2012 NFL Season Predictions – Top 5 Running Backs in the NFL: The days of LaDainian Tomlinson, Shaun Alexander and Marshall Faulk pounding the ball 300-plus times and winning MVP Awards are gone. The game has become more pass-happy in recent years, and there aren’t many offenses built around running backs anymore. In fact, the MVP Award has gone to a quarterback in each of the last five years. That being said, there are plenty of talented players at the position in the NFL today, and they are becoming more versatile than ever before. Here is a look at the top rushers in the game for the upcoming 2012 NFL season.
2012 NFL Predictions: Top 5 Running Backs
1. Arian Foster, Houston Texans
Nagging injuries forced him to miss the majority of five games last year, and Foster still finished fifth in the NFL in rushing and had more than 600 receiving yards. He is one of the most-versatile backs in the game today, and he probably is the most explosive. Foster can take any carry or any catch and turn it into six points in a hurry. With a full season of health, he is a safe bet to lead the league in rushing and yards from scrimmage. He is that good. As the centerpiece of a high-powered Houston offense, Foster could put up the type of numbers needed to win the MVP Award in 2012.
2. Maurice Jones-Drew, Jacksonville Jaguars
Playing for a Jacksonville team that couldn’t throw the ball to save its life, Jones-Drew somehow managed to lead the NFL in rushing last season with more than 1,600 yards. He was certainly a workhorse, carrying the ball 343 times, but he was also efficient. He averaged 4.7 yards per carry despite every defense the Jaguars faced focusing solely on shutting down the running game. Jones-Drew is a compact, powerful back, and he rarely goes down after the first hit. Being stuck on a terrible team doesn’t help his notoriety, but he is a beast.
3. LeSean McCoy, Philadelphia Eagles
Entering last season, McCoy was already known as speedy, elusive runner that could do damage in the passing game, as well. He showed the league that he was more than just a third-down type back in 2011, rushing for more than 1,300 yards and finding the end zone an NFL-high 17 times. Having the power and strength to run between the tackles only makes McCoy that much more dangerous, as he often bounces runs to the outside once he gets into the open field for huge plays. In fact, McCoy led the league in runs of 20 yards or more last year. He is in his prime, and he could make a strong case for being on top of the list in the very near future,
4. Ray Rice, Baltimore Ravens
Rice may just be the most-complete back in the game today. He finished second in the NFL in rushing last year, and he led the league with more than 2,000 yards from scrimmage. Rice had nearly 1,400 yards on the ground and had more than 700 yards through the air, scoring a combined 15 touchdowns. Although it doesn’t show up on paper, he is also a solid blocker in the passing game. Rice isn’t the fastest or the strongest running back in the NFL, but he provides steady production in all facets of the game.
5. Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings
Until tearing an ACL late last season, Peterson was going to be sitting atop the list once again. He had a rare combination of power and speed that allowed him to run over any defender on the field and rip off huge runs when given the slightest gap. Peterson has also been a sledgehammer in the red zone throughout his career. Plain and simple, this guy was on his way to the Hall of Fame. He might still be the same player and still be on his way to Canton one day, but a major knee injury to a running back is always very concerning. Peterson makes the top five based purely on his career accomplishments, but he has to prove that all his physical gifts are still intact.
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