00:00And the running back is back and I'm obsessed with it and I was ahead of the curve on this
00:06even with the quarterbacks and the receivers and it's a passing league. I think once Saquon Barkley got that contract
00:13leaving the Giants going to Philadelphia a couple of years ago having the greatest single season regular season postseason ever
00:18in the history of the NFL at the running back position you had to zig you had to zag and
00:26Howie Roseman did that brilliantly on Saquon a couple of years ago and I
00:29think it changed the game. We just saw Jeremiah Love go third overall in the draft right. You can always
00:36when you look at running backs to win weapons at the running back position drafting a running back who's out
00:43on third down that doesn't exist anymore. The running back is better and hotter than ever. So it got us
00:51thinking let's rank the running back. So nice easy assignment 2026 who's the best running back. You could make the
00:58case for a
00:59about five different guys six different guys as the best running back. There is a surefire future Hall of Famer
01:07who I believe is going to have a brilliant year who doesn't crack my list and I'll explain it at
01:12the end for nine best running backs in the National Football League. Again here's the criteria best running backs for
01:192026. So we could talk history but it's what I think they're going to do and bring to the table
01:24and where they are right now for the 2026 season.
01:28My number one running back is B. John Robinson. I think B. John Robinson is absolutely sensational. He's electrifying. He's
01:36dominant has unbelievable hands. He is a weapon. He just got paid and rightly so. He's a touchdown machine. He's
01:45a defense's nightmare. And I want to make sure we stress this now on B. John because you can make
01:51a case.
01:51The Falcons have the worst quarterback situation in the NFL going into the season. If not the worst one of
01:59the worst. So maybe teams might you know play B. John differently. I don't care. B. John Robinson is going
02:06to do everything and anything for the Atlanta Falcons and be all about the sizzle and domination for Atlanta. He's
02:14the best running back in the NFL 2026.
02:16Number two. I thought about him for number one. Jonathan Taylor. Jonathan Taylor was the best running back in the
02:22NFL last year before Daniel Jones got hurt. Riley Leonard became the quarterback on the teams would ultimately know that
02:29there's only one person to stop on the Indianapolis Colts. Jonathan Taylor I think gets lost sometimes in the court
02:35of public opinion.
02:36He's a little bit of a throwback right where you don't and he has great hands catches out of the
02:41backfield makes plays in the passing attack. But he's a little bit more old school compare and contrast to guys
02:47like Gibbs and CMC and James Cook and B. John Robinson. But don't get it twisted. He got my vote
02:54last year. First team all pro at the running back position. Now that he got paid today. He's going to
03:00have a monster season. He's everything for the Indianapolis Colts. Daniel Jones on track to play.
03:05Jonathan Taylor second best running back in the NFL for 2026. Number three. Christian McCaffrey. CMC. Don't sleep on him.
03:13Christian McCaffrey is the most valuable dominant best player on a loaded San Francisco 49ers team. And he's healthy. I
03:21know injuries could always be a risk with him. But in Kyle Shanahan's offense he is a dream. Hands. Speed.
03:29Grits. Determination. Athleticism. Power. Intelligence.
03:35He's got the whole thing. CMC is the third best back. And I know I'm going to get some pushback
03:41from Lions fans and some fantasy football players. But I put CMC ahead of Jameer Gibbs. And I think Gibbs
03:48is going to have a monster season.
03:49And I think Jameer Gibbs now as the unequivocally the number one running back and getting all the carries with
03:56David Montgomery left in the offseason. Got that free agent deal in Houston. Look. You can make a case for
04:02Gibbs at number one.
04:03That's how close and that's how competitive this thing is. Right. I mean I wouldn't fight you. It's that close.
04:11I do kind of need to see Gibbs as that carry the mail guy now with Montgomery in Houston.
04:18I need to see him do it for a full season. You know I think that CMC is just a
04:23little bit more valuable to his team. So I'm going to put Gibbs number four. And at number five. And
04:29I consider him as high as number two. Saquon Barkley. You know Jeff Stoutman is no longer coaching the offensive
04:35line. And that's the thing in Philly. But now the offensive line is healthy. Something that was not the case
04:41for the Philadelphia Eagles last year. Look. Maybe Saquon Barkley doesn't get the numbers that we saw a couple of
04:48years ago.
