5. Doug Martin (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
As the only rookie in my top five, Doug Martin may be the most surprising player to make it onto my list. Some may say that I'm a prisoner of the moment, seeing as just last night Martin had a breakout performance against the Minnesota Vikings. He ran for 135 yards and a touchdown on 29 carries to go along with 79 receiving yards and another touchdown on 3 catches. This performance was no fluke and he is most certainly deserving of this ranking. While there were certainly other players that I strongly considered for my list that just barely missed it (Jamaal Charles, Frank Gore, and Alfred Morris to be specific), the dual threat capabilities of Martin propelled him to this spot. While the NFL becomes more and more pass happy it has become increasingly important for running backs to be able to catch passes out of the backfield, a skill that Martin excels at. He ranks 3rd among running backs in receiving yards with 224. The scary part is that, as I stated before, he is only a rookie and is continuing to get better as the season goes on. Over the last three games Martin has rushed for 296 yards while averaging 5.1 yards per carry, caught eight passes for 171 yards, and scored three total touchdowns. As Martin continues to improve he is going to command more respect and be universally recognized as one of the best running backs in the league.
4. Marshawn Lynch (Seattle Seahawks)
I must say that I am extremely impressed by what Marshawn Lynch has done (on the field) in Seattle to revitalize his career. After a couple of off the field issues with the Buffalo Bills, Lynch hoped to find a new beginning in Seattle. His first season with the team was less than stellar, racking up only 573 rushing yards in 12 games. I admittedly thought his career was over. Last season was a different story, however, as he ran for over 1,200 yards. This season he has continued to build on that success, as he currently finds himself ranked 5th in the league with 93.1 yards per game. While the numbers alone are impressive, what really makes him deserving of this ranking on my list is how he gets his yards. I'm not sure if Lynch is just mad at the world in general or what, but when he has the ball in his hands he runs angry. He refuses to go down willingly and fights through contact each time he is handed the ball, as he displayed in this famous run against the Saints in the playoffs two years ago (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKVEttPqvmE). He also is forced to do this without much consistent help from his quarterback, Russel Wilson. I have nothing against Wilson and believe he can be a good player, but he is still a rookie that is learning the game, which leads to inconsistent performances. This allows defenses to stack the box in an attempt to slow Lynch down, while daring Wilson to beat them with his arm. Lynch scraps and fights for each yard that he gets and is the man that drives the Seahawks' offense, making him a big part of the reason Seattle has four wins.
3. Arian Foster (Houston Texans)
Arian Foster is an absolute workhorse for the Houston Texans and is a huge part of the reason that they are first in the AFC with a record of 6-1. He leads the league with 24 carries per game, which is three more than the any other player in the league (Lynch is second with 21 carries per game). His work has resulted in him ranking 3rd in the league with 94.1 rushing yards per game. His biggest contribution, however, comes from his ability to finish drives by getting into the end zone, as he leads all running backs with nine rushing touchdowns, four more than any other back in the league. While his 3.9 yards per carry is nothing to write home about, the key for him is that he rarely gets tackled for a loss. As soon as he gets the ball he finds a hole and runs straight through it for as many yards as he can get. Very seldom will you see him dancing around in the backfield or trying to run sideways or backwards to get around a guy. He simply takes what the defense gives him, which is an underrated facet of his game. Most importantly, he takes care of the football, recording no fumbles so far this season. By avoiding negative plays and gaining at least a couple yards on each run, Foster keeps the Texans offense moving and, more often than not, leads them to victory.
2. Adrian Peterson (Minnesota Vikings)
What can I say about Adrian Peterson? He just continues to prove people wrong again and again. Approximately ten months removed from surgery to repair a torn ACL, Peterson finds himself second in the league with 96.9 rushing yards per game. The scary part is that he isn't even 100% yet. Regardless, he remains one of the top running backs in the league because of his extremely versatile skill set and freakish athletic ability. Like Lynch, Peterson runs with a purpose and fights for every possible yard he can get, especially around the goal line. Unlike Lynch though, Peterson has blazing break away speed that makes him a threat to take it to the house on every play. Peterson leads all running backs with eight plays of 20+ yards. This game breaking ability makes defenses focus on him at all times, allowing fellow offensive players like quarterback Christian Ponder and wide receiver Percy Harvin to be more successful. As a fan I can't wait for Peterson to be back to 100% health because if he is this good when not at full strength, we are all in for a treat when he becomes completely healthy.
1. Ray Rice (Baltimore Ravens)
Ray Rice is criminally under-utilized in the Baltimore Ravens offense. Under the direction of offensive coordinator Cam Cameron the Ravens have become a pass heavy offense, lead by quarterback Joe Flacco. While Flacco is certainly no scrub, he is currently sporting the 17th best QBR of 53.9, an extremely average rating. So the fact that Rice is currently on pace to have the lowest number of carries since his rookie year is absolutely mind boggling to me. Despite his egregious lack of touches, Rice has still found a way to be extremely productive this season. He is an enormous threat in both the ground game and the passing game, resulting in him ranking third among running backs in total yards per game. Since he doesn't get nearly enough touches, he does this by averaging 4.9 yards per carry and 8.4 yards per catch. He also doesn't turn the ball over, as he has yet to fumble this season. When you watch this 5'8" (like we actually believe he's that tall) tank it is clear that he does not give a damn about his short stature. He will not hesitate to get in the face of a defender that is much taller than him, and more importantly, he doesn't fear anyone while he's running with the ball. With his low center of gravity and immense strength, he is almost impossible to bring down as he runs through defenders that are much bigger than him. This is a public service announcement to Cam Cameron. With the injuries that have plagued the defense this season, the offense will need to pick up the slack if the Ravens are going to contend for the Super Bowl. The only way to do that is to fully utilize the phenomenal talent of Ray Rice who has worked his way up to become the best running back in the NFL. You've been warned.
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