Canal Street Chronicles
Which division is the best?
In this next iteration of ranking the divisions by positions, we will be focusing on the running back position. With offensive production slowing down recently, running backs have become increasingly vital to the success of offenses around the league. So, looking at the starters for each team, here are the division rankings.
Since coming into the league, Bears running back DeAndre Swift has had an up-and-down career. At the beginning, Swift was struggling in Detroit, and it was not until going to the Eagles in 2023 that the young rusher finally found consistency. After his short stint with the Eagles, Swift signed with the Bears, became their number one option at running back, and rushed for 959 yards and 6 touchdowns in 2024. Now, with Ben Johnson as head coach, Swift could have an even better season in 2025.
The Detroit Lions have one of the best running back duos in the league, and this is a scenario where both players have to be considered as the starter. Jahmyr Gibbs uses blistering speed and agility, while David Montgomery uses strength to win in the trenches. They are the perfect complement, and the statistics show this. In 2024, Gibbs had 1,412 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns, while Montgomery had 775 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns.
Going into the 2024 season, Josh Jacobs was with a new team for the first time of his career, but that did not stop him from making a massive difference on the Packers. At times last season, it felt like Jacobs was putting the Packers’ offense on his back and single-handedly led them to wins. He wins with power, and in 2024, Jacobs had 35 broken tackles, 1329 rushing yards, and 15 touchdowns.
At 30 years old, Aaron Jones is the oldest starting running back in the NFC North, but last season, he showed no signs of slowing down. Racking up 1138 rushing yards and 5 touchdowns, Jones was by far the leading rusher on the roster. This production opened up the Vikings’ offense and allowed QB Sam Darnold the best year of his career.
Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Last season, the Atlanta Falcons had significantly up-and-down passing games, but the main part of the offense that stayed consistent was the rushing attack. Coming off a decent rookie season, Bijan Robinson rapidly rose to become one of the best running backs in the league. Last season, the sophomore rusher had 1456 rushing yards, 431 receiving yards, and 15 touchdowns. With Michael Penix at QB in 2025, Robinson could be set for an even bigger year.
The Panthers have invested heavily in running backs over the years, but one player slowly became the number one option in Carolina: Chuba Hubbard. Last season, Hubbard finally got over 1000 yards and doubled his touchdown production from the year before....
