Whether it’s a young star’s electrifying breakaway speed or a veteran bruiser’s punishing power, each team’s ground game often sets the tone for their success—or failure.
As we cross the de facto quarter-way mark of the 2024 NFL season, it’s time to assess the state of every starting running back across the league.
Let’s dive in and rank from worst to first.
Who are the top running backs in the NFL after week 4 of games?
32. Kansas City Chiefs: Carson Steele (Last Week #25)
Carson Steele took a step back in usage this week with the addition of Kareem Hunt. He netted just six yards on two carries and will likely be officially demoted on the depth chart by next week.
31. Las Vegas Raiders: Zamir White (Last Week #32)
Another weak performance from Zamir White, who was outgained by his teammate, Alexander Mattison, by 10 yards despite having 12 more carries than him!
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30. Dallas Cowboys: Ezekiel Elliott (Last Week #27)
Ezekiel Elliott took a back seat this week to Rico Dowdle, as he was out-touched by his understudy 12 to six. The veteran running back may be falling out of favor with the coaching staff, and with performances like his five carries for 19 yards rushing and one catch for five yards receiving showing on Thursday Night, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him permanently slotted behind Dowdle as the second-stringer going forward.
29. Miami Dolphins: De'Von Achane (Last Week #16)
Tough showing for De’Von Achane, as the Titans were able to stack the box against him. The speedy running back was swallowed up and netted just 15 yards on 10 carries.
28. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Rachaad White (Last Week #31)
Rachaad White continues to be largely a non-factor in the Buccaneers’ offense. When all was said and done, he had 10 carries for 49 yards.
27. Houston Texans: Cam Akers (Last Week #30)
Cam Akers looked okay during Sunday’s match-up with the Jaguars. He turned 13 carries into 53 yards.
Also Read: How Are The NFL’s Highest-Paid Running Backs Performing In 2024?
26. New England Patriots: Rhamondre Stevenson (Last Week #17)
Really tough week for Rhamondre Stevenson against a 49ers defense that was raring to go and keyed in on one thing: stopping him. Stevenson was only able to manage 19 yards on four carries in the loss.
25. Cleveland Browns: Jerome Ford (Last Week #22)
Jerome Ford struggled to find much running room behind a banged-up offensive line, as he finished with 58 yards on 10 carries.
24. Denver Broncos: Javonte Williams (Last Week #29)
Javonte Williams looked much improved this week, taking 16 carries for 77 yards. He never truly broke the game open, but he was a steady force for a Broncos offense that needed something with the way the passing attack looked.
23. Jacksonville Jaguars: Travis Etienne Jr. (Last Week #19)
Not the best week for Travis Etienne, but not the worst. The running back finished with 50 yards on 11 carries and one catch for 10 yards.
22. Cincinnati Bengals: Zack Moss (Last Week #23)
Zack Moss was quiet this week, gaining just 51 yards on his 15 carries, while his running mate, Chase Brown, got 80 and two scores on his 15.
21. Los Angeles Chargers: J.K. Dobbins (Last Week #18)
Tough Week 4 showing from J.K. Dobbins on the ground, as the running back could only generate 32 yards on his 14 carries behind a banged-up offensive line.
20. Buffalo Bills: James Cook (Last Week #13)
Tough showing from James Cook this week, as the Bills’ talented back netted just 39 yards on nine carries.
19. Tennessee Titans: Tony Pollard (Last Week #28)
This was one of Tony Pollard’s best games as a Titan and what the team envisioned being the regular when they signed him away from Dallas. Pollard ran for 88 yards on 22 carries, including a 4-yard touchdown plunge, as the Titans bruised their way to victory.
18. New York Jets: Breece Hall (Last Week #6)
Quiet afternoon for Breece Hall as the Jets seemed weirdly determined not to use their uber-talented back. He got a pitiful four yards on 10 carries and added 14 yards on two catches.
17. New York Giants: Devin Singletary (Last Week #9)
The running back group was largely a non-factor, with the Giants managing just 26 rushing yards the entire NFL game. Singletary got most of the work, too, netting 14 carries, but with the Dallas defense playing with its ears pinned back, he wasn’t able to find any running lanes and finished with a lowly 24 yards.
16. Green Bay Packers: Josh Jacobs (Last Week #14)
Disappointing outing for Josh Jacobs, to say the least! The veteran running back got just nine carries, which he turned into 51 yards.
