Madden NFL 15: Best RBs in the Game, The Future of the Position

[RaychelSnr]

Yesterday, EA Sports revealed the top runningbacks and fullbacks in Madden. In case you missed that news or want a recap with a solid breakdown, check out the video above by our new friend DLloyd who makes absolutely smashing videos of your favorite sports video games.

The question that is on the mind of many around football is what is the future of the running back position? Many teams are going to platoons to limit carries overall, with Adrian Peterson being the leader in carries per game at 19.9.

Compare that to 1996 when the seven top rushers had more attempts per game than Peterson did. Ricky Watters led the league with 22.1 carries per game. Ten years before that, the NFL was even more run happy. In 1985, Gerald Riggs led the league with 24.8 carries per game, almost five full carries more than Adrian Peterson averaged last season!

The NFL has simply become a more pass-happy league, and with teams trying to mitigate big injuries to their rushers -- many have turned to platoons to split the carries load amongst more than one player.

Do you think the RB position has been devalued over the past decade and do you emphasize the position on your roster as much or more than real NFL GMs? Sound off!

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[Retropyro]

The rushing attack will return. With defenders becoming more about speed and agility to defend the pass, offensive co-ordinators will begin to bring back the ground and pound in a few years.

[The JareBear]

Interesting question and something I have heard discussed in "NFL circles" for a few years now. It does seem to me like the position is "dying" a little bit, in the sense that you don't hear about RBs being top 3 draft picks anymore. I don't think the rushing attack is what is dying, I just think the NFL is no longer about guys like Eddie George and Larry Johnson getting 400+ carries a season and whatnot.

These days, with the current offensive approaches, you can get a guy in the second/third round who, combined with any other sort of decent back on your team, will combine to produce just as much, if not more, stay healthy, and cost less.

Here's a question, did the Broncos really get any worse at all when Knowshon left? Moreno had a really good season, he ran hard, was tough, and made some big plays. That being said, are there really not a number of other guys out there that could have done the same thing in that offense? Are Montee Ball and Ronnie Hillman not going to pretty much replicate the same production this season? I guess we don't know for sure, obviously, but my money is on yes.

I think unless you are looking at a TRULY special guy, a guy like AP or Shady, it's just not worth it to spend big money or a high draft pick on a running back. Are Ryan Mathews and CJ Spiller really that much better than their alternatives? I'll take Eddie Lacy or Giovani Bernard anyday, personally.

[oneamongthefence]

The NFL is cyclical. What that means is that as the NFL changes, certain things will come in and out of style. As Retro said defenders are getting faster and generally smaller to accommodate having to cover faster tight ends and receivers. You don't have too many run stuffing linebackers anymore because of tight ends evolution. Eventually the NFL will fully adapt to the wide open passing and teams will start to turn to the run for mismatches. Guys like Eddie Lacy who are cruisers can really succeed against the predominately pass defenses. The biggest deterrent I think is that TEs are no longer really blockers anymore. There are a few guys who can do both well but the TE is turning into a receiver position.

Colleges aren't churning out near as much high grade running backs either though. That's being replaced by more athletic qbs in a sense. They're just as much a running back as they are a qb. That's why Alabama continues to send running backs to the NFL. They use a more traditional offense so you can get a feel of what running backs can do when it's not 4 wide and the qb isn't a threat to run.
The most talented guys are no longer rushers they're qbs and wide receivers and with a longer life span who could blame them for not being a running back. But a few gems will stick with and revitalize the run game but I think that's a few years off.

[TheRealHST]

I dont that you will see runningbacks return to glory as they did in the past. They should, but nowadays teams want to use more spread offenses.

Teams also don't feel the need to use one runningback as a workhorse anymore (which I agree with). It's all about having and using two running. My close example is the Steelers signing Blount when they already had Bell.

Before we can even talk about runningbacks you have to include Fullbacks, which is another position losing importance. Nearly every runningback you see is running out of a single back formation.

Personally the key to winning is an old school rushing game, not all this spread offense stuff. If you can get 3 yards on 1 and 10 , then 3 or 5 more on Second down from the run, then imagine how easier that makes your offense.

Teams don't see it that way though unfortunately.

[friscob]

Only devalued in terms of money theyre paid. Theyre just as important as theyve always been.

[C the Lyte]

Quote: Originally Posted by TheRealHST

I dont that you will see runningbacks return to glory as they did in the past. They should, but nowadays teams want to use more spread offenses. Teams also don't feel the need to use one runningback as a workhorse anymore (which I agree with). It's all about having and using two running. My close example is the Steelers signing Blount when they already had Bell. Before we can even talk about runningbacks you have to include Fullbacks, which is another position losing importance. Nearly every runningback you see is running out of a single back formation. Personally the key to winning is an old school rushing game, not all this spread offense stuff. If you can get 3 yards on 1 and 10 , then 3 or 5 more on Second down from the run, then imagine how easier that makes your offense. Teams don't see it that way though unfortunately.

Teams don't see it that way b/c the whole 3 yards and a cloud of dust style of play is a hard style to use and win and be effective with.


I love the philosophy of "conservative football" - strong D, power back, ball and clock control. But it's just not that easy to do. If it was, everyone would do it.


I do believe it's coming back around eventually. Make take 15 to 20 years at least.

[Bull_Dozer]

RB's are still important. They just get too much credit. Give me a great offensive line and an average RB instead of a super RB and average line.