2025 Pre-Season Rank #11, 2024 Pre-Season Rank #23, 2023 Pre-Season Rank #39, 2022 Pre-Season Rank #47, 2021 Pre-Season Rank #70, 2020 Pre-Season Rank #108.  Peak Period: 2019-20/2022-24

The Running Back is dead.  Long live the Running Back.

When many football fans and journalists called the death of rushing, Derrick Henry (and Saquon Barkley) had other ideas, but we have been surpised by Henry before

In 2019, it felt like Derrick Henry won the Rushing Title out of nowhere, as he was in his fourth year, and he only had 1,059 Yards the year before.  In 2020, Henry won his second Rushing Title, shattering his previous mark, and joined the 2,000 Yard Rushing club, won the Offensive Player of the Year.  Had he not gotten injured during the 2021 season, Henry was on his way to his second straight OPOY.  After a bounce back in 2022 that saw him net his third 1,500-yard campaign.  

After one more year in Tennessee, it was clear that the Titans were looking to move on, and the Baltimore Ravens signed Henry to join their potent offense.  In his first season in Baltimore, Henry rushed for 1,921 Yards and led the league in Rushing Touchdowns (16).  Last season, Henry was electric again, with 1,595 more Rushing Yards and 16 more TDs.  His work in Baltimore has been phenomenal, and he is now over 13,000 Yards on the ground and an astonishing 122.  Is Emmitt Smith’s 164 in reach?

Whatever happens forward, it was his first two seasons in Baltimore that sealed the Canton deal.

2025 Pre-Season Rank #21, 2024 Pre-Season Rank #16, 2023 Pre-Season Rank #55 Pre-Season Rank #66, 2021 Pre-Season Rank #76, 2020 Pre-Season Rank #81. Peak Period: 2017-18/2021-23

When we look at the 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame Class, the induction of Roger Craig bodes well for another current 49er, Christian McCaffrey.

McCaffrey started his career with the Carolina Panthers, and in 2019, he joined Craig by rushing for over 1,000 yards and catching passes for over 1,000 yards—a rare accomplishment only shared by Craig and McCaffrey. Injuries hindered his progress in the following two years, but in 2022, when he was healthy and returned to Pro Bowl form, the team that had given up and traded him to San Francisco surrounded him. McCaffrey is one of the most adaptable running backs, but his role often involves dealing with injuries. 

In 2023, McCaffrey won his first Rushing Title, while also winning his second Yards From Scrimmage and Touchdown title.  This was an incredible campaign that as per usual CMC fashion, was followed by an injury-plagued year.

Last season, McCaffrey had his third 2,000-yard-plus YFS year, and is in a place where he is 21 yards shy of 13,000 in YFS, and is still capable of pounding more yards as long as the injury bug does not bite.

Is CMC a Hall of Famer?  Craig’s induction surely helps, but a ring would help more!

2025 Pre-Season Rank ##51, 2024 Pre-Season Rank #117, 2023 Pre-Season Rank #122, 2022 Pre-Season Rank #132 2021 Pre-Season Rank #101, 2020 Pre-Season Rank #100.  2018-19/2023-25

Last year, we said, “Barkley has a lot of catch-up to do regarding his initial Hall of Fame promise.  A player injured that badly and early always struggles, and Barkley is no different.”

Barkley is different.

No ranked player jumped higher than Barkley, who we feared injuries would take out of a Hall of Fame conversation.  Not only was he healthy on a new team (Philadelphia), but he is also a Super Bowl Champion and the defending Offensive Player of the Year.  He also joined the 2,000-Yard Rushing Club, won his first Rushing Title (2,005), his second APY Title (2,283), and, along with Derrick Henry, brought back the Running Back.

At home in Philadelphia, Barkley’s only issues will be with injury, and another monster year will put him in the Hall of Fame hunt.  We won’t bet against him again.

2025 Pre-Season Rank #70, 2024 Pre-Season Rank #98, 2023 Pre-Season Rank: #107, 2022 Pre-Season Rank #111.  Peak Period: 2021-25

After a good rookie year in 2020, Taylor exploded, leading the NFL in Rushing Yards (1,811) and Rushing Touchdowns (18), and a Running Back needs a year like this to place you on the tip of the tongue of Hall of Fame voters, regardless of how early in your career you do it.  In 2022, Taylor had a great start to the season but was held to 11 Games due to ankle issues. In 2023, he held out, delaying his start until that year.

We said two years ago that one monstrous season doesn’t make a Hall of Fame career, and Taylor would have to reclaim that 2021 magic for a serious Hall of Fame list jump.   He had a bounce-back 1,431-yard/11-touchdown year and returned to the Pro Bowl in 2024, but last season he was better, with a third Pro Bowl year and league-leading 18 TDs along with 1,963 YFS. 

As such, he vaulted up the list and can again if he has another great year.