Final NFL Regular Season Report Card Grades for Every Starting Running Back

Another regular season has concluded in the National Football League, and while there are now playoffs to look forward to for some and the hope that springs from April's NFL draft after that, it's also time to take a moment to reflect on the 2011 season that was.

With that in mind, let's focus on the ground game here by handing out the final report cards for every starting running back in the league, from superstuds to ultraduds and injured stars to breakout performers.

Arizona Cardinals: Beanie Wells

A preseason injury to rookie Ryan Williams opened the door for Beanie Wells of the Arizona Cardinals to be the featured running back in 2011, and while Wells battled injuries, he still had the best season of his three-year career, topping 1,000 rushing yards for the first time.

GRADE: B-

Atlanta Falcons: Michael Turner

Atlanta Falcons running back Michael Turner rumbled through another season in 2011, as the eighth-year veteran racked up over 300 carries, 1,300 rushing yards and double-digit touchdowns and helped lead the Falcons into the playoffs.

GRADE: A-

Baltimore Ravens: Ray Rice

Ray Rice continued his ascension into the NFL's elite at his position with a fantastic 2011, topping 2,000 total yards, catching 76 passes, scoring 15 times and leading the Baltimore Ravens to the AFC North championship.

GRADE: A

Buffalo Bills: Fred Jackson

Running back Fred Jackson of the Buffalo Bills was well on his way to by far the best season in his five-year career this year, gaining 5.5 yards per carry and gaining over 1,300 total yards in 10 games.

However, a calf injury cut short a breakout campaign in which Jackson was leading the NFL in rushing at the time he got hurt.

GRADE: B

Carolina Panthers: DeAngelo Williams/Jonathan Stewart

Running back DeAngelo Williams is the nominal starter at running back for the Panthers, but he and fourth-year pro Jonathan Stewart split the carries in the Carolina backfield almost equally, with Williams receiving 155 carries and Stewart 142.

Each back averaged 5.4 yards a carry on the season, and while Williams had more rushing yards and touchdowns, Stewart held the edge in total yardage, making the combination a very effective two-headed monster.

GRADE: A-

Chicago Bears: Matt Forte

Running back Matt Forte essentially was the Chicago Bears offense for much of 2011, gaining nearly 1,500 total yards in the 12 games in which he played before a knee injury cut his season short.

The status of the impending free agent will be one of the hot offseason storylines in the Windy City in 2012.

GRADE: B

Cincinnati Bengals: Cedric Benson

Cedric Benson of the Cincinnati Bengals gained over 1,000 rushing yards for the third consecutive season in 2011, but for the second straight year the 29-year-old gained less than four yards a carry, and he remains the very definition of a "plodder" at running back.

GRADE: B-

Cleveland Browns: Peyton Hillis

After a Cinderella 2010 season, Cleveland Browns running back Peyton Hillis turned back into a pumpkin and then some in 2011, missing six games due to injury, engaging in a contentious contract dispute and managing less than 600 rushing yards for the season.

GRADE: F

Dallas Cowboys: Felix Jones/DeMarco Murray

Felix Jones began the season as the Cowboys' top running back and was somewhat effective, but after injuring his ankle, rookie DeMarco Murray stepped into the role and racked up an eye-popping 253 yards in his first game.

Murray went on to rush for nearly 900 yards in seven games before suffering a season-ending injury of his own, but assuming he's healthy for opening day, it will likely be Murray at starter in 2012.

GRADE: C (Jones), B- (Murray)

Denver Broncos: Willis McGahee

Knowshon Moreno began the season atop the depth chart at running back for the Denver Broncos, but it didn't take long for ninth-year veteran Willis McGahee to usurp that role.

McGahee responded by rushing for his highest yardage total since 2007, gaining nearly five yards a carry and helping to propel the Broncos to an AFC West championship.

