The Fumblerooski Podcast - What's The Rush -Ep 31 the Fumblerooski Podcast

Episode Date: July 7, 2021

After discussing current news in the NFL, we rank our top 10 Running Backs going into the 2021 NFL season in what is our second week of ranking offensive players. Tune in to Episode 31 of The Fumblerooski Podcast!

Good evening, you are listening to the Fumble Rooski podcast by Power 88 Dean Radio. I'm your host, Adam Wright, along with Justin Tucker, our co-host. So now, we're going to get into our second week of player rankings. We're going to go with the top 10 running backs going into the 2021 season. We're going to get to that fairly soon. But as always, we're going to get go into our our current news around the NFL. So a couple of things happening. Nikhil Harry wants out of New England. He's requested a trade formally. So that's news. Aaron Rodgers during after a golf match on TNT against Tom Brady, he kind of sidestepped questions about whether or not he'll play for the Packers this season, saying, I don't know, we'll see. First round picks, Trevor Lawrence, Mack Jones, they were both signed to rookie deals. Now, Justin, I understand you have some thoughts on Nikhil Harry requesting a trade. What do you have on this? I was actually kind of fascinated. Of all people in New England to formally request a trade him request a trade i mean i understand he hasn't been like productive in new england i understand that there are certain

variables that might explain some things but he should not be talking the way he is or the way his agent is talking about it when i saw this i immediately thought of you and thought oh all right let me see what adam thinks and not only did i show it to him he liked it and said bye so i guess that's how real new england fans feel about it and so i'm like i guess there's more room for the wide receivers now to get more opportunities. Now, I'll tell you with Nikhil Harry, I mean, I had some high hopes for him coming out of the draft after the 2018 draft, I believe, when he was drafted. And he just – over the past few seasons, he just turned out to be a complete bust. And now I really wish he played better than he did. But, I mean, his agent, when he requested a trade, and this is a real quote,

he said, his agent said, there are, I feel there's greener pastures somewhere else if he were to get a green, if he were to get a fresh start. Now, let me just ask, based off what you've seen from Nikhil Harry, what greener pastures are there? What opportunity, based on what you've seen from this player, what opportunity could you possibly see where he ends up playing better? He couldn't gain separation. He had the case of the drops. He had the case of the fumbles. Where?

The Canadian Football League? The best chance he's going to get is maybe he'll be a punt returner somewhere. Or maybe he'll be a nice special teams player somewhere else. But a greener pass – do we think that he's going to become the player that he was in college where he was actually a very dominant wide receiver for – what was it, Arizona State? Yes. So you think there is? No, that's the college he went to. Yeah.

So I just don't see – he's just a bust, and I hate to say it. I really had high hopes for this guy, but it's over now. This guy – it's either you stick it out in New England and you try to carve out a role, or you wind up being waiver fodder, going in fantasy football terms. You've become waiver wire fodder, and you wind up being some practice squad player somewhere on some bum team. That's what this is going to be. And you're going to have to stick it out here and try to carve out some sort of a role because he's not done enough so that he could actually find – if he gets released, if he gets traded, he's going to become a journeyman.

He's going to become this bottom of the roster player. to become this bottom-of-the-roster player. If that, maybe he'll probably be a practice squad player, just bouncing around back and forth, and he'll never carve out a role anywhere. He's going to have to figure it out here somehow and find a way to show teams that he has some sort of value in this league because he really – he's shown – he's just a complete stiff. Every time I think about this New England Patriots offense, any time I think about this New England Patriots offense, it turns – like I don't – like Nikhil Harry's an afterthought. I go, oh yeah, he's still on the team. I'm thinking of Nelson Aguilar. I'm thinking of, I'm thinking of Kendrick Bourne. I'm thinking, I'm even thinking of, I'm thinking of Jacoby Myers. Hell, I'm

even thinking of, uh, what's his name? Um, Gunnar Ocheski. I'm thinking of that guy over Nikhil Harry. Okay. Hold on. I don't think of Nikhil Harry in this offense. I think of our two tight ends that we got out of the free agency, where we got Jonu Smith and Hunter Henry. I think of our running back core that has been very – that has been very deep over the years. I don't think of Nikhil Harry anymore.

He's just – he's a bust. And if he's going – if I'm Nikhil Harry, you have to find a way to figure it out here because I don't think there's any other, it's going to be the same. It's going to be the same issue somewhere, anywhere else. He's got to find a way to make it work in the NFL. If it's not working in New England, I wouldn't just try to like, what is it? A square peg in a round hole. If it's not working in New England, I wouldn't suffice it to say maybe finding another place to go would be the best thing for him. He's not getting the opportunities he may need in New England. To be honest, I'm not sure where he's going to get it, but it's probably something he needs to do right now.

He hasn't panned out the way New England Patriots fans would have wanted. He's not that thousand yard receiver guy that we New England fansots fans would have wanted. He's not that 1,000-yard receiver guy that New England fans hope for, but hopefully down the line he could develop into a wide receiver number two for another team. So you think he could be a wide receiver number two? Yeah, he's not a number one. I think if he worked hard enough, he could be a solid number two. See, I see him as a special teams player at best.

Maybe a kick returner. Or let's say, I mean, he can make tackles on special teams. He's a big guy. He's so disrespectful. I just don't see it anymore. He doesn't really have any speed either. He's just kind of been that guy who's just big and he just goes up and grabs jump balls. And he hasn't even been able to do that all that well. A lot of the time, a lot of times he drops it. So he doesn't

create much separation. And he just, he doesn't, he drops the ball sometimes. And he all, and he drops the ball sometimes, and he's also been fumbling it a little bit. He's made key mistakes at key moments time and time again, and that's a huge problem in the NFL. In the NFL, when you're coming out of the draft, people want immediate success. Teams want immediate success from you. And at least three years pushes it. You expect from one to two. And Nikhil Harry, he's going on to year three.

