There are a lot of good players in the NFL, especially at the running back position. But how many “superstars” are there at RB? Three? Four?
In a recent article by Dan Hanzus of NFL.com, he listed the superstar running backs in the NFL going into the 2023 season. That list was made up of four players, but it didn’t include the league’s leading rusher in Josh Jacobs. Here is what Hanzus didn’t include Jacobs in his list of superstars:
Then there’s Josh Jacobs, the NFL’s reigning rushing champion and an absolute stud for the Raiders last season. Does one season of superstar production make you a superstar? I suppose it could (hi, Jonathan Taylor).
Color me a touch wary, with Jacobs coming off a season in which he ranked second in the NFL in carries (340) and first in touches (393). We’ve seen in the past how the bill can come due for that kind of workload.
While it’s fair to wonder if Jacobs will regress in 2023, it’s not like he wasn’t highly productive over the last three years. Before the 2022 season, Jacobs had racked up nearly 4,000 yards from scrimmage in the first three years of his career. He’s never had a season of less than 1,200 yards in his NFL career.
If Jacobs isn’t a superstar, we aren’t sure what that term really means. He was the league’s most productive and efficient runner last year and has been very durable. Maybe after another All-Pro year, he’ll finally start to get the respect that he deserves.