GRADE: B

Detroit Lions: Jahvid Best

The durability issues that have plagued Jahvid Best throughout his collegiate and professional careers reared their ugly head again in 2011, limiting Best to only six games. After his season was cut short by another concussion, the second-year pro's future is in doubt.

GRADE: D

Green Bay Packers: Ryan Grant/James Starks

Although Ryan Grant is technically the starter at running back, the Green Bay Packers use a revolving door approach at the position, with both Grant and James Starks seeing nearly the same of number of carries and posting similar production.

The Green Bay offense may be a juggernaut, but it's not due to the combined efforts of these two backs, as the Packers rank 27th in the National Football League in rushing offense.

GRADE: C-

Houston Texans: Arian Foster

A hamstring injury cost Houston Texans running back Arian Foster three games in 2011, but when Foster was in the lineup, the third-year pro was his usual electric self, gaining over 1,800 total yards and finding the end zone a dozen times.

GRADE: A-

Indianapolis Colts: Joseph Addai/Donald Brown

Joseph Addai started 11 games at running back for the Indianapolis Colts in 2011 and was ineffective, gaining only 3.6 yards per carry before getting hurt and giving way to third-year pro Donald Brown.

Brown found a bit more running room and did score five touchdowns, but with average talents running behind a porous offensive line, the Indianapolis running game once again ranked towards the bottom of the NFL.

GRADE: D (Addai), C- (Brown)

Jacksonville Jaguars: Maurice Jones-Drew

The Jacksonville Jaguars struggled through a miserable season in 2011, but that certainly can't be blamed on running back Maurice Jones-Drew, who led the NFL in rushing in his sixth season with 1,606 yards, chipping in another 374 yards on receptions.

GRADE: A

Kansas City Chiefs: Jamaal Charles

The 2011 season of Kansas City Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles was over before it began, as the promising youngster tore his ACL in Week 2 and the Chiefs ground game turned into a multi-headed committee featuring the likes of Jackie Battle and Dexter McCluster.

GRADE: Incomplete

Miami Dolphins: Reggie Bush

Most pundits believed that at some point rookie Daniel Thomas would unseat Reggie Bush as the starting running back for the Miami Dolphins this season.

That was not the case, however, as Bush turned in possibly the best season of his six-year career in 2011, rushing for over 1,000 yards for the first time while averaging five yards a carry.

GRADE: B+

Minnesota Vikings: Adrian Peterson

For the first time in his five-year career, Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson failed to top 1,000 rushing yards, as injuries cost the former Oklahoma standout four games. Those included a nasty knee injury in Week 16 that places Peterson's availability for the beginning of the 2012 season very much in doubt.

GRADE: B

New England Patriots: Cast of Hundreds

The New England Patriots employ a running back by committee approach and then some, with Danny Woodhead, BenJarvus Green-Eliis, Stevan Ridley, and Kevin Faulk all starting games in the New England backfield this season.

This approach wasn't overly successful—while Green-Eliis did manage double-digit touchdowns, the Patriots ranked a mediocre 20th in the National Football League in rushing.

GRADE: C-

New Orleans Saints: Darren Sproles

The New Orleans Saints are yet another NFL team that employs a backfield rotation, with Pierre Thomas, rookie Mark Ingram and seventh-year pro Darren Sproles all seeing significant time in the Saints backfield.

It was Sproles who truly stood out though, logging over 1,300 total yards, scoring a career-high nine touchdowns and setting an NFL record for combined yardage with 2,696 all-purpose yards.

GRADE: B+

New York Giants: Ahmad Bradshaw/Brandon Jacobs

It was a disappointing season in the Big Apple for New York Giants running backs Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs, who missed a combined six games due to injuries and combined for just over 1,200 yards on the ground, which led to the G-Men being ranked dead last in the NFL in rushing.

There may at least be a silver lining, however, as Bradshaw and Jacobs both appear to now to be healthy and the New York running game has been picking up steam heading into the playoffs.