And he's shown very few signs that he could be a productive player anywhere in the NFL. You're right. The only team I know that practices patience when it comes to draft picks is the Green Bay Packers and quarterbacks

because they did it with Aaron Rodgers and they're now doing it with Jordan Love. They do. They do. But they did get some more immediate success out of Brett Favre, and they got some. They didn't draft Brett Favre. They didn't draft him.

They traded for him. And then he started right away, and he played very well. Yeah. And Aaron, yeah, you have a good point. Aaron Rodgers, they were very – I'm not sure if it was more so just a developmental thing with Aaron Rodgers. I think it was more so that they had a Hall of Fame quarterback starting. So they were just looking – they were trying to solve a little quarterback controversy going on there. And Brett Favre stayed on the team for a few years before he left for – I believe it was New York first.

Yep. And then Aaron Rodgers started, and he's been the starting quarterback ever since. Anyways, but yeah, besides maybe the Green green bay packers you don't see it just teams want immediate success and it's kind of the nature of the sport sort of careers are shorter um there's there's fewer games in the season um so you just need like you want teams want something they want it now um and Nikhil Harry uh this guy has not come anywhere close to expectations for the NFL I just think this guy's a bust maybe he could carve out some sort of a role somewhere else but I this guy if as far as being that first-round pick selected by the New England Patriots, he's not going to live up to that hype. He just won't.

I hope I'm wrong. I sure hope I'm wrong. But I highly doubt it'll happen. To wrap this up in a nice, neat little bow, you guys passed on Terry McLaurin and DK Metcalf for Nikhil Harry. You forgot AJ Brown, but yeah. Yep. A.J. Brown. A.J. Brown, too.

And they were apparently, they were about to draft, that team was about to draft Debo Samuel. And they were looking at A.J. Brown very heavily, too. And then Bill Belichick vetoed all of that. He ignored all of the scouts. He ignored all of management. And he decides, I'm going to draft Nikhil Harry. Because he had one interview with him.

He had one meeting with him that he was blown away with. And that's turned out to, that's come back to haunt him ever since because all those all of the players who we just mentioned those are all players who are doing very well in the nfl yes even debo samuel that guy was that guy if he had a better role if he if he had a role in new england rather than the 49ers he he could put up wide receiver one type numbers. He's more of a wide receiver two type of guy right now because of the system he's playing in. And he's also playing behind a couple of players,

such as Iuke, what's his name, Emmanuel Sanders before that. There was also George Kittle at the tight end, who's one of the best tight ends in the league, as we established last year. Both of our number two tight ends in the entire NFL. But anyways, that's just something. Yeah, you guys could have used Deebo Samuel in the same way you guys tried to use Nikhil Harry on sweeps and stuff. And he fits their scheme, too. Yeah, he would have been just fine, but I guess not.

Maybe if they did it, Tom Brady would still be on the team. But that's none of my business anymore. Anyways, moving on from all the current news. So again, to reiterate stuff that's been going on around the league, Nikhil Harry, he has requested a trade from New England. He wants to go into a better situation that forum. they think that a change of scenery would really help help him uh i i call bs on that justin justin thinks that might be a good idea um aaron rogers uh during uh after his golf match in an interview he kind of sidestepped some questions on whether or not he'll be playing for the packers this season saying i don't know we'll see. So that adds on to a lot of the drama going on this offseason with Aaron Rodgers.

And some of the drama that's going on with a lot of quarterbacks, if you remember, earlier this offseason, there was Deshaun Watson earlier on, and he was probably about to get traded before a lot of these allegations came out I'm not we're not going to comment on those. We don't know anything about it yet Or if he'll even be on the team But that's an interesting situation to monitor There's been there were some tensions with There were some tensions with Russell Wilson going around. So there were some – this all just piles up.

There's been a lot of quarterback drama this offseason. It's been really interesting. First-round picks, Trevor Lawrence and Mack Jones, they were signed to rookie deals. Those are two very highly touted prospects. Trevor Lawrence with some high expectations. He got a big contract. I'm forgetting how much it was. Justin, do you remember the specific contract that he was given?

Was it four years, $36 million? Or somewhere around that ballpark? It was something like that, something really high. Not to say that he doesn't deserve it. To tell you the truth, with the expectations that he has, we'll see how this goes. But I like what the Jaguars are doing surrounding him. I don't. I think it's a start for a quarterback.

You don't? Why would they draft Travis Etienne when they have James Robinson on the roster? That still befuddles me. That part doesn't make much sense to me either, but at least they're putting some pieces around on offense. And they're giving him a little bit of a run game, so it's not all pressure on trevor lawrence yeah that's you know what you know i hear i i hear in justin as a um i mean you play in college a little bit yeah um

what i hear um a lot about a rookie quarterback is a running back. What a running back can become a young quarter, young and experienced quarterback's best friend. Somebody who takes the pressure off Lawrence, somebody who can set the tone, set a sort of a one dimensional, sorry, a two dimensional offense where, where the quarterback can actually flourish

and he may not – he can be better set up for success. They also put in some help on defense, a couple wide receivers. So that's interesting. Yeah, I can understand all that. My issue is they helped the defense, sure. They got players that they needed to, like, to kill Griffin. I believe he'll be a big help to the secondary. I understand the things on the offense. I like their, I kind of do like their wide receiver core. My thing is, if you're telling me that he needed a running back to take the pressure off him, he already had that in James Robinson. He was that offense for most of

2020. So if you were going to do that, I don't see the added benefit of drafting another running back in the first round when there was more running backs in the second or third or fourth or fifth round that they could have took to me that was just a waste of like a capital like a waste of a first round pick and i like travis at the end i just don't like him at 25th to the jaguars i think he's a first round talent i just don't think the running back position is valued as that anymore based upon the contracts and the number of years they're given. And also, in the second round, second and third rounds, you can see people like Alvin Kamara have great careers.

