College Football Top 30 Running Backs For 2018

[Across The Field]

Dobbins is an absolute beast yet only ran for like 70 yards against our terrible defense. Anderson took him bout half a season to finally get comfortable (especially from the broken neck) and started blowing folks up once he finally got comfortable. You really can’t go wrong with both. Both will have monster seasons IMO.

That was Dobbins 2nd game ever, and he ran for 72 yards but it was on 13 carries. They were stupid to take the ball out of his hands in the 2nd half, he was having a fantastic game.

Not saying Anderson is bad by any means, he is very good. However, I just don't see how you'd rank him over Dobbins after last year.

 

[7Samurai13]

That was Dobbins 2nd game ever, and he ran for 72 yards but it was on 13 carries. They were stupid to take the ball out of his hands in the 2nd half, he was having a fantastic game.

Not saying Anderson is bad by any means, he is very good. However, I just don't see how you'd rank him over Dobbins after last year.

It maybe the ten more touchdowns.

 

[B_dub]

That was Dobbins 2nd game ever, and he ran for 72 yards but it was on 13 carries. They were stupid to take the ball out of his hands in the 2nd half, he was having a fantastic game.

Not saying Anderson is bad by any means, he is very good. However, I just don't see how you'd rank him over Dobbins after last year.

Yeah, even I didn’t understand what the fuck Ohio State was trying to do offensively that game. Some weird play calling for sure.

 

[romeo212000]

Yeah, even I didn’t understand what the fuck Ohio State was trying to do offensively that game. Some weird play calling for sure.

Wilson strikes again.

 

[romeo212000]

That was Dobbins 2nd game ever, and he ran for 72 yards but it was on 13 carries. They were stupid to take the ball out of his hands in the 2nd half, he was having a fantastic game.

Not saying Anderson is bad by any means, he is very good. However, I just don't see how you'd rank him over Dobbins after last year.

I’m not saying I would necessarily. I’m saying neither really had a full season of being the guy last year and this season needs to play out if we’re really going to say one way or the other. Dobbins had better rushing stats and Anderson had better receiving stats and more touchdowns. And TD’s aren’t merely incidental btw.

 

[Across The Field]

I’m not saying I would necessarily. I’m saying neither really had a full season of being the guy last year and this season needs to play out if we’re really going to say one way or the other. Dobbins had better rushing stats and Anderson had better receiving stats and more touchdowns. And TD’s aren’t merely incidental btw.

Fair enough. Problem is, it looks like both of them are probably going to be splitting carries again. No idea why Weber came back to OSU.

 

[Wamu]

Fair enough. Problem is, it looks like both of them are probably going to be splitting carries again. No idea why Weber came back to OSU.

I think it's a good thing Weber didn't transfer. Never hurts to have 2 proven RB's on the roster.

 

[romeo212000]

I think it's a good thing Weber didn't transfer. Never hurts to have 2 proven RB's on the roster.

You really need two anymore.

 

[romeo212000]

Fair enough. Problem is, it looks like both of them are probably going to be splitting carries again. No idea why Weber came back to OSU.

Anderson will get the bulk of the touches. Riley’s system mandates two RB’s though.

 

[Scapegoat]

You really need two anymore.

You never know when one will get hurt, kicked off the team or arrested.

 

[Across The Field]

I think it's a good thing Weber didn't transfer. Never hurts to have 2 proven RB's on the roster.

I mean he should've gone pro. I think he would've gotten taken at least in the 3rd.

 

[Across The Field]

Anderson will get the bulk of the touches. Riley’s system mandates two RB’s though.

That would make sense, though Sermon is solid. He did better against us, at least.

 

[ericd7633]

I'd go:

1. Love
2. Taylor
3. Dillon

Wouldn't surprise me in the least if Dillon lead the country in rushing next year, dude is a beast.

 

[romeo212000]

That would make sense, though Sermon is solid. He did better against us, at least.

Sermon is a stud. It took half the season for Anderson to shake the rust out from missing the last two seasons.

 

[handicappers]

That'll be $25, @AlaskaGuy.

He'll have to pay you in govt. cheese or Groupons for mail order bride websites

 

[AlaskaGuy]

The best running backs in college football for 2018

1. Bryce Love, Stanford
Love’s 2017 campaign has the senior at the forefront of the Heisman race heading into September. His big-play ability alone places him a different stratosphere than his peers in the FBS. But Love doesn’t get enough credit for his ability to wear down defenses as the engine behind Stanford’s physical offense. He averaged 8.52 yards per carry in the second half of games a season ago.

2. Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin
Taylor was one of college football’s great and unexpected success stories last fall. Once a largely overlooked recruit, Taylor set the FBS freshman rushing record in pacing Wisconsin’s second New Year’s Six bowl appearance in a row. The Badgers’ offensive line will be the nation’s best in 2017, so look for a healthy Taylor to again rank among the most productive backs in the country.

3. David Montgomery, Iowa State
Montgomery is beginning to be recognized for what he does best: routinely make defenders miss and churn out yardage as the centerpiece of Iowa State’s offense. What makes Montgomery’s 2017 season all the more impressive was how he gained 1,146 yards and scored 13 times despite the Cyclones’ hit-or-miss offensive front. There might be no better back at moving forward after contact.


4. J.K. Dobbins, Ohio State
An early season injury to Mike Weber opened the door for Dobbins last September, and there were questions about how he’d perform and hold up after missing his senior season in high school because of injury. Dobbins delivered 1,403 yards on 7.23 yards per carry to help carry Ohio State’s occasionally inefficient offense. More will be expected in 2018. But Dobbins should take on an even larger role as the Buckeyes embrace a more traditional style in the running game.

5. Justice Hill, Oklahoma State
Maybe it’s because of Mason Rudolph and James Washington. Maybe it’s because few pay enough attention to Oklahoma State. But Hill has often been spectacular since grabbing the job one month into his freshman season. He’s also reliable: Hill gained at least 86 yards in every game but two last fall, ending up with a Big 12 Conference-best 1,467 yards and 15 touchdowns.

6. Rodney Anderson, Oklahoma
Anderson gained 82 yards on 22 carries through Oklahoma’s first six games of 2017. And then? Beginning with a win against Kansas State on Oct. 21 and ending with a Rose Bowl loss to Georgia, Anderson ran for 1,073 yards with 11 touchdowns on 6.5 yards per carry. For the second half of the year, Anderson was right with Love and Taylor among the best backs in the country. His numbers could take a step forward as Oklahoma moves toward a stronger emphasis on the running game.

7. Myles Gaskin, Washington
Gaskin's first three seasons: 1,302 yards in 2015, 1,373 yards in 2016 and 1,380 yards a year ago. He’s even gone over 100 yards in each of three games against Stanford. (That seems more impressive.) No back in the country can match Gaskins’ consistency. Even as others land more national acclaim, he deserves to be recognized for delivering almost without fail for the frontrunner in the Pac-12.

8. Devin Singletary, Florida Atlantic
You had an idea Singletary could be special when he cracked 200 yards twice in November as a freshman in 2016. You still probably couldn’t have seen last year coming: Singletary finished fourth nationally in rushing with 1,920 yards and led the FBS by a wide margin with 32 rushing touchdowns. Singletary and Lane Kiffin have meshed well.

9. Cam Akers, Florida State
Akers is going to be the key piece in Willie Taggart’s offense at FSU, which means the sophomore should see more than 250 touches in 2018. That he ran for 1,000 yards as a true freshman last season didn’t make a huge national ripple due to the Seminoles’ 7-6 finish, but Akers is a strong start — if joined by a similarly strong start from his team — from being a player in the Heisman race.

10. D’Andre Swift, Georgia
Swift will be next in line for Georgia as the Bulldogs rebuild their backfield without Sony Michel and Nick Chubb. He was a devastating third option for UGA in 2017, rushing for 618 yards on 7.63 carries, but that he carried the ball just 81 times as a change-of-pace back doesn’t offer any hint as to whether Swift can handle the increased workload. But he’s got the size to succeed and the speed and agility to find open lanes in SEC play.

FIVE JUST OFF THE LIST

A.J. Dillon, Boston College

Damien Harris, Alabama

Darrell Henderson, Memphis

Benny Snell, Kentucky

Juwan Washington, San Diego State

 

[FSU rules]

 

[Sgt Brutus]

It was so stupid that they had him splitting carries with Scarborough. He genuinely could've led the nation in rushing if that wasn't the case. I bet he rips it up this year, too, and winds up in the first round next year.

Splitting carries means fresher legs. If you gave him a full workload I’d be willing to bet his YPC takes a noticeble dip

 

[7Samurai13]

Splitting carries means fresher legs. If you gave him a full workload I’d be willing to bet his YPC takes a noticeble dip

This is ATF, more carries means he will be better, and wear down the other team more, and YPC will go up because Ohio state.