gold star for USAHOF

The 2026 NFL season is here, and we have updated our Pre-Season Football Monitor.

As we have expanded our projects, we can’t say we've expanded the team behind the scenes!  As a result, we are a little behind on this one, and we could only post the top 50 of the Pre-Season Monitor at this time.

We will add more during the season (and yes, we know that defeats the purpose of pre-season), but thank you for your patience.

We have unveiled the Quarterbacks, and now we have the Running Backs, of which there are four.

They are:

#1 RB, #11 Overall: Derrick Henry, Baltimore Ravens. #11 Overall Last Year.

#2 RB, #17 Overall: Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers, #21 Overall Last Year.

#3 RB, #45 Overall: Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles, #51 Overall Last Year.

#4 RB, #47 Overall: Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts, #70 Overall Last Year.

Look for more information on this project shortly.

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.