It's not like I don't value him as a first-round back. It's just I didn't understand it, especially since they already have an undrafted running back in James Robinson who is a 1,000-yard rusher. I just didn't get it. Okay. So who would you rather they have drafted with that pick? Would you rather they have addressed defense?

Would you rather they have tried to look for a wide receiver out there? The best players available in the draft at the time for me was the Notre Dame linebacker, Jeremiah Owusu-Koromoa. My thing is they already have Miles Jacks. So I'm like, all right, he can fill the Telvin Smith position when Telvin Smith retired. And, you know, because Telvin Smith retired and he could be a big part of that defense. I think he could have helped them become a better defense and he could have won defensive rookie of the year or whatever. I think that could have been a major, major upgrade for them.

I didn't necessarily see running back if they were worried about Cam Robinson and whether or not he'll leave. They could have just drafted Tevin Jenkins and filled him at left at left tackle and be fine there. There were a number of things they could have done and they were still shaky at corner. They could have drafted and they were still shaky at corner they could have drafted greg newsome they there's a lot of things they could have done but they just chose to go running back to like give i guess a more of a feel like all right i feel more comfortable in this offense because i have a running back that i know and understand and we understand each other and have a feeling of chemistry, that's fine and all, but this ain't college. Yeah, it looks like they're trying to do some sort of a run-first offense, but I tend to agree a little bit.

All I'm saying is that it's clear that they're trying to they're making some sort of an effort to uh set set up trevor lawrence for success that's all i'm trying to say um it may not make make too much sense but it's at least it's a move on the offensive side of the ball a gesture toward towards trevor lawrence a run first offense is very good to get Trevor Lawrence started in his NFL career. A guy who's a highly touted prospect, by the way, who has had high expectations since his freshman year in college. Back during the bowl game where he tore up that Alabama defense. So high expectations from him. Anyways, we're going to get started on our player rankings.

We're going to go into running backs this episode. So as usual, 10 through 6, 5 through 1, split it up into two segments. Stay tuned. You're listening to the Fumble Rooski podcast. Okay, so top 10 running backs in the NFL. We're going to start with our bottom five. So that is 10 through 6. Justin, so do you want to get us started here with our top 10 running backs headed into the 2021 season?

Yeah, before I get started, I would like to point out running backs is a very hard list to do. Because there's so many good running backs, and depending on how you value running backs, you know, this might be extremely different from the next person's. I don't know what Adam's list is, but I think we have similar spots for running back, so I don't think it's going to be all too shocking unless he gives me a pick that I just didn't see coming.

I think this might be an interesting one, but for my number 10 spot, I got Josh Jacobs. Okay, that's an interesting one. He's a solid one. I think he had a down year concerning his rookie year last year. Still a 1,000-yard rusher. Still put up double-digit touchdowns.

I just think he just didn't perform to the level he was supposed to. And I think over time, you started to see it. I think he was dealing with injuries for a part of the season. And overall, I think that slowed him down. Didn't have a bad year. I mean, still a 1,000-yard rusher, but I think he'll stay at 10 because of the addition of Kenyon Drake. I think the addition of Kenyon Drake doesn't necessarily help him

as far as, like, receptions and, like, rushing yards or rushing attempts, but I think it helps him, like, stays healthy and helps the Raiders in the long term so I I liked job I liked Josh Jacobs last year um don't well going into last year of course but the issue with John with Josh Jacobs is they brought in Kenyon Drake as well. And that kind of worries me for their faith in Josh Jacobs. Because going into this past offseason, or going into the last season, that organization wanted him to be the bell cow

they expected him to be that top running back that guy who could just be a workhorse and just um just put up numbers and just be the delvin cook the christian mccaffrey of the world and it turns out that he was a major disappointment uh for him to be for him to get such a big workload and to not be able to deliver on that so he's out of my he's actually outside of my top 10 I don't have him in there but what I do have is Jonathan Taylor another guy who did have oh did start off who did start off the season with some turbulence I'll grant you you. But as the season went on, he started to settle in and he started to make some strides in development. This is a guy who is working behind one of the best offensive lines in the game. They're in a very good system with a great with a very good offense

just all-around great team surrounding him and a player where when he gets his opportunities he plays he plays well when he's on it when he has his head screwed on straight I This team now has a better quarterback, and I have Jonathan Taylor showing more development and becoming one of the better running backs in the league this year. He's my number 10 guy. Are you going to pick him up through fantasy? Is that what you're going to do? I'm thinking about it.

I like him. I think, well, there's a reason I have him at number 10 and not top five. I mean, once you get, when you're at the bottom five, I mean, you can make a case for anybody. But I like Jonathan Taylor. I think this is a guy who is in a good situation, and I think things are only going to get better for him. He's in the back. Marlon Mack is coming back. Yeah, but I like – there's a reason why they took this guy early.

I'm fine with him. I think he'll have, like, around 800 to 1,000, but Marlon Mack's coming back, and then Naheem Hines is still in the back. So it's not like they're, like like not going to go into a committee I think they can afford to do that because they have one of the best lines in the NFL that's my list they could have other guys running for him but I but I think Jonathan Taylor is going to be the lead guy he's's going to be running the show. You think he's going to be like Mozart of Indianapolis?

