Power Ranking the 16 Best Running Backs in the AFC

In power ranking the best 16 RBs in the AFC, it became quite clear that this conference owns most of the top running backs in the NFL. 

Though the NFC does have some good RBs of their own, there is certainly a disparity.  One needs to only look at 2011 Fantasy Football draft trends to see that most of the top 'backs are in the AFC.

Most of the time when ranking players you can look at their statistics from the previous year to determine who ranks where.  But you also have to consider the offense they play in as well as whether or not they were injured last season.

Furthermore, you have to add in anticipation of how a given player may perform this year.

So, who do you think is the best of the best in the AFC?  Chris Johnson?  Arian Foster?  Ray Rice?

Let's see where the chips fall in my power rankings of the top 16 running backs from the American Football Conference.

16. Joseph Addai

Starting off the list at No. 16 is Indianapolis Colts RB Joseph Addai.  Let me guess, you're mildly shocked by this?

Addai is a good running back but has been hampered by injuries during his five-year career.  In his first two seasons, he rushed for just over 1,000 yards each time and scored a total of 23 TDs.

In the three years since then, he has only rushed for an average of 622 yards per season.

The Colts seem to have been trying to replace Addai for a couple years now without much luck.  They almost let him walk away in free agency this year too.

Besides the injury concerns, my main reason for ranking him here is that Colts QB Peyton Manning could be out for quite a while this year.

If that ends up being the case, it's logical to think that the Colts will rely more on Addai and therefore enable him to have a pretty good season.

However, I think the opposite.  Without Manning, the Colts will not be nearly the same kind of threat offensively.  This means that opposing defenses will key on Addai and the running game and limit his production.

15. Ryan Mathews

Ryan Mathews, the Chargers 2010 first round draft pick, had what many saw as a disappointing rookie season.

He was slated to be the work-horse running back from the start but nagging injuries marred his season.  This allowed Mike Tolbert to get an equal amount of reps and show some ability as well.

Then, there were reports that he showed up to camp this year out of shape and failed his initial conditioning test.  Being out of shape caused him to miss some camp time due to "soreness".

Not a good sign for someone who is expected to be a key player on your team.

Mathews is talented and plays in a good offensive system so the hope is there that he'll turn things around and be the player San Diego envisioned when they selected him 12th overall last year.

But until he proves it, he gets a low ranking from me.

14. Fred Jackson

Fred Jackson is already 30 years old but only entering his fifth season in the NFL.  He's had one year with over 1,000 yards rushing (2009, 1,062 yards).

Last season he rushed for 927 yards and five TDs.  He's often an under-rated and forgotten about player.

That's because he plays in no-mans land: Siberia...err, Buffalo.  He has some talent and is able to catch some passes out of the backfield. 

Playing in the Bills offense isn't doing him any favors though.  To boot, Buffalo is still intent on replacing him with their ninth overall pick in 2010, C.J. Spiller.

Spiller didn't live up to his billing last season so Taylor maintained his status of the primary running back in the offense. 

However, the word in Buffalo is that they're going to get Spiller more involved this year in hopes that he can realize his potential.  This will mean less opportunities for Taylor.

Spiller could falter again and the Bills could wind up leaning on Taylor once again but he's not going to put up great numbers in this offense.

13. Cedric Benson

As the primary running back in Cincinnati the past two seasons, Cedric Benson has rushed for over 1,000 yards each year.  He's also scored a total 14 TDs.

After a rocky first three years in Chicago, which were marred with injuries and problematic relationships amongst the team, he seems to have found a home in Cincy.

He's finally beginning to show the talent that made the Bears select him with their fourth overall draft pick back in 2005.

But yet, legal problems continue to plague him.  As a matter of fact, he just got out of jail six days ago after serving five days on assault charges.

He's not a flashy player but he can get the tough yards.  He'll be playing in a revamped Bengal offense this season and may have his number called often.

If he can avoid injury or any further arrests, I can foresee another okay year for Benson.

12. Shonn Greene

Shonn Greene has been seen as somewhat of a disappointment after being selected in the third round of the 2009 draft.

He's only tallied 1,306 yards and four TDs in the past two seasons.  Last year, the Jets were hoping he would take charge in the backfield and become their workhorse.

Unfortunately, that didn't quite happen.  His indecisive running led the Jets to lean more on crafty veteran Ladainian Tomlinson.