15. Pittsburgh Steelers: Najee Harris (Last Week #10)
Yikes. 13 carries for 19 yards is a tough showing. Fortunately for Najee Harris, his quarterback, Justin Fields, was able to pick up some of the slack in the rushing game, going for 55 yards. Harris also did well in finding other ways to contribute to the team, both blocking and catching the football in the passing attack.
14. Chicago Bears: D'Andre Swift (Last Week #26)
Week 4 was far and away D’Andre Swift’s best showing as a Bear to date. He turned 16 carries into 93 yards and a touchdown while adding another 72 through the passing game on seven catches. If he can build on this momentum and continue to perform, a lot of pressure will be taken off of Caleb Williams.
13. Carolina Panthers: Chuba Hubbard (Last Week #24)
Chuba Hubbard led the ground attack with 104 rushing yards and a touchdown; his ability to find open running lanes and gain tough yardage was critical.
12. Seattle Seahawks: Kenneth Walker III (Last Week #Not Ranked)
What a return to action for Kenneth Walker III, who turned his 12 carries into 80 yards and three scores while also adding four catches for 36 yards.
11. San Francisco 49ers: Jordan Mason (Last Week #21)
Jordan Mason was the engine behind the Niners’ offense, chewing up yardage to the tune of 123 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries.
10. Atlanta Falcons: Bijan Robinson (Last Week #3)
Week 4 was a rather quiet one for Bijan Robinson, the Falcons’ electric second-year back. The Saints clogged up running lanes all game and kept him contained for just 28 yards on seven carries. The highlight of the game for Robinson was the 26-yard catch and run, which made up most of his production in the passing game.
9. Detroit Lions: Jahmyr Gibbs (Last Week #7)
Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery were a one-two punch that Seattle couldn’t handle. Gibbs punched in two touchdowns and added 78 rushing yards.
8. Arizona Cardinals: James Conner (Last Week #15)
James Conner did what he does best and ran with resilience and power, rushing for 104 yards and a touchdown that gave Arizona some hope, but alas, it was not enough as the passing attack faltered far too often.
7. Minnesota Vikings: Aaron Jones (Last Week #12)
Aaron Jones returned to Lambeau with a point to prove, and he did just that. Though he didn’t score, his impact was undeniable—finishing with 93 rushing yards and 46 receiving yards.
6. Washington Commanders: Brian Robinson (Last Week #11)
Brian Robinson Jr. had another big game this week, as he eclipsed the 100-yard rushing mark with 101 yards and managed to get into the end zone.
5. Los Angeles Rams: Kyren Williams (Last Week #8)
Despite the slew of attention that the Bears’ defense directed toward Kyren Williams, the Rams’ running back managed to deliver in a big way, taking 19 carries for 94 yards and a touchdown while also adding 10 yards in the passing game.
4. Philadelphia Eagles: Saquon Barkley (Last Week #1)
Saquon Barkley showed why he’s still a game-changing back with a 59-yard burst that helped Philadelphia find some life in the third quarter. But outside of that explosive play, Barkley had little room to work with as Tampa Bay’s defense quickly plugged the holes. Even with a banged-up offensive line, Barkley managed to go for over 100 yards from scrimmage on just 12 touches.
3. Indianapolis Colts: Jonathan Taylor (Last Week #2)
It wasn’t a career day for Jonathan Taylor, but another extremely impressive one, especially considering all eyes were on him from the Steelers defense. He rushed 21 times for 88 yards, providing a steady force for the Colts’ offense and capping the opening drive with a touchdown.
2. Baltimore Ravens: Derrick Henry (Last Week #4)
King Henry is starting to find his royal form with Baltimore, as he put forth a vintage performance on Sunday Night Football, racking up 199 yards on the ground and two touchdowns, one of which was receiving.
1. New Orleans Saints: Alvin Kamara (Last Week #5)
Despite nursing some injuries, as he is one to do, Alvin Kamara had another big game for the Saints, and it looks like he may be back to All-Pro form within Klint Kubiak’s offense. He finished the game turning 19 carries into 77 yards and a touchdown and added an additional 42 receiving yards on seven catches, serving as a much-needed safety valve for Derek Carr, who was under fire all game.
Also Read: Ranking All 32 NFL Teams’ No. 1 Running Back For The 2024 Season From WORST To FIRST
