Week 18 of the 2024 NFL season will conclude the regular season slate of games before the start of the playoffs. Several running backs have turned in massive seasons and it should come as no surprise that most of the teams with the best players in this position have found their way into the playoffs. They still hold a ton of value to team success, despite their overall importance sometimes being questioned.
Undoubtedly, Saquon Barkley has been the best overall RB this season and arguably the most dominant offensive player, regardless of position. His first year with the Philadelphia Eagles resulted in him becoming just the ninth player in NFL history to exceed 2,000 rushing yards in a single campaign. He also leads all players with 345 carries and 378 total touches, so his transition to a new team has worked out in a major way for him.
Jahmyr Gibbs has been another superstar this season for the Detroit Lions, despite sharing the backfield for most of the year with David Montgomery. Gibbs has still found a way to record the third-most scrimmage yards and second-most total touchdowns. He also averages the most yards per touch among all qualified RBs, demonstrating his elite efficiency.
One of the most underrated RBs this season has been James Cook, who is quietly having an excellent year for the Buffalo Bills. He leads all players with 15 rushing TDs and 17 total TDs and has been a major factor for the Bills entering the playoffs as one of the hottest teams in the entire league.
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The following RB rankings are based on overall performances this year and include the starters for all 32 NFL teams. Here's how all of them stack up ahead of the Week 18 slate of games and just one week away from the start of the postseason.
NFL RB rankings for Week 18
- Saquon Barkley
- Derrick Henry
- Jahmyr Gibbs
- Kyren Williams
- Bijan Robinson
- Josh Jacobs
- Bucky Irving
- James Cook
- Alvin Kamara
- Jonathan Taylor
- James Conner
- Aaron Jones
- De'Von Achane
- Chase Brown
- Chuba Hubbard
- Joe Mixon
- Breece Hall
- Tony Pollard
- Kenneth Walker III
- JK Dobbins
- Najee Harris
- D'Andre Swift
- Kareem Hunt
- Brian Robinson Jr.
- Rico Dowdle
- Tyrone Tracy Jr.
- Travis Etienne
- Jerome Ford
- Rhamondre Stevenson
- Isaac Guerendo
- Alexander Mattison
- Javonte Williams
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