What's that? I just don't see it being a committee. I think one guy is going to rise up above the rest, and that guy is going to be Jonathan Taylor. There's a reason why they took him so early. They leaned on him heavily towards the end of the season and they won games because of that. So I'm going to say, I'm going to go out on a limb and say, Jonathan Taylor is going to, he won't, these other guys won't be an issue for

him. I mean, Marlon Mack, Marlon Mack hasn't been in the, in the running back picture in a long time and there's no telling that he's going to be the same player. He had a torn ACL, correct? Having injuries for running backs is a reason why running backs don't last. Injuries to running backs are devastating, especially like that. And there's no guarantee that he's going to be the best. Naheem Hines is more of a

pass-catching guy. I just think Jonathan Taylor is more of the all-around guy. I hope so. I hope so for Indianapolis' sake and Carson Wentz' sake. Alright, but give me your number nine. My number nine guy?

Ezekiel Elliott. Ezekiel Elliott, okay. That's a little low. I can't put him higher. I don't think he's top five now. It's arguable. He makes the top ten. He came off a bad season.

I can excuse his bad season based upon the fact he didn't have deck for most of it so it's not like his quarterback position was taking the pressure off of him in any way shape or form but he had a bad season i mean he had way too many fumbles for my liking you saw the game against it i'm not sure if you saw the game against Arizona. He fumbled way too many times from my right hand. Ezekiel Elliott's a guy who you could tell that it was more so the situation rather than the player himself. And maybe towards the end of the season he did get in his head a little bit. But you could see in the early going of that season, when Dak was there,

and even a couple games after, he was always – I mean, he looked like himself. And he was just – it was just business as usual. You know, a lot of running backs can suffer when the box is being stacked against you and the offense is just a drag. I mean, did you see the guys who they were rolling out there? Even, you know, even Andy Dalton got hurt. Yeah. So they were rolling out these guys who don't even know how to play quarterback, who aren't real NFL quarterbacks, and we really can't expect results from him when that happens. I understand.

And Dak Prescott's coming back. They have all these weapons on offense still with that three-headed monster at wide receiver. Yeah, that's a good three-headed monster. Hopefully that offensive line gets better, but I see Ezekiel Elliott doing a little better next year. But I understand why he's low. I have him low too, just not that low. I looked at him like, is Tony Pollard better than Ezekiel Elliott at some parts during the season?

And he was. Right, there was a little bit of a mental aspect but I mean if you if you look at it you know Tony Paulard is playing for his life playing for his football life Aaron Ezekiel Elliott's always been a top pick so like you know when you and right out of the gates in his NFL career he he was a playoff he was a they were a playoff team so you know he expect he expects more there's more of a mental aspect to it um when it comes to this past season you know tony pauler is kind of a he's kind of always been a sidecar so one one player who's always behind somebody else and i just think ezekiel elliott's the type of guy who's just you know he kind of gotten his into inside of his own head a little bit.

He lost his quarterback. And he's a star player who expects, I don't know, I have him a little higher. But anyways, number nine, Antonio Gibson is my number nine guy um Antonio Gibson was a player who um who people who people from fantasy football a lot of people saw as the sleeper guy and boy did he deliver he had over a thousand yards he showed plenty of ability in the receiving game and he really helped out that Washington football team offense this is this is a guy who is going to who is great last year and is going to get better and is going to is going to lead that bat that Washington football team backfield I

have Antonio Gibson at number nine i respect that i really respect that because i picked him up last year because i thought he was going to be asleep when i remember everybody saying what are you doing justin why are you picking up picking him up he's going to washington i'm like he's i believe he'll be good for that team surprise surprise I was right. He had double-digit touchdowns, and that's all she wrote. And I'll never forget Brian getting mad at me for not using him on Thanksgiving Day. Because he had 36 points on Thanksgiving Day.

I'm like, okay. He never made your starting lineup, did he? He made it a couple of times. I'm like, see, he can give me double-digit points. And I'm like, my running back core was just too good. I couldn't keep him in all the time. That's why you got to trade him and get something you need at that position. I mean, running back was really scarce this past season. But we're getting off topic with this fantasy football crap.

But give me your number eight guy. My number eight guy, Saquon Barkley. Saquon Barkley, okay. I think he'll be a sleeper, but he's coming off injury. He's coming. So I'm not sure if he'll be completely 100%. So I think he'll be hesitant at times. But overall, I think he'll still be a major part of the offense.

Because, as a matter of fact, he may not be a major part, but I still think he'll have a big part of the offense. Because now that he has weapons around him, he won't have to face against eight or nine people on the box. And if he has space, oh, my God, he is electrifying in space. So that's why I have him number eight, just coming off the injury. See, he's a player who, even when he was healthy in years, he just didn't perform right since his rookie year. And I'm sure a lot of that has to be the fact that they're misusing them. The idea that they're misusing him, the team is misusing him. But you add that on kind of like in the back of his head that he was underutilized even when he was playing well. You add the injury to it, and you wonder if that's going to affect his career for the rest of his playing career.

You know, I would just wonder. I have him outside my top ten. I'm kind of starting to write him off. And I feel like part of it's not really his fault. But I'm a little worried about him. It just feels like the clock is kind of ticking on him. He's been in the league for a few years. It's around these next couple of years where running backs start to decline a little bit. They usually last only a few seasons and he was drafted back when was it like 2017? 2018. 2018 so it's been it's been three years so he probably only has a couple of years where he's in prime condition and I wonder if he even is prime condition

because he's been fighting this injury and I wonder if he even is prime condition because he's been fighting this injury. And I wonder if he's gotten into his head a little bit with the way they've been using him. Because even what, like I said, even when he was healthy, he wasn't putting up great numbers. So I wonder if there's something going on. Or if something will go on. He actually didn't make my top ten list. I feel like he needs to prove something. Stop that. Stop that right now.

