Some serious star power is coming to the AFC North at the running back position. A King, even.
That would be Derrick Henry, who signed a two-year deal with the Baltimore Ravens as a free agent, giving Baltimore one of the better running backs in the NFL to pair with MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson.
As one star running back comes into the division, another leaves, with Joe Mixon being traded from the Cincinnati Bengals to the Houston Texans for a seventh-round pick, leading to some changes in Cincinnati.
In Cleveland, the hope is that Nick Chubb returns to full health, while the dynamic duo in Pittsburgh of Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren are poised for another big year, this time under new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, who helped Henry take a star turn in Tennessee in the late 2010s.
So, how do the RB depth charts in the AFC North shake out? Let’s find out. It’s time for my Ranking The Rooms: AFC North RBs piece.
1. Pittsburgh Steelers
A lot of readers, going back to the AFC North QBs piece just a week ago got so caught up in my rankings because the best QBs weren’t at the top. Again, this is a Ranking The Rooms series, so it takes the entire depth chart into play. That’s what happens here with Pittsburgh landing at No. 1 in the RBs series.
Does that mean I believe Najee Harris is a better starting running back than every other starter in the AFC North? No, but he’s part of the best depth chart in the division.
Harris rushed for another 1,000-plus yards last season and looked as good as he ever has late in the season, ripping off two straight 100-yard games as the Steelers got into the playoffs. With a rebuilt offensive line in front of him with added pieces in rookies Troy Fautanu and Zach Frazier, and the addition of Smith at offensive coordinator, Harris could be in line for a huge fourth season.
Same for Warren, who had a terrific second season as a change-of-pace option behind Harris. He was a dynamic runner, ripping off 5.1 yards per carry on the season and was that home run hitter for the Steelers overall. He pairs perfectly with Harris to form a terrific tandem.
The Steelers also added veteran Cordarrelle Patterson in free agency as an RB3 who knows Smith’s scheme. He had a good deal of success in a limited backfield role in Atlanta under Smith. While he’s on the roster mainly for his kick-return abilities with the new kick-return rules, Patterson is a solid veteran option to have behind Harris and Warren in case of injury.
Undrafted free agent Daijun Edwards and Aaron Shampklin are the only other RBs on the Steelers’ roster currently, and both could be battling for the RB4 role should they carry a fourth running back on their 53-man roster.
2. Baltimore Ravens
Adding Henry to the mix is fantastic for the Ravens. They play a run-heavy style of offense, so signing a future Hall of Famer in Henry who still plays at a high level despite the high mileage on his tires is a great fit.
After leaning on a tandem of names like Gus Edwards, J.K. Dobbins, Kenyan Drake and Justice Hill in the past, the Ravens can rely on Henry as the workhorse moving forward.
He might not be what he was at the height of his powers as the most dominant back in the NFL from 2018-2022, but he remains a special player overall, one who fits perfectly in Baltimore. Henry rushed for 1,167 yards last season in Tennessee with a revolving door at quarterback and still averaged 4.2 yards a carry, scoring 12 touchdowns.
In Baltimore, he’ll be in the same backfield as the dynamic Lamar Jackson, which should scare defenses.
Behind Henry, the Ravens will call on second-year pro Keaton Mitchell, who flashed quite a bit last season before tearing his ACL. He’s a great speed back option to be a change of pace behind Henry. Mitchell averaged 8.4 yards last season on 47 carries, rushing for 396 yards and two touchdowns. If he returns to full health, look out.
The Ravens still have Hill on the roster, too, giving them experience. He’s a good special teamer who showed some flashes as a running back last season with an expanded role, rushing for 387 yards and three touchdowns on 84 carries. He added 28 receptions for 206 yards and a touchdown.
Baltimore spent a draft pick on Marshall’s Rasheen Ali in the 2024 NFL Draft, too, adding intriguing depth to the running back room to ensure it remains stocked.
3. Cleveland Browns
Much of this ranking at No. 3 depends on the health of Nick Chubb. The Browns have stated so far this offseason that Chubb is on the mend and in a good place, with GM Andrew Berry cautioning to not bet against him. But there has been no real concrete information regarding Chubb’s injury, which he suffered in the first half of Week 2 in 2023 against the Steelers on a tackle from safety Minkah Fitzpatrick — which was 100% clean.
If Chubb recovers and can play like himself, the Browns are in good shape.
If not? Well…it could be tough again.
Jerome Ford performed admirably in a starting role for Cleveland last season, rushing for 813 yards and four touchdowns and adding 44 receptions for 319 yards and five touchdowns, doing his best dual-threat impersonation. The Browns did well to sign D’Onta Foreman in free agency in case Chubb isn’t ready to go.
Foreman rushed for 425 yards and four touchdowns in a limited role last season for the Chicago Bears. In 2022, Foreman broke out with the Carolina Panthers, rushing for 914 yards and five touchdowns. He also had a strong 2021 season with the Titans, rushing for 566 yards and three touchdowns in place of an injured Henry.
But last season was a concern in Chicago as Foreman managed just 3.9 yards per carry and wasn’t as explosive as he was the year prior. Maybe those numbers improve in Cleveland if he gets a shot.
Behind Ford and Foreman, the Browns signed Nyheim Hines in free agency and still have John Kelly Jr. and Pierre Strong Jr. on the roster. Those are certainly recognizable names, but Hines is coming off a devastating knee injury suffered in a jet ski accident while a member of the Buffalo Bills. Kelly has never caught on in the NFL as a power back and Strong had 291 yards and a touchdown last season but isn’t much more than a special teams player.
A ton of question marks with the Browns. If injury concerns are cleared up, this group looks better, but so much unknown here.
4. Cincinnati Bengals
Trading Joe Mixon for a seventh-round pick is a tough move for the Bengals. But they needed to save some money. Mixon was really good last season, rushing for 1,034 yards and nine touchdowns, adding 52 receptions for 376 yards and three touchdowns in the process.
He’s out the door though and in comes Zack Moss, who parlayed a strong season in Indianapolis in place of Jonathan Taylor early in the year into a potential starting role in Cincinnati. Moss rushed for 794 yards and five touchdowns for the Colts in 2023, adding 27 receptions for 192 yards and two touchdowns. He brings good power and contact balance to the table and flashed home run ability for the Colts.
But he’s not Mixon.
Neither is second-year pro Chase Brown. The Bengals very clearly love Brown, who brings big-play juice to the room. But he has just 58 total touches in the NFL. He’s in line for a big 2024 from a workload standpoint, so we’ll see if he can product with that bigger workload.
Behind Moss and Brown, the Bengals have veterans Trayveon Williams and Chris Evans, who provide some special teams abilities. The Bengals also signed LSU’s Noah Cain and Oklahoma State’s Elijah Collins as undrafted free agents hoping to unearth some gems.
A lot rides on Moss and Brown. If one or both don’t work out, the Bengals are in trouble in the backfield. They placed a big bet on being able to replace Mixon easily. It’s risky. So far, the depth chart shows that.
2023 AFC North RB rankings:
No. 1 –Cleveland Browns
No. 2 – Pittsburgh Steelers
No. 3 – Cincinnati Bengals
No. 4 – Baltimore Ravens
