Saquon Barkley is selected as top running back by the AP after a record-setting season
1. SAQUON BARKLEY, Philadelphia Eagles: Barkley rushed for 2,005 yards in the regular season, falling 101 short of breaking Eric Dickerson's regular-season record because he was rested rather than playing in a meaningless Week 18 game. His 2,504 yards rushing, including the playoffs, broke Terrell Davis' record of 2,476 and featured a record seven TD runs of at least 60 yards. Barkley parlayed that into a two-year contract extension worth 41.2 million with 36 million guaranteed, which is the richest ever for a running back.
2. DERRICK HENRY, Baltimore Ravens: Anyone expecting Henry to drop off in his 30s was disappointed last season when a move to Baltimore helped spark a resurgence to his career. Henry, who turned 31 in January, rushed for 1,921 yards last season for the most ever for a player after turning 30, topping the 1,860 yards Tiki Barber had at age 30 in 2005. Henry has the 11th-most yards ever in a season and the most for a player who didn't win a rushing title as he remains one of the best pure rushers in the game.
3. JAHMYR GIBBS, Detroit Lions: Skeptics questioned the decision by Detroit to draft Gibbs 12th overall in 2023, but he has more than delivered in his first two seasons as a dangerous runner and receiver. After a strong rookie season, Gibbs took a big step last season when he rushed for 1,412 yards and 16 TDs to go with 517 yards receiving and four more scores. Gibbs' 36 overall touchdowns in the regular season and playoffs are the second most ever for a player in his first two seasons, trailing only the 37 for Hall of Famer Curtis Martin.
4. BIJAN ROBINSON, Atlanta Falcons: Picked eighth overall in 2023, Robinson has quickly earned his place among the top running backs in the league thanks to his skill as a runner and receiver. Robinson ranked fourth among running backs last season in yards from scrimmage (1,887), tied for sixth in touchdowns (15), and second in first downs (102).
5. CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY, San Francisco 49ers: Injuries to his Achilles tendon and knee hampered McCaffrey last season as he played only four games after winning AP Offensive Player of the Year in 2023. But when he's healthy, there are few players more productive than McCaffrey as evidenced by his 2023 yards from scrimmage and 21 TDs in 16 games in 2023.
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