NFL Week 10: Ranking the Top 20 Running Backs

This week, I had the opportunity to interview Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson for  Bleacher Report.

It was a tremendous experience conducting a one-on-one with one of the elite running backs of the NFL. A beast on the field, Peterson was extremely cordial during the interview.

When asked about Fred Jackson being the best back in the NFL, he praised Jackson, stating he liked the way he ran, and acknowledged that Jackson was having an great season. At the same time, Peterson pointed out that he has been a successful running back himself since joining the league in 2007. Look for the entire interview from Bleacher Report Productions soon.

Currently tied with LeSean McCoy with nine rushing touchdowns, Peterson had been leading the league in rushing yards for most of the season.

After signing a seven-year, $96 million contract, Peterson is only 238 yards from becoming the Vikings all-time career rushing leader, surpassing Robert Smith, who played with Minnesota for eight seasons. Smith retired from football following the 2000 season, a season where he rushed for 1,521 yards, the best single-season mark of his career.

I took a moment to look at the top running backs in the NFL.

Total yards and touchdowns were the biggest factors to try and shake out who's currently on top. I normalized the data to include yards per carry. The data included rushing and receiving yards as well fumbles.

Here are the top 20 running backs at the midpoint of the 2011 season.

No. 20: Jonathan Stewart, Carolina Panthers

Jonathan Stewart opens this ranking at No. 20.

Stewart has a combined 547 rushing and receiving yards with two rushing touchdowns for the Carolina Panthers. 

He's carried the ball 71 times for a 4.61 average and has 23 receptions with a 9.57 average per catch.

No. 19: Beanie Wells, Arizona Cardinals

Beanie Wells is one of the league leaders in rushing touchdowns with seven.

In six game this season, he has 518 combined rushing and receiving yards.

Wells is averaging 4.48 yards per carry on 113 attempts, but only has four catches for 12 yards.

No. 18: Reggie Bush, Miami Dolphins

In his first season with the Dolphins, Reggie Bush is getting the ball more often. Averaging 11 carries per game, it's the most he has had since 2007, his second year with the Saints.

Bush has 591 combined yards for Miami, averaging 4.8 yards per carry and 6.8 yards per reception.

The downside for Bush is he has more fumbles (three) than touchdowns (two).  

No. 17: DeMarco Murray, Dallas Cowboys

DeMarco Murray is the first of five running backs in the ranking who has not fumbled the football this season.

The rookie out of Oklahoma leads the Cowboys with 539 rushing yards.

Murray's 6.7 yards per carry is the second highest in the ranking. He also has 68 yards on nine receptions for a total of 607 yards from scrimmage.

No. 16: Ben Tate, Houston Texans

Ben Tate is one of two Houston running backs in the ranking that has the Texans ranked second in the league in rushing yards.

Tate, a second-round draft pick of the Texans in 2010, missed the entire season after breaking his ankle in the preseason.

This year, Tate has 623 rushing yards on 109 carries—a healthy 5.7 average.  But in eight games, he only has five receptions.  

He has only one fumble with two touchdowns on the season.

No. 15: Steven Jackson, St. Louis Rams

Steven Jackson is on pace for his seventh straight 1,000-yard season for the St. Louis Rams.

Jackson is averaging a career best 5.1 yards per carry, 579 rushing yards and four touchdowns. He has also caught the ball 17 times for another 95 yards and a touchdown.

No. 14: Jahvid Best, Detroit Lions

Jahvid Best has helped the Detroit Lions to as many wins this season as they had in 2010.

The second-year player out of California leads the Lions with 390 rushing yards, including a season high 88-yard run against the Bears. He also has 27 receptions for another 287 yards, totalling 677 yards from scrimmage.

On 111 carries and catches, Best has yet to cough up the ball.

No. 13: Ahmad Bradshaw, New York Giants

Ahmad Bradshaw leads the 6-2 first-place Giants with 440 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns.

Add 24 receptions for 210 yards and another touchdown, and he has been an effective weapon on offense for the Giants.

His 3.9 yards per carry is the sixth lowest in the ranking, but his six touchdowns raise his stock.  

No. 12: Maurice Jones-Drew, Jacksonville Jaguars

Maurice Jones-Drew leads the Jaguars with 740 yards rushing on 166 carries, a 4.46 average.

He also has 12 receptions for 85 yards.

The problem is he has only three touchdowns and six fumbles—the most of any running back in the ranking. 