04:48ago when they won the Super Bowl. Obviously they have some new weapons on offense. There are concerns about Jalen
04:54Hurts. Saquon Barkley is always a superstar superstar. I think he's the fifth best running back in the NFL for
05:01this year. Number six. James Cook. Jimbo. As I like to call him in Buffalo. James Cook. Let him cook.
05:09He does everything. And we start talking about weapons for Josh Allen. You know I really think that James Cook
05:15is the number one weapon. Not DJ Moore who you know I'm obsessed with. Not Dalton.
05:18Kinkade who I'm obsessed with or anyone else. Listen. I think sometimes James Cook can get lost in the sauce
05:23because you can make the case that the best runner on the Buffalo Bills is Josh Allen. I love that
05:29we have the still shot of him catching it out of the backfield. He's fantastic. Hard nose runner. He's a
05:35throwback in a lot of ways. James Cook number six. Number seven. Devon A. Chan. And you could make the
05:42case he's too low. Like this doesn't even feel right to me. Shows you the depth and the talent here
05:47at the running
05:48back position. I think there's a shot because they got rid of Waddle. New great running quarterback. Smart quarterback in
05:56Malik Willis. He might you know not have the numbers this year because teams are going to just be geared
06:01up to stop the run. But it went noted that the new brass in Miami.
06:07They're top priority and they're breaking it down to build it back up smart in Miami. They made sure Devon
06:13A. Chan got paid. Devon A. Chan is an absolute just a rock'em sock'em home run hitter at
06:20the running back position. Seventh best running back in the NFL for 2026.
06:24Number eight. Brees Hall. I think Brees Hall is fantastic. And I think the Jets deserve a lot of credit
06:32for getting ahead of the curve and all these other running backs getting paid. The Jets paid Brees Hall because
06:38they know what they have. And Brees Hall is tough as nails. The offensive line for the Jets is very
06:44underrated and very good. Brees Hall has really great hands. Last year what could go wrong went wrong for the
06:50Jets. Don't forget about Brees Hall who he is and what he brings to the table.
06:54As a versatile dominant back at the running back position. Number nine. This might be controversial. Ashton Gentry. I think
07:03Ashton Gentry got screwed last year by Pete Carroll. Pete Carroll's kid was coaching the offensive line. The quarterback play
07:11was atrocious. He had nowhere to run. I know it's training camp but everyone is you know raving about how
07:17Gentry looks. They signed Linderbaum the best center in the NFL in the offseason. They now have a real
07:24real head coach and play caller and Clint Kubiak. Brock Bowers is back. Kirk Cousins the quarterback for now. It'll
07:30be Mendoza. It's going to let Ashton Gentry just absolutely pop off. I loved when they picked him fifth overall.
07:38I loved him at Boise State. I think he is going to have a monster season. Now that's my shine
07:44nine. If my last name rhymed with ten you would see Derrick Henry. And I want to sit here and
07:51stress this.
07:53I think Derrick Henry is a first ballot Hall of Famer. And I'm sure he would take this list and
07:58he would stiff arm it. Right? And he's still tough and he's still powerful and he's still physical. He's also
08:04getting a little bit long in the tooth. So I still think he's going to have a monster year.
08:10But I do want to acknowledge that Derrick Henry would have been next on the list. Listen I have quipped
08:17on numerous occasions that I feel like I loved Kenneth Walker more than the Seahawks loved Kenneth Walker.
08:22And you know he was the Super Bowl MVP and obviously he goes to Kansas City in the offseason. I
08:27think Kenneth Walker is going to be awesome. Absolutely terrific. I think that Patrick Mahomes being healthy changes everything.
08:33I think that you look at the offensive line. It's very underrated in Kansas City. Walker was very close to
08:39making the list. And if I had guts and I mean real guts and I don't I'm a weak human
08:46being.
08:47If I had guts Jeremiah Love would have been on my list because I think Jeremiah Love offensive rookie of
08:52the year vibes. I think third overall pick again you start talking about what he did in your name.
08:57How it translates to the pros. I think he's going to be sensational. But listen I'm sure there'll be no
09:04debate about this. The Shine 9 for the official list. 2026. The NFL running backs ranked. I can't wait for
09:13your thoughts on this. Make sure you comment on the YouTube page at Shine Time. We're going to read them
09:18all. We're going to react to them. I can't wait for your feedback.
09:22I'm sure everyone's going to be in complete lockstep agreement with my list here on Shine Time.
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