Stop that. His last good season was 2017. 2018. 2018. When he was healthy, he was a, I want to say, 1,100 to 1,300-yard rusher. Back in 2018. 2019, he was still a 1,300-yard rusher. Back in 2018. 2019, he was still a 1,000-yard rusher. And considering the fact that Giants offense was basically him,

his Danny Dimes is Danny Dimes, that's respectable. And in 2020, he gets injured. So let's calm down a bit. Let's not go too far here. He doesn't have a history of bit. Let's not go too far here. He doesn't have a history of injuries. It's just that one. So hopefully, knock on wood, he'll bounce back

and be the player he was before he got injured. I'm not saying history of injuries, but I'm saying a injury happened, and it's a torn ACL. And that could take, you know, players coming back from a torn ACL, especially running backs, it takes some time for them to fully feel like themselves again.

And this is time taken off the clock from, this is a year of his career that could be wasted. And I just hope it doesn't affect him. Anyways, my number eight is David Montgomery. He made it to eight? Yes, he made it to eight. And the reason for that is kind of like Jonathan Taylor, a player who struggled in the beginning of this season and in past seasons. And he's a player who out of the gates during his NFL career, we all had very high expectations for him,

and he's been a little underwhelming. But down the stretch of this past season, he really turned it on. And I believe he ended this season with close to 1,500 total scrimmage yards. So this is a player who could be finally reaching his full potential as a complete sort of Kareem Hunt, Alvin Kamara type back. Where he can do both and sort of play aem Hunt, Alvin Kamara type back where he can do both and sort of play a huge role in this offense. He always had a very solid floor. He was always catching passes. He was always rushing.

He's getting touchdowns. He has the potential to do it all and um if if his progression from last season from the end of last season continues i see him being a top five we could talk we could have a realistic conversation about him being a top five running back going into the 2022 season possibly so i really really like David Montgomery. He's a player who I've always wanted to play well. And I think he has the key and he showed, he showed signs of it towards the end of last season. I see him doing it again. You're saying that because he, when he was on my team,

he was doing well when you traded him. And I traded him to you and I was right. I said, this guy's about to explode. And he did. Yeah, he had to. I tell you, my running back quote was amazing. But that's besides the point. Right, because you had David Montgomery.

Not just him. Just it was awesome. But besides that, David Montgomery, he didn't make my top 10. I like him, but I feel like they're about to handcuff him because they just drafted another running back Hope you're not careful. He could be handcuffed by The backup too. So yeah, that's why he didn't make my list I like him but it's like do they really trust in us like the bow cow quarterback or cowbell running back? running that oh

I believe when help when he's healthy and I believe he'll help Justin Fields be the true number one quarterback of the team, but I believe he'll help any quarterback because he's a I think he's a very good running back. Well, I'll tell you what.

This is a guy who you mentioned that they drafted Justin Fields. They haven't had a very legitimate quarterback in just stacking the box against David Montgomery. And it makes all of their wide receivers that they have, the Allen Robinsons of the world, the Darnell Moonies of the world, the Anthony Millers of the world, those players become a lot more relevant now to opposing defenses. And they have to respect the passing game more, and that opens up more lanes for David Montgomery. So this is – so it's just – in a lot of different aspects, I really like David Montgomery going into the 2021 season. That's funny.

Anyways, give me your number seven pick. This is a fan favorite for me. I've been a fan of his as a wild card. K.K. Dobbins? No, he didn't make my list. I don't have any Ravens running back in my list. This is a fan favorite from I've been a fan of his as a wild No, he didn't make my list. I don't have any Ravens running back in my list surprising My number seven guys My number seven guys Chris Carson Chris Carson, yeah, okay

He's a hard-nosed one. I love the way way he runs he doesn't want to go out and go out of balance you always look he always looks for that extra extra hit he's always looking to for people to force him out of balance and I oh man I like the way he runs he's always looking for extra yards always looking to fight for more just phenomenal and if injuries don't hurt him I hopefully he'll be still be a top 10 running back but I'm not sure he will be because of injuries but if he remains the same oh yes he's the top 10 running back because they do him no favors in Seattle see I have liked Chris Carson, and he's always been an underrated running back in this league.

I just never saw him as a top 10 guy, probably just outside of maybe top 15. But at number seven, who I have is Ezekiel Elliott. So I have him a little higher than you. So he's struggled this past year. I completely understand that. The only reason I give him the benefit of the doubt and think he's going to bounce back next season is because he was playing perfectly fine up until Dak Prescott got hurt. It was all business as usual for Ezekiel Elliott until Dak went down. All the wide receivers became irrelevant. It became a one-dimensional offense where it was all just stacked boxes against Ezekiel Elliott.

And things went downhill for him. And you were saying, you were looking at Tony Pollard as a better running back at points because a mental aspect got, there's a very real possibility, there's a mental aspect that played into it where it's like your team that seemed relevant before is now irrelevant and now this other player, this kind of sort of player who's just kind of always been battling for playoff for playing time where in a in a in a season where that's more where that's become what it's more about is more playing for playoff time rather than playing for the super bowl tony pollard was allowed to flourish it didn't that mental aspect didn't play, didn't affect him quite as much, but it affected

Ezekiel Elliott more. And I think going into a fresh season, you have your quarterback healthy, all the wide receivers become, all of the whole passing offense becomes relevant again people will have team opposing defenses will have to respect the to respect the run uh sorry respect the run respect the passing game and it'll become a um it'll become a well-rounded offense again and the numbers will return for ezekiel elli Elliott I don't think this this was so much on the player it was more so on the situation it was just a cruddy situation that he was a part of I hope so because he's the 50 million dollar guaranteed man what six years 90 million 50 million guaranteed he better step up I can't be paying you like that if my second running back is playing better than you.

