Chiefs Running Backs: Roll With It Baby

It’s an exciting time for fans of the the Kansas City Chiefs who have maybe the best trio of running backs in the National Football League. Is that open for debate? Sure, why not. However, the Chiefs running backs are the most exciting group in the history of the franchise. No question in my mind.

The triad of Jamaal Charles, Charcandrick West and Spencer Ware averaged 4.7 yards per carry. Only the Buffalo Bills and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were better at 4.8. However, once Jamaal Charles returns this season, he brings with him his 5.49 yards per carry average which leads all running backs in NFL history, even Jim Brown who finished his career at 5.22.

Bleacher Report published a piece in May called, “Ranking the NFL’s Top 10 RB Corps Heading into 2016 Season” in which he’s said that the Chiefs trio rank 5th. Russell Baxter, who wrote the piece, says the teams ahead of K.C. include, 4) Carolina, 3) Buffalo, 2) Dallas and 1) the N.Y. Jets. Here are their running back line-ups with total rushing yards,

Jets

1. Matt Forte (898)

2. Bilal Powell (313)

3. Khiry Robinson (180)

4. Zac Stacy (89)

Cowboys

1. Ezekiel Elliott (1,821- Ohio State University)

2. Darren McFadden (1,089)

3. Alfred Morris (751- Washington Redskins))

4. Lance Dunbar (67)

Bills

1. LeSean McCoy (895)

2. Karlos Williams (517)

3. Mike Gillislee (267- Buffalo Bills)

4. Jonathan Williams (out- Arkansas)

Panthers

1. Jonathan Stewart (989)

2. Cameron Artis-Payne (183)

3. Fozzy Whittaker (108)

4. Mike Tolbert (256)

Chiefs

1. Jamaal Charles (364)

2. Charcandrick West (634)

3. Spencer Ware (403)

4. Knile Davis (72)

If you’re looking at yardage only, then I can understand Baxter’s position. However, with Charles returning… and having the knowledge that he returned from a similar injury in in 2012 and had a career year… and West and Ware are entering their second year in the system, it’s hard to see why the Chiefs trio would be ranked this low.

I recognize that the Dallas Cowboys have one of the best offensive lines in the league, but giving the nod to them over the Chiefs with a rookie penciled in to start is a bit foolhardy. I would not rank them better than the Chiefs group… not to begin the year.

In New York, Matt Forte is a good running back but is he better than Jamaal Charles? Not in my book. Forte has had more than 250 carries per season for 8 straight years and there’s been a definite decline in his rushing yards each year for the past three years. He’ll turn 31 later this year and will be learning a new system with the Jets. Bilal Powell is a good back but has only averaged 322 yards per year in his five years in the league. The team had a 4.2 yards per carry average in 2015 and I don’t see Forte’s 4.0 average over the past two years helping any. It’s hard to see the Jets finishing in the top five in rushing in 2016… 10th place seems more reasonable and that’s exactly where they finished in 2015.

LeSean McCoy has been one of my favorite backs since he entered the league. His jump cut is next to none and his 4.6 yards per carry for his career is formidable. Quarterback Tyrod Taylor’s mobility and experience should help this running back committee which includes Karlos Williams who could start for many teams. The Bills offensive line is very good and been together for a couple of years now so if there’s a team that I think… could be… ranked ahead of the Chiefs it’s the Buffalo Bills running attack.

The Carolina Panthers’ running back Jonathan Stewart can be an excellent running back but he’s not on Jamaal Charles’ level. He’s been in the league for 8 seasons and averaged 727 yards per year and had only one year that he broke the 1,000 yard barrier (his second year). Plus, I could never rate Cameron Artis-Payne and Fozzy Whittaker ahead of Charcandrick West and Spencer Ware. If you combined their career yards gained they still have 100 yards less than Chiefs backup Charcandrick West gained last year. The main reason I’d not rank this group ahead of the Chiefs RB core is their QB, Cam Newton. The whole offense runs through him and the running game is very secondary in their scheme.

What do you think Chiefs fans? Are you as excited about the Kansas City Chiefs 2016 running attack as I am? Do you think the Chiefs group deserves a higher rating than 5th in the league?