Dallas Cowboys: Who will be the top running back in the NFC East?
The Dallas Cowboys and NFC East talent at the running back position this season is crazy. But which running back will have the better season.
It’s been awhile since the Dallas Cowboys and the rest on the NFC East had this much talented at the running back position. The problem though for a few of these teams would be their quarterback playing under center.
The Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles have proven starters at the position while the Washington Redskins and New York Giants still have to decide who will start under center. These situations will directly impact the production and effectiveness of their running backs.
Here are my rankings of how I believe the NFC East season will play out for each running back.
1. Ezekiel Elliott will lead the east again
Ezekiel Elliott will once again lead the division in yardage and average yards per carrying due to him having a mobile quarterback and the best offensive line in the division. You add the return of center Travis Frederick on offense and Elliott’s ability to stay healthy and it’s easy to see why he will once again lead the east.
Projected Total: 1850 yards, 5.2 YPC, and 15 Touchdowns
2. Jordan Howard makes an immediate impact
The Eagles have had the second best offensive line in the NFC East for a while now but they haven’t had a talented running back to run behind it. Jordan Howard will give them what they have been missing. The only reason he isn’t higher than Elliott is his injury history and age along the Eagles offensive line and the team wanting to pass more than the run the ball.
Projected Total: 1,400, 4.5 YPC, and 10 Touchdowns
3. Saquon Barkley takes a step back
Last season Saquon Barkley took the league by storm thanks to his big play abilities. This season though with receiver Odell Beckham Jr. gone and questions now at the quarterback position. Expect Barkley to see a lot more stacked boxes this season.
Projected Total: 1,380 yards, 4.3 YPC, and 9 Touchdowns
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4. Adrian Peterson’s age finally catches up to him
The ageless one Adrian Peterson finally loses to father time. He will also have to deal with two young and talented running backs behind him and an offensive line that could be without their best player Trent Williams. He will also have a rookie starting under center, so he will see more stacked boxes as well. Don’t expect Peterson to hit his 2,000-yard goal this season and for him to share the workload.