushed for 73 yards on 21 carries, scored a rushing touchdown, and caught two receptions for 47 yards. Swift is slowly emerging as the Bears’ main rusher despite the Bears having one of the worst offensive lines in the league. Hopefully, Swift continues to have a great presence in the Bears’ backfield.
Cincinnati Bengals: Chase Brown: C
Chase Brown had a decent day on the ground in the Bengals’ thrilling 38-41 overtime loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Brown rushed for 46 yards on 12 carries, caught three receptions for eight yards, and scored a receiving touchdown. A decent day for Brown as he’s going to have to start stepping it up, as Zack Moss left the game with an ankle injury.
Also Read: How Are The NFL’s Highest-Paid Running Backs Performing In 2024?
Cleveland Browns: Jerome Ford: C-
Ford had a decent day on the ground despite the Browns getting dropped in their 13-34 loss to the Washington Commanders. Ford rushed for 47 yards on nine carries and caught three receptions for two yards. A tough day for Ford and company as Nick Chubb didn’t play as he’s slowly getting back to practice.
Dallas Cowboys: Rico Dowdle: B+
Dowdle had a nice night on the ground as he and the Cowboys defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 20-17. Dowdle rushed for 87 yards on 20 carries, caught two receptions for 27 yards, and scored a touchdown in the victory. It was a very nice night for Dowdle as things clicked perfectly for the Cowboys in the second half of the game.
Denver Broncos: Javonte Williams: B-
Javonte Williams had a very nice game for the Broncos as they defeated the Las Vegas Raiders 34-18. Williams rushed for 61 yards on 13 carries and led the Broncos in receiving yards with 50 yards from five receptions. Williams is showing he’s not just a good NFL running back as he’s also a great pass catcher for the Broncos.
Detroit Lions: Jahmyr Gibbs: Bye Week
Gibbs and David Montgomery continue to be one the NFL’s best running back duos in a long time. Gibbs and Montgomery are going to continue making opposing defenses earn it when they return to action in week six.
Green Bay Packers: Josh Jacobs: A-
Josh Jacobs had a very productive afternoon as the Packers defeated the Los Angeles Rams 24-19. Jacobs rushed for 73 yards on 19 carries, scored his first touchdown of the 2024 season, and caught a reception for 21 yards. Watching Jacobs score his first touchdown as a Packer felt very good as they took advantage of the Rams’ struggles throughout the game.
Houston Texans: Cam Akers: C+
Akers had a decent day on the ground in the Texans’ 23-20 victory over the Buffalo Bills. Akers rushed for 42 yards on nine carries, scored a touchdown, and caught two receptions for five yards. Akers may not be Joe Mixon, but he still can do a good job in the Texans’ backfield and managed to get some points on the board in the first quarter.
Indianapolis Colts: Trey Sermon: C-
Trey Sermon and the Colts’ rushing attack struggled in the team’s 34-37 stunning loss on the road against the Jacksonville Jaguars as Jonathan Taylor was dealing with a high ankle sprain. Sermon rushed for 38 yards on 10 carries, scored a touchdown, and caught six receptions for 25 yards. Sermon may not be able to replicate Taylor’s production, but if Taylor is out for the team’s week six matchup against the Tennessee Titans, Sermon needs to step up.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Tank Bigsby: A-
Bigsby had a very nice afternoon in the Jaguars’ backfield as the team stunned the Indianapolis Colts 37-34. Bigsby rushed for 101 yards on 13 carries, scored two touchdowns, and caught a reception for 28 yards. Bigsby is having a very nice sophomore season for the Jaguars. Hopefully, Bigsby and the Jaguars can build upon their first win of the season and turn their season around.
Kansas City Chiefs: Kareem Hunt: B+
Kareem Hunt had a very nice night for the Chiefs as they defeated the New Orleans Saints 26-13. Hunt rushed for 102 yards on 27 carries, scored a touchdown, and caught a reception for 15 yards. With Isiah Pacheco still recovering from his fractured fibula, Hunt has done a very nice job filling in for his teammate on the ground so far.
Las Vegas Raiders: Ameer Abdullah: C+
Ameer Abdullah had a decent day on the ground, even as the Raiders may have struggled in their 18-34 loss to the Denver Broncos. Abdullah rushed for 42 yards on five carries, scored his first touchdown of the season, and caught three receptions for nine yards. Abdullah must build upon his performance if he wants to help the Raiders climb back to the winner’s circle.
Los Angeles Chargers: J.K. Dobbins: Bye Week
Dobbins has had a rough couple of games for the Chargers, even though their last two opponents had very strong defenses. Hopefully, Dobbins gets his groove back in week six.
Los Angeles Rams: Kyren Williams: A-
Despite the Rams’ recent struggles and losing close games, Kyren Williams continued to show promise in the Rams’ offense. Williams rushed for 102 yards on 22 carries, scored a touchdown, and caught a reception for three yards. Even with the injuries on the Rams’ offense, Williams continues to bring life to the unit, but the Rams’ offense needs to diversify the offensive attack to other guys in the unit even as Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua recover from their injuries.