Yeah, I agree. Who's your number six then? My number six? Aaron Jones. Okay. I really thought he was top five, But then I looked at my top five And I was like That might be tough

It might be tough But top six is still a very good running goal And the reason I like Aaron Jones so much Because he's a threat no matter where you put him In the slot In the backfield Just give him the ball in space And he's willing to make a play

And he's a very good slasher That give him the ball in space and he's willing to make a play. And he's a very good slasher that can take the ball inside and out and can score from anywhere. My favorite play of his was against Detroit when he went for that long touchdown because he gave me like an uncertain like 40-something points that day and basically won me fantasy that week. I was like, yeah. And he was like the record leader for our league at the time until Tyron Kill happened. We don't talk about that.

But, yeah. I believe he is a big reason why Green Bay is successful as it is right now. And hopefully Aaron Rodgers will play for them again. Aaron Jones will be another big reason why they'll go far in the playoffs. Okay, so see, I have Aaron Jones a little higher, but I have Nick Chubb at number six. See, Nick Chubb, he's a great runner. He's shown tremendous speed.

And he has everything that you need just rushing the ball. The issue is that he shows a little – he's lacking in the pass catching. And I just think Nick Chubb is – Nick Chubb is a player player who is able to rush the ball very well. But, yeah, I have Nick Chubb at number six. That's a nice spot for a little Nick Chubb. I'm surprised you didn't put Kareem Hunt in your list. Kareem Hunt. If he was on a different team, if he was on a team as a bell cow back, he'd be on this list. So we're going to transition into our top five running backs in the National Football League, going to the 2021 season. So you're not going to want to miss this.

Stay tuned. You're listening to the fumble ruski podcast all right it's the final countdown the top five running backs going into the 2021 season we have our top five coming right up justin why don't you kick us off with your number five running back in the national football league it's surprising you said Nick Chubb was your number six guy because he's my number five guy. As much as it pains me to say, he is a load to deal with and I am a Ravens fan and it hurts me to say that a Cleveland Browns player is hard to deal with, but he is very hard to deal with. But yeah, Nick Chubb is the obvious leading rusher of the Browns. And from his rookie season, you could tell he had potential.

But from his second year on, you knew he was going to be a problem for NFL defenses. And now that he has Kareem Hunt by his side, he's only going to be more of a problem. So I believe he is a top to be more of a problem. So, I believe he is a top five running back all by himself, but now that he is with Kareem Hunt, that duo, it might take away some carries, but he'll be effective when he has his carries late into the fourth. So, yeah, he's made it into my top five. So, it's interesting that you have Nick Chubb at your number five and Aaron Jones at number six because I have Aaron Jones at number five.

Oh. So the reason I have Aaron Jones at number five is – and the reason I don't have him any higher is because he gets injured quite a bit. However, this guy is a complete back. He can rush the ball very well, and he can catch it and he can just he he is exactly what aaron rogers needed when he needed a rushing attack this guy he can run the ball he can he can catch it and he can and he can score a touchdown pass sorry uh score touchdowns. This guy is a complete back. The only thing that's holding him back from being a top three running back in this league is injuries.

If he could figure out the injuries, then he'd be right up there with everybody else, with all the elites. But he just makes my top five. I have Aaron Jones. It's tough. I want to put him higher, but I have Aaron Jones. It's tough. I want to put him high, but I just don't think he's as valuable as Nick Chubb is to the Packers as Nick Chubb is to the Browns. Because as much as I love Aaron Jones, Aaron Rodgers is the one that makes that thing work. Nick Chubb makes that thing work for Baker Mayfield or Cleveland.

That's the way I see it. That's the thing that's holding Aaron Jones together. I mean, he's a great help for Aaron Rodgers, but I think it's more so Aaron Rodgers than it is Aaron Jones. Well, I mean, we've also seen that Aaron Rodgers by himself doesn't always win games. Yeah. And back

back during the 2018 season they went what was it 7-8-1? Yeah. And they didn't have much of a running game. Then the emergence of Aaron Jones came along.

There was the the Packers defense got better, and they won 13 games. And then they won 13 games the season after that. So there's something that needs to be said about a more well-rounded team rather than just the quarterback running the show. Of course, it's a quarterback-driven league. Aaron Rodgers is what makes that team a contending team. But you still need everything else. This isn't like the NBA, where it's like, you just need the star power, and they just need to get along. And as long as those two key components are there, then they're going to win games, they're going to win

championships. It's not like that in the NFL. And that's the only thing that's kind of keeping, that's the only difference between the NFL and the NBA. And there's obviously players' careers last much, are a lot shorter than the NBA's depending on the position. True. My number four guy is Christian McCaffrey. Christian McCaffrey that's very very low to have. No it is not. I really wish you would understand how tough this position is. Once you get into the top four, top five, it is very nitpicky depending on how you value the running

backs and the style they do. I think it's pretty nitpicky towards the bottom of it, the top ten. It is. You can make a case for anything, but the top five, I mean, yeah.

It gets very hard to pick out the top five running next in the league. Christian McCaffrey, the only reason he's four is because he took a step back from last year, and he wasn't all the way healthy. He was, like, missing games. How did he take a step back? I thought in the games that he played that he was he played exactly like he did last year when he played he didn't play all the time I remember when we were that's not the way he played that's just injuries yeah but when he was back he still

wasn't 100 and he still went injured again I'm not sure which game it was, but I think he only played for a certain amount. And then he left. He played about four games last season. And he missed 12. So I can't, like, I can't do it. I can't put him above the other three. Because he only played four games. If he played a full slate of games and he had similar numbers to last year, I'm like, okay, he's top two if not one.

Okay. Well, my number four is derrick henry and the reason i have derrick henry at number four is derrick henry as a runner as a runner is one of the best backs in the league such a north south guy he plows through players you'll see all these pictures all these videos all these clips going viral of him just stiff-arming a player or plowing through guys. He is electric as a runner. He may not be quite that shifty, but he has every bit of what it takes to be a running back in this league. That man is a running back.

