Was the 2017 NFL draft the last great draft for running backs?

Alvin Kamara, Christian McCaffrey, Dalvin Cook, Joe Mixon, Aaron Jones, Chris Carson. Those names are not only at the top of any fantasy football running back rankings and quite possibly the first three picks taken in most fantasy football drafts in the upcoming season (McCaffrey, Cook, Kamara). McCaffrey or CMC for short, Cook, Kamara, and Mixon highlight the last great running back class. While other classes have star power such as the 2016 draft that included Ezekiel Elliott and Derrick Henry. Henry potentially is the last workhorse running back that thrives on 20 plus carries, but that is another article. The depth of 2017 trumps the star power of the 2016 draft class.

Looking at each class for the past ten years:

2010 Draft

Ryan Mathews and CJ Spiller

Ouch, moving on

2011 Draft

Mark Ingram and DeMarco Murray

Ingram and Murray had solid careers, but the best rusher in the class, however, was Cam Newton.

2012 Draft

Let’s call this the one year wonder class:  Alfred Morris, Doug Martin, and Lamar Miller

Morris had an outstanding rookie year (1613 yards rushing and 13 touchdowns), Martin had two seasons of over 1400 yards rushing sandwiched between seasons of less than 500. When it’s all said and done Russel Wilson might be the leading rusher of the class.

2013 Draft

Le’Veon Bell

Three outstanding seasons with Steelers. In 2014, 2016, 2017 he was a top-five fantasy option at running back. This is a fantasy football website……so I’m using fantasy stats to prove my point. Bell Finished second in 2014, third in 2016, and second in 2017 in All-Purpose yards. Outside of Bell, not much depth.

2014 Draft

Carlos Hyde, Devonta Freeman

Nope.

2015 Draft

Todd Gurley, David Johnson

Let’s call this the fantasy football class. Todd Gurley’s first four years in the league were arguably the best start to a running backs career. Two-time All-Pro, three-time Pro-Bowler, and twice led the league in touchdowns. Gurley was also the best fantasy player for two seasons (again this is a fantasy football website). The only reason Gurley was not the best fantasy player for three straight seasons is another running back in this class: David Johnson.

Johnson’s 2016 season goes down into fantasy football lore. Over 2,000 yards from scrimmage, twenty touchdowns, best overall fantasy player. Much like Icarus Johnson flew too close to the sun and has not been the same since. Johnson was traded for DeAndre Hopkins last off-season and gave the Texans a whopping 690 yards. Hopkins on the other hand had a paltry 1400 yards receiving. Unfortunately, he will now be now lumped into sports conversations that include Delino Deshields (traded for Pedro Martinez), and Vlade Divac (traded for Kobe Bryant).

2016 Draft

We covered this. Henry and Zeke. Let’s ask the question though. Would you rather have Jalen Ramsey or Zeke? Jack Conklin/Ronnie Stanley or Zeke?  

2017 Draft    

I mentioned earlier about the depth of this class with Kamara, CMC, Mixon, Jones and Cook. Patrick Mahomes is far and away the best player in the draft followed by Deshaun Watson. Who is the best non quarterback in this draft? Kamara, CMC, Cook? All three have an argument. If you redraft this class Kamara, CMC and Cook all go in the top eight. For arguments sake the draft would go Mahomes, Watson, Myles Garret, Ryan Ramczyk, and TJ Watt. Then in some order Kamara, CMC or Cook. Kareem Hunt and Aaron Jones will most likely go in the first round in a re-draft as well.

2018 Draft

Nick Chubb and Saquon Barkley are really good. Eerily similar to the 2016 draft class with Chubb filling the Henry role (great second round pick!) and Barkley filling the Zeke role (Great player, but maybe drafted too high). Much like the 2011 Draft the best running back is a quarterback-Lamar Jackson

2019 Draft

Josh Jacobs, and David Montgomery are the two best running backs from this class. Both have had really good starts to their careers. The Raiders though thought enough of Jacobs to sign a big name backup in Kenyan Drake. Much like the 2011 and 2018 draft the best runner could end being a quarterback. In this case it would be Kyler Murray.

2020 Draft

This would be the class to rival the 2017 class with Jonathan Taylor, JK Dobbins, Clyde Edwards-Helaire (CEH), Antonio Gibson and Cam Akers. I would throw in D’Andre Swift but the Lions keep signing veteran running back to supplement carries away from Swift (Adrian Peterson last season and Jamaal Williams this off-season). This class rivals the depth of the ’17 group.

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