Miami Dolphins: Jaylen Wright: C+
Wright had a good game on the ground as the Dolphins won a very sloppy 15-10 victory on the road against the New England Patriots. Wright rushed for 86 yards on 13 carries, while De’Von Achane left the game with a concussion. A tough day for the Wright and the Dolphins on the road as they barely won a painful divisional matchup against the Patriots.
Minnesota Vikings: Aaron Jones: D-
Jones had a rough game abroad, even though he and the Vikings defeated the New York Jets 23-17. Jones rushed for 29 yards on seven carries and caught one reception for 24 yards. However, Jones left the game with a hip injury, which was a massive blow for the Vikings’ rushing attack. Luckily for Jones and the Vikings, the team returns home for a bye week for week six and will rest and recover for their divisional showdown against the Detroit Lions in week seven.
New England Patriots: Rhamondre Stevenson: B-
Despite being benched by Jerod Mayo, Rhamondre Stevenson played decently well in the Patriots’ 10-15 loss at home to the Miami Dolphins. Stevenson rushed for 89 yards on 12 carries and scored the team’s only touchdown on a 33-yard run in the first quarter. A good afternoon for Stevenson as he and the Pats have a lot of work to do if they want to earn that elusive second win of the 2024 season.
New Orleans Saints: Alvin Kamara: F
Kamara had a very quiet night on the ground as the Kansas City Chiefs’ defense silenced the Saints’ rushing attack in the team’s 13-26 game. Kamara rushed for 26 yards on 11 carries and caught six receptions for 40 yards. Brutal night for Kamara as he and the Saints need to rebound from this painful loss quickly.
New York Giants: Tyrone Tracy Jr.: B
No Devin Singletary, no problem. NFL rookie running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. had a very nice afternoon in the Giants’ 29-20 win over the Seattle Seahawks while Singletary recovered from a groin injury. Tracy Jr. rushed for 129 yards on 18 carries and caught a reception for a yard. The Giants may have found themselves another hidden gem, as Tracy Jr. showed great promise in the win. Even head coach Brian Daboll had great praise for Tracy Jr.’s production. Hopefully, we get to see more of Tracy Jr.’s production moving forward.
New York Jets: Breece Hall: F
Another rough game for Hall as he and the Jets were defeated by the Minnesota Vikings 17-23 in London. Hall rushed for 23 yards on nine carries and caught three receptions for 14 yards. A painful afternoon, Hall would like to forget about as he and the Jets return home to the States and get prepared for their week six matchup against the Buffalo Bills.
Philadelphia Eagles: Saquon Barkley: Bye Week
Even though the Eagles have had some struggles in recent weeks, Barkley will continue to be a bright spot on the Eagles’ offense when they return to action in week six.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Najee Harris: D
Harris had a tough day on the ground as the Steelers lost to the Dallas Cowboys 17-20. Harris rushed for 42 yards on 14 carries and caught two receptions for 35 yards. Harris and company ran into a tough Cowboys defense, as he needs to have a rebound game when the Steelers travel to Sin City and square off against the Las Vegas Raiders in week six.
San Francisco 49ers: Jordan Mason: B-
Even though the 49ers let a 23-10 lead slip away in their 23-24 week five loss to the Arizona Cardinals, Jordan Mason still had a nice afternoon on the ground. Mason rushed for 89 yards on 14 carries and caught a reception for nine yards but lost a fumble. Even if Christian McCaffrey ends up missing the 2024 season, depending on how his recovery goes, Mason will continue to fill the void McCaffrey has left behind.
Seattle Seahawks: Kenneth Walker III: F
It was a very brutal afternoon for Walker III and the Seahawks as they lost to the New York Giants 20-29. Walker III rushed for 19 yards on five carries and caught seven receptions for 57 yards in the afternoon. Walker III is usually one of the NFL’s best running backs, but it was a very unusual day for the Seahawks rushing attack in their shocking loss. Head coach Mike MacDonald said Walker III needs to be given the ball more often moving forward.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Rachaad White: C
Rachaad White emerged as the star of the Buccaneers’ backfield and had a good night on the ground despite the team’s 30-36 overtime loss to the Atlanta Falcons. White rushed for 72 yards on 10 carries but didn’t cross the end zone all night. White, along with his teammate Bucky Irving, showed that he’s a great NFL running back. However, it would’ve been great if White and Irving were able to score rushing touchdowns.
Tennessee Titans: Tony Pollard: Bye Week
Despite the Titans’ struggles and injury woes, Tony Pollard is the heart and soul of the Titans’ offense.
Washington Commanders: Austin Ekeler: C+
Ekeler returned to action as he and the Commanders earned a very strong 34-13 victory over the Cleveland Browns. Ekeler rushed for 67 yards on six carries and caught two receptions for 30 yards, while Jeremy McNichols scored a rushing touchdown, and Brian Robinson Jr. scored two rushing touchdowns. A good afternoon for Ekeler, despite suffering a concussion in week four, as he helped the Commanders to victory.