He is a bulldozer. He is a, holy crap, as a rusher. However, his receiving game, which everybody seems to just forget about when it comes to Derrick Henry, is non-existent. Like, it's just not there. If you look at his statistics catching the ball, he just doesn't catch passes for the team. And I wonder if there's just something... That's what's holding me back from... He's obviously among the elite, just single-handedly based off that.

But when it comes to Derrick Henry, I just have him at number four. No, I can't – four? No, he is not number – he is – no, he is not – he's higher. I'll just give that away. He is higher, but he can't be four. Just because he doesn't good just because they don't choose him to catch the ball no that's yeah but give me our number three guy I guess that's just how you value running my number

three guy is Alvin Kamara the reason he's number three is because as much as i love him he's not a thousand yard bat he just isn't however he will give me like 900 and 800 rushing and receiving i can very much deal with that he is amazing every time we play he is just phenomenal and that run that screen pass he took all the way against the Packers I don't know how he did it I don't know I still don't know how he did it I'm like he's just bouncing off the guys and just going through them like it's nothing he has like contact balance or something like people just bounce off him and then once he and I guess the against the vikings on christmas day the man had six touchdowns i mean what what are we doing with him he's a scoring machine if you give him an

opportunity he will score whether it's running the ball or passing i just the thing that holds him back is he's just not a thousand yard rusher which is kind of important when you are a running back. But when you provide me more value in the passing game than you do in the running game and when you combine it, he's one of the better backs in the league. You can't complain about him. So I have Alvin Kamara at number three as well. I agree with you. He is a complete back, unlike Derrick Henry.

And he can do just about everything. The only thing that holds him back is that his rushing ability, while it's very good, it's not elite. It's not the best of the best. Does he have a 1,000-yard rushing season? I don't think he does. No, he doesn't. I feel like if you're the best of the best,

like the number one guy, that's a requirement. You need that. So he kind of has a bit of the opposite issue of Derrick Henry. Derrick Henry, as a rusher, he just got 2,000 yards.

However, Alvin Kamara is a complete back, and I just value that a lot, to have a running back who's able to do everything, and not just be a one-dimensional, I'm just going to run the ball type of running back who's able to do everything and not just be a one-dimensional i'm just going to run the ball type of running back and that is exactly what alvin camara is his rushing ability

could be better a lot better but i think as he's an all-around player and i love him as my number three back but give me your number two. All right. My number two guy was Dalvin Cook. Now I think I know who your number one guy is. It's obvious who my number one is, but my number two, Dalvin Cook. Well, my number two is Christian McCaffrey, so screw you. Why? Okay. Because Christian McCaffrey, when he was playing, I get it.

He was injured, and this is a bold take putting him at number two. I get it. He had injuries, but in the games that he played, he didn't miss a beat. It was like the 2019 Christian McCaffrey, where he was the undisputed number one running back in all of football. He was just that great, and he just continued to play. He never missed a beat. So these were injuries that really didn't affect him quite too much. And if he's healthy next season, then he's going to return to that same form.

And he's just, if you look at the guy, he's actually pretty well, he's built. He takes care of himself. He has muscle on him. He's quick. He can, he has built. He takes care of himself. He has muscle on him. He's quick. He has some speed to him. And he can catch the ball. Complete back. He's like Alvin Kamara, except he can rush the ball much, much better than him.

He can score touchdowns. He was the focal point to that Panthers defense. He was that defense. But, I mean, a little side point to that Panthers defense. He was that defense. But, I mean, a little side note to that, and this more speaks to the way NFL offenses are run around the league, but it seemed that the Panthers offense ran a little bit, just a tick more efficiently without Christian McCaffrey. You just wonder if there's something that with that to run first offenses and I've always had it I've always had something against

teams that center around the run rather than more balance but I have Christian McCaffrey at number two and it's not close for me Dalvin Cook is number two and the only reason he's not one is because he has a problem with staying healthy. Had this man stayed stays healthy he might be number one but since he has a problem staying healthy on the field he's stuck at number two. That's tough. I don't have to say much about him. You already know about him since he was on your fantasy. See I have Dalvin Cook number one not because he him since he was on your fantasy see i have dalvin cook number one not because he was my no he was my quarterback running back in fantasy football and that him and davante adams carried me from fantasy foot i love how we're just side getting

sidetracked of fantasy football when it comes to running backs that's such a typical running back conversation when it comes to the nfl where it just just talks just tells you how much how important running backs are in fantasy football however Dalvin Cook I would talk about injuries however he stayed healthy all of last season so I can't I just can't I can't hold the injuries against him because he figured it out this past season now could he get hurt next season and he just winds up being right back where he was before? It's possible. But the season before that, the season before this one where he was healthy, he didn't miss as many games as people thought.

He only missed, what, two games? That was about it. So he was still – he played a pretty long season. And I think people only give him crap about how he was never healthy because he tore his ACL and then he wasn't the same after that. And it seemed like it was just an extended recovery process from that torn ACL that he just didn't play well coming back from it. And it took him a little while longer. It was that during, I believe I'm talking about this, that it was that 2018 season. He started off the season, he played very poorly,

but in the last, what was it, last six, seven games, he had, what, 500 scrimmage yards? It was incredible. It was absolutely incredible. Then that next season, he just exploded. And then the season after that, he was completely healthy. I just can't...

I can't hold the injuries against him this season. If it happens again, then I'll hold it against him next season. But he stayed healthy. So I'm just not going to bother. I'm not going to doubt Dalvin Cook. He figured it out. So let's see if it stays this way.