However, he'll be given ample opportunity this year.  He is once again expected to fulfill the role of primary running back. 

The team is expecting him to step up in a major way and I think he'll deliver.

11. Benjarvis Green-Ellis

Benjarvis Green-Ellis, nicknamed "The Law Firm", has risen from the obscurity of a 2008 undrafted free agent to a prominent role with the New England Patriots.

He's not a gifted runner but he hits the hole hard and picks up yards.  He's also proven to be a good goal-line running back.

Last season, he rushed for just over 1,000 and scored 13 TDs. 

He is the main runner in a Patriots offense that is the definition of running back by committee.  He's not a threat to catch many passes out of the backfield but he gets his job done.

The main reason why I have him ranked over the likes of Shonn Greene and Fred Taylor is that he plays in a better system.  The Patriots offense will put a lot of points on the board which means more showcasing for a player like Green-Ellis.

10. Reggie Bush

Reggie Bush has been an enigma for his entire five-year career.  He's a player with obvious explosive abilities but hasn't seemed to be able to put it all together yet.

His career rushing stats are paltry: 2,090 yards and 17 TDs in five seasons.  However, his main threat has been as a pass-catcher. 

For his receiving career, he has tallied 294 receptions for 2,142 yards and 12 TDs.  He's also been a pretty good at returning punts with four career return TDs.

For various reasons, he could just never quite find his niche with the Saints.  He often frustrated head coach Sean Payton for missed assignments.  It's possible that the Saints offense was a little too complex for him.

Injuries have also been a large part of his career to date as he seemingly can never make it through a full season without missing time.

With all that said, Bush now finds himself on a new team that has him slated to be their featured running back.  He will have every chance this season to prove he can handle to load. 

This is what he wants and has yearned for.  There is no denying his physical ability as he is extremely gifted in that regard.

If he can grasp the Miami offense and remain healthy, I expect an exciting season from Bush this year.

9. Knowshon Moreno

Knowshon Moreno was drafted by Denver with the 12th overall pick in 2009.  Since then, the Broncos have been waiting for him to break out and flash the top-rated talent he showed in college.

In two seasons he has totalled 2,411 all purpose yards and has scored 17 TDs.  Not bad for two seasons but more has been expected from him.

Moreno had somewhat of a roller-coaster season last year when he showed flashes of greatness but then disappeared at times.  He was also dealing with a nagging hamstring injury that hampered throughout the year.

Moreno has tremendous ability and this year he will get to showcase that much more in new head coach John Fox's run-oriented offense.

Like Reggie Bush, as long as Moreno can stay healthy, he's primed to have a big year.

8. Darren McFadden

Darren McFadden was drafted fourth overall in the 2008 draft by the Raiders after a stellar college career at Arkansas.  Well, the real reason the Raiders drafted him that high was because he ran a 4.3 40 yard-dash at the scouting combine.

We all know how Al Davis only drafts speed.

Nonetheless, McFadden was viewed as an extremely talented player because of his combination of size (6' 2", 210 lbs), speed, and his ability to run between the tackles as well as break it outside.

His first two years in the league were a disappointment when he only accumulated 856 yards rushing and five TDs.  He had trouble staying healthy as well.

Last season, McFadden finally broke out by rushing for 1,157 yards and seven TDs.  He also tacked on 47 catches for 507 yards and another three TDs.

With head coach Hue Jackson providing more of a commitment to the running game, McFadden should pick up where he left off last year.

7. Peyton Hillis

Peyton Hillis was hands-down the biggest surprise player of 2010.  The kicker was that he came to to the Browns along with a sixth-round pick for Brady Quinn in a trade with the Denver Broncos.

I think it's safe to say who got the better end of that deal.

In his first two seasons, Hillis only accumulated 397 yards rushing and four TDs.  At 6' 2", 250 lbs he was used more as a full-back in Denver.

Hillis started last year as the fullback and back-up tight end on the roster.  It took injuries to Monterio Hardesty, James Davis and Jerome Harrison before Hillis got his shot.

He took the bull by the horns and hasn't let go.  After getting his first start in week three, Hillis went on to rush for 1,177 yards and 11 TDs.  He also tacked on 61 catches for 477 yards and two more TDs.

Pretty amazing work for a guy that was fourth in line to begin the season.

He showed excellent power, quickness and athleticism for a guy his size.  Hillis can run like a freight train but can also jump over you as he makes his way to the end zone.