No. 11: Ryan Matthews San Diego Chargers

Second-year running back Ryan Matthews leads the Chargers with 509 rushing yards on 111, a 4.6 average.

He also has 30 receptions for another 342 yards for a very good 11.4 average per catch.

In seven games, he has three rushing touchdowns and tow fumbles.

Now, on to the top 10!

No. 10: Darren Sproles, New Orleans Saints

In his first year with the Saints, Darren Sproles is on a pace to have the most rushing attempts in his six-year career.

Currently with only 49 carries in nine games, his 347 rushing yards are the second fewest within the ranking, but his 446 receiving yards are the most of any running back. 

His rushing average of 7.1 yards is the best in the ranking.

So far this season, he has two rushing touchdowns and three receiving. As the main return man for the Saints, he has also returned a punt for a touchdown.

No. 9: Frank Gore, San Francisco 49ers

Frank Gore is having his best season for the surprising 7-1 49ers since 2006, his second year in the league.

He leads San Francisco with 782 rushing yards on 159 attempts for a 4.9 average. His five touchdowns also leads the team.

Gore has 13 receptions for 78 yards.

No. 8: Darren McFadden, Oakland Raiders

Darren McFadden's average of 5.4 yards per carry is the best in his career. 

He's leading the first-place Raiders with 614 rushing yards, and is on pace to have his second straight 1,000-yard rushing season.

He has five touchdowns, four rushing and one receiving, with only one fumble on the season.

No. 7: Michael Turner Atlanta Falcons

Michael Turner has 692 rushing yards on 157 carries and 105 receiving yards on eight receptions for the Atlanta Falcons.

His 13.1 yards per catch is the highest average in the ranking.

His seven rushing touchdowns are the fourth most among the running backs in the list.

Twice in his career, Turner has led the NFL in carries, and is currently second in the league.

No. 6: Ray Rice, Baltimore Ravens

Ray Rice has a combined 948 yards from scrimmage, the fourth best in the ranking. 

Leading the Ravens with 532 rushing yards, Rice's 416 receiving yards are second only to Anquan Boldin for Baltimore.

He is on pace for his third straight 1,000-yard rushing season and a career high in receiving yards.

Rice's total of eight touchdowns, six rushing, and two receiving, are the third most in the ranking.

No. 5: Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings

Up until this last weekend when the Vikings had their bye, Adrian Peterson was leading the NFL in rushing yards. He still leads the league with 167 carries.

His 798 rushing yards are fourth most in the league. Not having been very involved in the Vikings passing game, Peterson has only 16 receptions for 125 yards.

Since his rookie season in 2007, Peterson has not rushed for fewer than 1,200 yards in a season. At his current pace, he could approach his career best single-season rushing record of 1,760 yards.

His nine rushing touchdowns leads the NFL, and his 10 total touchdowns are the second only to LeSean McCoy.

No. 4: Arian Foster, Houston Texans

Arian Foster led the NFL with 1,616 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns last season.

In seven games with the Texans, Foster has 656 rushing yards and 343 receiving yards and a total of six touchdowns. 

With 27 receptions, his average per catch of 12.7 is the third highest in the ranking.

No. 3: Matt Forte, Chicago Bears

Matt Forte not only leads the Bears in rushing and receiving yards, but the entire NFL in yards from scrimmage with 1,241.

Forte, who has averaged just over 1,000 yards rushing in his first three years, will easily exceed the millennium mark, with 805 in eight games.

With 436 receiving yards, he could come close to exceeding 2,000 yards from scrimmage. 

Having only three touchdowns this year, along with his first two fumbles of the season against the Eagles on Monday night, is keeping him from the top spot in the ranking. 

No. 2: LeSean McCoy, Philadelphia Eagles

LeSean McCoy leads the NFL with 825 rushing yards, but with only 184 yards receiving, his total yards from scrimmage of 1,009 is the third most in the list. 

His nine rushing touchdowns tie him with Adrian Peterson for the most in the league. Add his two receiving touchdowns, for a total of 11, and he is the top scoring in the ranking. 

With 151 carries and 28 receptions, McCoy has yet to fumble this season.

No. 1: Fred Jackson, Buffalo Bills

Fred Jackson is on pace to having the best season of his five-year career.

While Jackson is not leading the NFL in any category, his 803 rushing yards are the third best. Add 391 receiving yards, and his 1,194 yards from scrimmage are second only to Matt Forte, and his 13.0 yards per catch is second only to Michael Turner.

Jackson has helped the Bills to a 5-3 record and a share of the AFC East division lead with Patriots and the Jets.