But Dalvin Cook, he has number one going into the 2021 season, and he earned that. Okay, my number one guy is Derrick Henry. Let me tell you something. You know how offended I am? I am a Ravens fan, and I have to defend Derrick Henry. That's how mad I am about this. I don't like Derrick Henry. I respect him, but I don't like him. I don't like his teammates. I don't like that fan base. I don't like Tennessee just as a state. I don't like none of them. But he is number one. You can't tell me he rushed for 2,000 yards and he doesn't get it. He doesn't get number one. I don't care what Dalvin Cook did. I don't care what Alvin Kamara did. I don't care what Christian McCaffrey did. That man ran for 2,000 yards. It's the beginning and the end of the conversation.

He is number one. 114 receiving yards. That's tough. I'm getting 2,000 yards. Number one. 200. His career high is 200. 206.

That's the amount of bones somebody has in a body, by the way. Yes. That's tough. That is tough has in a body, by the way. Yes. That's tough. That is tough. Just a quick anatomy lesson. If I'm getting 2,000 yards, I don't care what you're giving me receiving-wise. I can put in a back that'll do that for me. Put in nickels or something.

They're backup. But if I have him as my running back, I have no worries about injuries. He's a brick house. That stiff arm is dangerous. It should be banned. That thing is vicious. 2,000 yards. You're telling me he's four. 114 receiving yards.

In 2018, he had 99. He didn't even break 100 for the season. That man will stiff arm you to your face for saying these type of things, that he's four. Well, I wish he could do the same from the receiving end, wouldn't you? He doesn't get those opportunities. He's too busy running for 2,000 yards.

I don't care about none of it. What? I see plenty of games where he's been stuffed, and Tennessee had no answer for it because they couldn't throw the ball to him. We wouldn't allow it. I get that. I understand that. He's had games where he's been stuck.

He's also had games where he's had over 200 yards. I can't just fault him for that. I can't just hold it against him. You know what Derrick and me is. The problem is, can you stop it? Most defenses cannot. My defense can, but most defenses cannot. It is what it is.

You just have to figure out a way to stop him. And I'm sorry, some teams just can't stop him. That's why he's number one. Deal with it. He is number one. I'm not accepting Dalvin Cook. I'm not accepting Christian McCaffrey. I'm not accepting Alvin Kamara for this.

Dalvin Cook is the number one running back headed into the 2021 season. My ass he is. Derrick Henry is number one. Dalvin Cook. That's not how you say Derrick Henry, but okay. I think

I pronounced Dalvin Cook very right. You didn't pronounce Derrick Henry correct. That's the number one? It's Derrick Henry. I don't even want to hear anything else. It's Derrick Henry. It's Dalvin Cook. In your opinion.

It's factually Derrick Henry, but okay. It's factually Dalvin Cook, but okay. Dalvin Cook got the rushing yards and the receiving yards, and he stayed healthy for a full season. That's tough. He still ain't over 2,000 yards. Okay.

He was able to do everything. Not give me 2,000 yards. Well, that's tough. I'd rather have 2,000 yards in a playoff appearance than, like, what, 1,900 yards in what not make the playoff well you you also have to take into account Kirk Cousins I can fit in line 10 and Kirk Cousins in the same room around the same like working I don't think don't think her cousin is as bad as people say he had so derrick henry had 17 touchdowns in the 2021 in the 2020 season delvin cook

had Dalvin Cook had, well, also 17. So we're tied. And then he had nearly 1,600 yards. He had 361 receiving yards. He had 519 receiving yards in 2019. This guy can do it all. He can do it all. You're getting close.

You're around the 1,900 area. That's not 2,000. I find it more valuable for a player to be able to be – for the running back to be an all-around back than to be able to do just one. You need ball carriers in history to reach 2,000. You're just rubbing it to the side. I'm not rubbing it to the side. You put him fourth.

That's the same thing. You didn't say he's second. You said he's fourth. You value Alvin Kamara and Christian McCaffrey. He's an old school back. I just think that's an outdated rushing style. He's not better than Derrick Henry right now. The way has been paved for players like Christian McCaffrey and Dalvin Cook nowadays who can do both.

Derrick Henry, it's a cool feat to be able to run 2,000 yards, but it's just not – teams just don't quite value it as much anymore. They'll value it once their defense gets stiffed on until next week when he runs for 200 yards and like two or three touchdowns. Well, the Colts have a couple thoughts about that, don't they? Yeah. They do. They stopped. The Texans have a few a couple thoughts about that, don't they? Yeah. They do. They stopped. The Texans have a few things to say about that.

They allowed the 2,000 yards to happen. The Texans, them and their two wins last year? Yes, them. I even have to deal with that. He had 133 yards on us and a touchdown and beat us in overtime. I was so pissed. All right. We have a clear disagreement, and why don't we agree to disagree here?

We're going to have to. We're going to have to. We'll talk about it during the season about this. I mean, we'll have to figure. We'll find out, won't we, whether or not. We'll find out. It's going to be Dalvin Cook i'm telling you dalvin cook or christian mccaffrey will be their number one guy watch it watch it be somebody else like

somebody at the bottom of our list like antonio gibson or like josh jacobs josh jacobs somehow makes somehow just emerges jonathan taylor anyways, so we're going to step aside and call it quits for this episode. However, in our next episode, we will be moving on to wide receivers and obviously going over a little bit of the current news. Obviously, during the summer, the news is a little scarce when it comes to the NFL. The following week, we have quarterbacks, which will be our finale of our player rankings.

So, exciting times coming for us. Anyways, that'll be it for us tonight. Thank you for listening to us. Make sure you subscribe to our YouTube channel. Check us out on Spotify and Google Play. Also, be sure to follow our Instagram at funlaruski underscore podcast to keep up with our podcast and the latest coverage on the NFL. Otherwise, we will see you next week.

Over and out.