Christian McCaffrey and Derrick Henry have been the two most dominant running backs of the 2020s. Even at 30 and 32 years old, both veterans remain among the league’s best. With PFN’s recent release of its Top 100 players entering the 2026 season, here’s a closer look at which future Hall of Fame running back ranked higher.
PFN Reveals Who Ranks Higher Between Christian McCaffrey and Derrick Henry
Despite their age, Henry and McCaffrey ranked No. 36 and No. 37, respectively, in PFN’s Top 100. Among running backs, they also finished back-to-back, ranking as the league’s second- and third-best ball carriers behind only Lions star Jahmyr Gibbs (No. 18).
PFN’s Jacob Infante offered a detailed analysis of both running backs.
“When Christian McCaffrey is healthy, a legitimate argument could be made that he’s the best running back in the NFL,” he wrote. “Since 2018, he’s played in fewer than eight games in three of those eight seasons. In those other five, however, he’s been the highest-scoring running back by our RB Impact Scoring method a whopping four times. In 2025, he still managed to come in at No. 3.”
“McCaffrey has been a first-team All-Pro at running back twice in the last three years, winning Offensive Player of the Year in 2023 and Comeback Player of the Year in 2025. He’s arguably the best receiving back in the league and is coming off two seasons with over 2,000 scrimmage yards in that aforementioned three-year span.”
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As for the Ravens star, Infante wrote, “Derrick Henry will be 33 years old by the end of the 2026-27 NFL regular season, but there have been no signs of slowing down for the five-time Pro Bowler. His 1,595 rushing yards in 2025 marked the second-highest total he’s had since he surpassed the 2,000-yard mark in 2020, and he’s now reached double-digit rushing touchdowns in each of his last eight seasons.”
McCaffrey, the best dual-threat back in the NFL, and Henry, arguably the best pure runner in the NFL, each have a strong case for ranking higher than the other. PFN, in this case, believes Henry has the slight edge.
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“With seven finishes in the top ten in RB Impact Scoring in his last eight years, Henry is consistently one of the best backs in the NFL year in and year out,” Infante continued.
“After coming in second with a stellar 95.8 score in 2024, he followed it up with a strong 83.4 that earned him a seventh-place finish. He’s averaged over 5.0 yards per carry in consecutive seasons.”
The margin between McCaffrey and Henry is so minimal entering the 2026 season that the debate may never truly end. For now, fans should appreciate their greatness, as the two superstar backs may have only a few years left before retirement.
