Jets' Braelon Allen, Vikings' Jordan Mason and these other young RBs could thrive in feature-back role
These youthful backs can be productive if given the opportunity in 2025
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3 min read
Running backs experienced a renaissance in 2024 thanks mostly to the likes of Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry, and Josh Jacobs. But while their collective production -- coupled with team success -- has likely helped all running backs financially, it is still mostly normal for clubs to deploy a clear running back by committee approach.
Outside of those unicorns listed above, particularly Barkley and Henry, classically defined feature backs don't exist in the NFL. Therefore, it's vital to understand the capabilities of RB2s and even RB3s on every team.
This article provides my picks for those RB2s and RB3s who could step into a RB1 role if needed and thrive in 2025.
James Conner has been one of the most underrated running backs in the NFL ... for seemingly his entire career. And, at 28 and 29 years old, he's gone over 1,000 yards for the first time as a professional in Arizona. Relative to the eight years he's already spent in the NFL, the former University of Pittsburgh star is reasonably low mileage. However, he has carried the ball nearly 1,400 times and turned 30 in May.
As for Benson, he just turned 23 in July and only toted the rock 316 times in college. Last year, Benson was the low-volume backup option to Conner, and the backs each averaged 4.6 yards per tote. Blessed with size -- 6-foot and 216 pounds -- and ridiculous speed -- Benson ran 4.39 at the 2024 NFL Combine -- he has the physical skills to erupt in Year 2 and slowly but surely get more of the share of carries in the desert.
I've been on Mason for quite some time now -- he's an incredibly talented athlete and runner who, for some reason, was completely overlooked by the entire NFL in 2022. After going undrafted, all he did was produce at a tremendously efficient level in San Francisco. He leaves the 49ers organization -- following a trade to Minnesota this offseason -- averaging 5.3 yards per carry on 236 total rushes.
He possesses feature-back size at 5-11 and 220-plus pounds and outstanding contact balance at all levels of the field. He's going to rock in Kevin O'Connell's offense, because it bears a striking resemblance to Kyle Shanahan's. Plus, Aaron Jones is now 31 years old and has touched the football more than 2,000 times in the NFL career.
Allen was the youngest prospect in the 2024 NFL Draft, and he won't be 22 until January. But he's a prodigious talent with prodigious size. At north of 6-1 and 235 pounds, he's the closest the NFL has to Derrick Henry at the running back position from a physicality perspective.
His 3.6 yards-per-carry average as a rookie was more about New York's shoddy offensive line than anything else. As an 18-year-old true freshman at Wisconsin, Allen eclipsed 1,200 yards on the ground at 6.8 yards per. That collegiate productivity matters.
Breece Hall is considerably more explosive, but Allen can be the consummate thunder to Hall's lightning in Justin Fields' offense this season for Gang Green.
Lloyd couldn't dodge the injury bug as a rookie -- he was placed on IR on September 17 last season. After being activated in mid-November, appendicitis sidelined him again.
And, sure, he's clearly behind workhorse Josh Jacobs and now Emanuel Wilson in Green Bay. Plus, he's already 24. But the vision, explosiveness, and flexibility as a runner make him a tantalizing RB3 with massive potential in Matt LaFleur's offense in his sophomore NFL season.
Almost unfathomably stocky at 5-8 and change and 220 pounds, Lloyd bounces off tacklers with ease and ran 4.46 at the combine a year ago. He also did 25 reps on the bench, an indication of his power and dedication in the weight room. In his final collegiate season -- his lone spent at USC -- Lloyd averaged a magnificent 7.1 yards per carry.
Do not sleep on this seventh-round rookie. And, heck, he's currently buried on Seattle's running back depth chart behind Ken Walker, Zach Charbonnet, and probably even George Holani.
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Martinez has game at nearly 6-0 and 217 pounds with 4.51 speed. At Miami, his yards-after-contact-per-rush average increased every season, culminating in a super-hefty 3.94 average in 2024. On 516 carries for the Hurricanes, Martinez averaged an even 6.0 yards per tote and he plays with deceptive cutting juice for a stocky back.
Seattle prioritized improving the offensive line this offseason, and if there are any injuries in front of him, Martinez can absolutely shoulder the normal workload in the Seahawks' new-look offense.
