Chris Johnson vs. Adrian Peterson: Who's the Best Running Back in the NFL?

Adrian Peterson or Chris Johnson, who is the best running back in the NFL? This debate has raged on for the last two years with a strong divide on the matter.

Both are prolific running backs that are in a class of their own.

Each has their own distinct style with Peterson being the power back while Johnson is more elusive.

However, it goes far deeper than just running style. You have to take into account the various factors that make one favorable over another.

If you were a GM, who would you draft?

Speed

This category clearly goes to Chris Johnson, who was timed as the fastest to ever be clocked at the NFL combine with a 4.24 40-yard dash.

However, Adrian Peterson isn't that far behind with a 4.37 40-yard dash. You also have to keep in mind that Peterson weighs a considerable amount more than Johnson, with about a 20-lb. weight advantage.

Pound for pound, the difference is really minuscule, but you can't ignore the record-breaking number recorded by Johnson.

Advantage: Chris Johnson

Power

Adrian Peterson's advantage in the power and strength department isn't really comparable. You can see with how he relishes and seeks out contact rather than avoiding it.

Peterson will look to truck a defender or give him a straight stiff arm to the face before he begins to dance around.

Johnson will do everything he can to avoid contact before turning on the jets. This isn't to say that Johnson isn't capable of taking down a defender, his running style just happens to dictate a different route to gain yards.

Advantage: Adrian Peterson

Receiving

During the 2008-09 NFL season—in Chris Johnson's rookie year—this category would have easily gone to Johnson. He had 24 more receptions and 105 more receiving yards.

Skip to the next season and the gap closed with Johnson only having seven more catches and 67 more receiving yards.

Finally, fast-forward to this season and Adrian Peterson has a significant advantage over Johnson. Peterson currently has four more receptions and 213 more receiving yards, and the season isn't even over yet.

Their career yards per game averages through the air come in at 20.5 for Johnson and 20.0 for Peterson. If you account for total receiving yards in the last three years, Peterson actually has an 893 to 882 advantage over Johnson.

While Johnson has an advantage in terms of average over the course of their careers, Peterson's huge margin this year helps to make this a push.

Advantage: Tie

Pass Blocking

Blocking plays a pivotal role for any running back.

Tailbacks are left in the backfield to pick up pass rushers on numerous snaps.

Chris Johnson is perfectly capable of helping out in pass protection, but while he'll give a linebacker a good chip to throw him off, Peterson can flatten him out.

Peterson is big enough to take on linebackers and defensive ends if the situation calls for it.

Advantage: Adrian Peterson

Ball Security

Adrian Peterson's fumbling problems are well documented. Over the course of his career, he has 20 fumbles, with 13 of those counting for losses.

Chris Johnson, on the other hand, has only seven total fumbles, with six of those going for losses.

Peterson has made great strides in this department as he has yet to fumble the ball all season while Johnson has three this year already.

In time, Peterson may supplant Johnson in this category with his renewed focus on protecting the ball, but Johnson has the edge.

Advantage: Chris Johnson

Durability

Adrian Peterson entered the NFL with some concerns over his durability. He ended up missing two games in his rookie season, but has played in every single contest since.

Chris Johnson has only missed one game—which was in his rookie season—since joining the NFL.

While it's easy to point out that Johnson has missed one less game, a more telling factor is their running style.

Johnson tends to avoid contact while Peterson initiates it.

In the last three years, Peterson has 910 carries compared to Johnson's 845. Peterson has not only had more attempts, but he's hit far more people than Johnson has.

Advantage: Adrian Peterson

Game-Changing Ability

Chris Johnson's breakaway speed is unmatched in the NFL. Give him a step ahead of the defense and he's gone.

Adrian Peterson is no slouch either. When he gets in open space, he's capable of torching defenses on his way to the end zone.

The difference being Johnson will leave defenders gasping for air while Peterson will make them pay for even attempting to tackle him.

In other words, each player is capable of wearing down a defense.

Both are able to affect the outcome of a game in their own way, and neither style is really considered to be significantly better than the other.

Advantage: Tie

Conclusion

Chris Johnson ran for 2,006 rushing yards last season and nearly everyone was praising him as the best running back in the NFL.

However, it's not so cut and dry.

If you compare their career numbers, they're much closer than you would expect.

Adrian Peterson's yards per carry average comes in at 4.9, with Johnson recording a 5.0 average.

Peterson's yards per game average is at 96.7 and Johnson is at 99.1.

Since Johnson came into the NFL, he has rushed for 4,260 yards. Peterson—on the other hand—has 4,266 rushing yards in that same span.

Peterson's career high for a single game is 296 rushing yards, which came in his rookie season. Johnson's career high is 228 rushing yards in a single game.

You can go on for hours debating the merits of either running back, but in the end, you really can't go wrong with either of them.

However, if I had my pick of the two, I would choose Peterson. He is the prototypical running back that most coaches and GMs covet with a punishing running style that can make grown men cry.