Darren McFadden, Felix Jones and More: Greatest Running Back Class Ever?

After three weeks of NFL football, I have many questions about this running back class.

Is it just easier today to be an impact player from the first day, or are we facing one of the best running back classes ever?

In the first week, Chicago Bears running back Matt Forte carried the major load of his team’s ground attack, smashing the Indianapolis Colts defense and becoming the first Bear rookie to gain more that one hundred rushing yards in his NFL debut.

Meanwhile, backup tailback Felix Jones got it into the house in his very first offensive touch with the Dallas Cowboys.

With only one game, we could think that it was a fluke, or rookie luck. Two weeks later, we must erase this from our minds. Forte has compiled more than three hundred yards on the ground, and ranked fourth in the entire League.

Meanwhile, Jones has had back-to-back prime time highlighted performances, scoring a touchdown in both MNF and SNF. By now, he has showed that he is a consistent big-play threat, returning a kickoff for touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles and putting up a sixty-yard rushing score against the Green Bay Packers.   

Absolutely, this class has talent—not only talent, but depth too.

After Forte and Jones, there are a bunch of talented players dominating the game from his debut. Darren McFadden ranks third among the rookies. Former teammate of Felix Jones at Arkansas, McFadden is already the go-to guy in Oakland. He was limited during the third week because of an injury, but he showed in Week Two what he can do in this league, as he ran for 164 yards in the unique victory of the Raiders.

Chris Johnson and Steve Slaton are also putting big numbers for the Titans and the Texans, respectively, as they have become the main running backs there. Both have already had hundred-yard rushing games, and their potential is tremendous.

Jonathan Stewart has been a huge part of the Carolina Panthers' success. He is sharing the backfield with DeAngelo Williams.  While he is not having as many carries as his class-mates, however he is a huge finisher—and he leads all rookies with three rushing touchdowns.

For these guys, future is now—and they are a factor for their teams immediately.

They are a group of rookie running backs with the talent to step up and join the NFL's elite. With Forte, Jones, McFadden, Johnson, Stewart and Slaton under the lights, and with other guys such as Rashard Mendenhall, Mike Hart, Ray Rice, and Michael Bush waiting for their opportunity, are we facing the best running back class ever?

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