After years of a pass-heavy NFL, it seems as though the league is slowly shifting back towards a more balanced approach. As opposing defenses get lighter and faster, the offenses are prioritizing multiple tight end sets and running the ball right up the middle.
The NFL truly is cyclical, and even though the prevalence of the quarterback will probably always be more important than it was 30 or 40 years ago, running backs are finally getting love again after the “running backs don’t matter” movement of years past.
13 running backs are now making over $10 million a year, as opposed to there only being 8 in 2022. Part of that comes down to the increase in salary cap, sure, but it also demonstrates that more teams are willing to pay top dollar for a running back.
Going into 2026, there are plenty of talented backs. Pro Football Network has charted running back performance going back to 2013 and assigned a numerical grade to each qualified back using the PFN RB Impact Score.
Which running backs will finish in the top five in Impact this year? Will there be any new names that didn’t make the cut last season? Join us as we break down the five NFL running backs most likely to finish in the top five in PFN RB Impact Scoring.
James Cook, Buffalo Bills
Last season, James Cook’s 90.1 RB Impact Score led the NFL by a considerable margin. It’s no wonder; he led the league with 1,621 rushing yards, he finished second with 5.2 yards per carry, and his 1.9% boom-bust rare finished third among all qualified running backs.
As 2026 approaches, Cook retains most of the same Buffalo Bills offensive line that finished fifth in the NFL in PFN Team OL Impact. With DJ Moore in the fray on offense, the Bills should have an even better passing attack for Josh Allen to run with. A better passing attack means less stress on Cook, which should provide chances for him to run all over the opposition.
Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts
Jonathan Taylor was a bellcow back in every sense of the word in 2025. He ended up taking 86.6% of the Indianapolis Colts’ rushes last year, which tied with Ashton Jeanty for the highest percentage in the NFL. Taylor also led the league with 18 rushing touchdowns, placed third with 1,583 rushing yards, and ninth with 4.9 yards per carry.
After two down years in 2022 and 2023, Taylor has bounced right back into elite NFL running back territory, averaging 97.3 rushing yards per game over his last two seasons. The Colts didn’t add much competition for him in the backfield, and they’ll rely heavily on him with Daniel Jones coming back from injury. Taylor has another chance to put together an elite outing.
Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons
All across the board last year, Bijan Robinson was one of the NFL’s best running backs. With 1,478 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns, he was the lifeblood that kept the Atlanta Falcons’ offense running. His rushing impact wasn’t all, though; his 79 catches and 820 receiving yards both ranked second among all running backs in 2025.
Kevin Stefanski is now the head coach of the Falcons, and Nick Chubb put together tremendous numbers for Stefanski on the Browns. There’s no reason to worry about the coaching chance’s impact on Robinson, who remains one of the NFL’s elite running backs. His threat as a receiving back and consistency on the ground should get him his third top-five finish in RB Impact Scoring in a row in 2026.
Kyren Williams, Los Angeles Rams
The first entry on this list who didn’t finish in the top five last year, Kyren Williams has been the bellcow back for the Los Angeles Rams each of the last three seasons. He’s surpassed at least 1,100 rushing yards in each of those seasons, finishing each year with double-digit rushing touchdowns, as well.
In 2025, Williams ranked in the top 12 of practically every analytical category we use to evaluate the RB Impact Scoring formula. He’s been above-average in a lot of areas, but if he can improve his big play rate, it’s entirely possible he reaches the top five. It helps that the Rams’ offensive line led the NFL in PFN Team OL Impact Scoring last year, too.
Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions
Jahmyr Gibbs is an unbelievable talent who has been such a steady force since joining the Detroit Lions in 2023. He’s averaged at least 5.0 yards per carry in every one of his NFL seasons, and he’s combined for 3,768 scrimmage yards and 38 scrimmage touchdowns the last two years, playing in every single game.
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I have faith in the Lions’ offense bouncing back in 2025. In their case, “bouncing back” would be returning to the top five in overall PFN Offense Impact, as opposed to the No. 8 ranking they had last year. Another year of reps for some of their young offensive line starters should only help Gibbs as he pushes to return to the top five after finishing No. 2 in 2024.