GRADE: C-

New York Jets: Shonn Greene

Running back Shonn Greene of the New York Jets finally showed some flashes of the talent he displayed at the University of Iowa in his third NFL season, topping 1,000 yards for the first time, scoring six touchdowns and averaging a decent 4.2 yards per carry.

GRADE: C+

Oakland Raiders: Darren McFadden/Michael Bush

Oakland Raiders running back Darren McFadden was well on his way to backing up his breakout 2010 year, gaining nearly 800 total yards and scoring five times in seven games, before a lingering foot injury ended his season.

Michael Bush then picked up right where McFadden left off, gaining nearly 1,000 yards on the ground and keeping the Raiders among the top 10 teams in the National Football League in rushing.

GRADE: B

Philadelphia Eagles: LeSean McCoy

A season that began with loads of hype ended with just as much disappointment for the 8-8 Philadelphia Eagles, but running back LeSean McCoy enjoyed a stellar campaign in 2011, gaining over 1,600 total yards and scoring 20 touchdowns.

GRADE: A

Pittsburgh Steelers: Rashard Mendenhall

Running back Rashard Mendenhall of the Pittsburgh Steelers endured a disappointing 2011 season, failing to top the 1,000-yard mark for the first time in three years, and that down season may have come to an ignominious end when Mendenhall injured his knee in the Steelers' season finale.

GRADE: C

San Diego Chargers: Ryan Mathews

San Diego Chargers running back Ryan Mathews missed two games due to injury in 2011 but still managed to top 1,000 yards rushing and post an impressive 4.9 yards per carry.

With backup Mike Tolbert chipping in another 920 total yards and 10 total touchdowns, the Chargers are another example of a team employing the RBBC philosophy with great success.

GRADE: B-

San Francisco 49ers: Frank Gore

2011 was another strong season in the stellar career of San Francisco 49ers running back Frank Gore, who battled through nagging injuries to top 1,000 yards rushing for the fifth time in six seasons while leading the 49ers to the top of the NFC West.

GRADE: B+

Seattle Seahawks: Marshawn Lynch

After getting off to a sluggish start, Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch went into full "beast mode" this season, rushing for over 1,200 yards, scoring a touchdown in 11 of his last 13 games and eating a lot of Skittles.

GRADE: A-

St. Louis Rams: Steven Jackson

There may well be no running back in the National Football League more deserving of our sympathy than Steven Jackson of the St. Louis Rams, who gained 1,000 rushing yards for the seventh straight year languishing once again on yet another putrid Rams squad.

GRADE: A-

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: LeGarrette Blount

Despite showing flashes of considerable talent, running back LeGarrette Blount regressed badly in 2011, rushing for over 200 fewer yards while seeing his yards per carry drop by nearly a yard.

Blount also seemingly fell out of favor with the coaching staff late in the season due to ball control and pass protection issues, and with a housecleaning under way in Tampa Bay, Blount's future with the team may well be in doubt.

GRADE: C-

Tennessee Titans: Chris Johnson

After a contract holdout wiped out much of an already abbreviated offseason, Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson got off to a woefully slow start in 2011, rushing for only 98 yards in his first three games combined.

Johnson did manage to top the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the fourth straight season, but his 1,047 rushing yards are the lowest total of his career, and for much of the 2011 season he seemed to lack his usual explosiveness.

GRADE: B-

Washington Redskins: Shanahanigans!

Washington Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan was up to his old tricks in 2011, as the Redskins began the year with Tim Hightower at running back, who was replaced by Ryan Torain, who was replaced by Hightower, who got hurt and was replaced by Roy Helu, who got hurt and was replaced by Evan Royster.

Of that menagerie of running backs Helu showed the most promise, topping 100 yards from scrimmage in four of five starts, and the presumptive school of thought is that the rookie from Nebraska will open next year as top dog in the Redskins backfield.

GRADE: C- (Hightower and Torain), B- (Helu)