His surprise 2010 season landed him on the cover of Madden this past offseason.  Let's hope he avoids the "Madden Curse."

6. Rashard Mendenhall

Rashard Mendenhall is about to enter his fourth season.  He took over as Pittsburgh's primary running back in week four of his second season and has developed into the player the Steelers hoped for.

The past two seasons Mendenhall has rushed for 2,381 yards and 20 TDs. 

He's not a threat to catch passes out of the backfield but he is a true workhorse running back.  He's going to be a player who will receive over 300 carries per season because the Steelers are a run-oriented team.

Mendenhall has a good combination of power and speed.  He can run inside and outside as well as run over or away from you.

He's not an exciting player like some other running backs, but he is effective and gets the job done.

5. Maurice Jones-Drew

Now we are starting to get into the meat of the rankings.  Maurice Jones-Drew (MJD) is one of the toughest runners in the league.

Last season, MJD carried the ball 299 times for 1,324 yards and five scores.  He also tacked on 34 catches for 317 yards and two TDs. 

The amazing thing is that he did all that while playing with a torn meniscus the entire season!

With the exception of last year, MJD has been a touchdown machine his entire career for Jacksonville.  Not counting last season, MJD has scored a total of 56 TDs between rushing, receiving and returning kicks.

He scored a total of seven TDs last season to bring his five-year career total to 63.  That's outstanding production.  Not only that, he does it in a Jaguars offense that has virtually no other weapons.

4. Jamaal Charles

Jamaal Charles had an excellent season in 2010, to say the least.  He averaged a whopping 6.4 yards per carry on 230 touches. 

He also averaged 10.4 yards per reception on 45 catches.

Those numbers equated to 1,467 yards rushing and 468 yards receiving plus eight total TDs.

He did all that while in a pretty even time-share with fellow running back Thomas Jones.  Obviously, Charles has now put himself on the map as an explosive play-maker.

Charles is entering his fourth year in the league after being drafted in the third round of the 2008 draft.  He's not a big or powerful runner but makes up for that with quickness and elusiveness.

It's a good bet that Charles' touches will increase even more this year due to his dynamic skills and the fact that Jones is another year older.

But last year didn't appear to be a fluke.  In his three year career, Charles sports a healthy six-yard per rush, and 9.3 yard per reception average.

The biggest question is whether or not he can remain healthy with an increased work load.  His skill, however, is certainly not a question.  That, he has plenty of.

3. Ray Rice

After being drafted in the second round of the 2008 draft, Ray Rice has ascended up the ranks of NFL running backs.

His short and compact build combined with good power, balance and speed has made him one the the NFL's best dual threats out of the backfield.

He only has 14 career TDs but that's mostly because he hasn't been given the goal line carries.  However, he received over 300 carries last year which is the sign of being a true workhorse running back.

Plus, he remains to be a legitimate threat to take it to the house on any given play.

2. Chris Johnson

Chris Johnson finally ended his holdout when he agreed to a new contract worth $53.5 million, including approximately $30 million guaranteed.

His contract should tell you all you need to know about the skills this player possesses.

He's played only three years so far and has already totaled 4,598 yards rushing, 1,008 yards receiving and 38 TDs.  This also included his phenomenal 2009 campaign in which he ran for over 2,000 yards.

He's not the biggest guy around but he's an explosive player with blazing fast speed.  He hits the hole quickly and once he's through it, he's gone. 

He won't run over anybody but if you hesitate for just a fraction of a second when trying to tackle him, you'll be left grasping for air and feeling a little embarrassed.

Johnson proves that speed kills.

1. Arian Foster

Yes, I have Arian Foster over Chris Johnson as the No. 1 running back in the AFC.  My main reasoning?  He plays in a much, much more explosive offense than Johnson.

Therefore, it allows for Foster to make that much more of an impact. This is not to say that Foster isn't every bit as talented as Johnson though.

Last season, Foster erupted onto the scene for 1,616 yards rushing, 604 yards receiving on 66 catches, and scored 18 TDs.

He rose out of the anonymity of being a 2009 undrafted free agent into a fantasy football stud and budding NFL superstar.

Foster does it all: He can run inside, outside, over you, around you, block, catch passes and find the end zone.  He's the total package.

If he has a similar season this year (and he should), he'll be in line for a Chris Johnson-like contract next year if not sooner.