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While some teams prefer to feature one primary running back, others opt to split the load between two or even three players. One of the most beloved running back tandems in the NFL was the Lions’ backfield partnership of David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs.
Nicknamed Sonic and Knuckles after the beloved Sega video game characters, their partnership came to an early end on Monday when Detroit traded Montgomery to the Texans.
Gibbs and Montgomery were the NFL’s best one-two punch out of the backfield during their run together with the Lions from 2023 to ’25. Now that they’re no longer splitting carries in Detroit, let’s take a look at the league’s current top running back tandems.
10. Tennessee Titans: Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears
Pollard had his fourth consecutive 1,000-plus rushing yard season in 2025, handling most of the work out of the backfield for the Titans. Spears, on the other hand, is more of a receiving threat as opposed to a pure rusher. Even after missing the first four games of the season, Spears ranked 10th among all running backs with 45 receptions. The Titans’ offense wasn’t good last season, though much of that has to do with lackluster offensive line play and a rookie quarterback. Spears and Pollard did their part and should have another solid season in ’26 as the pieces around them improve.
9. Denver Broncos: J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey
Dobbins missed much of the season due to an injury, but he was excellent when healthy, averaging 5.0 yards per carry and racking up 772 yards in 10 games. Harvey wasn’t as effective as a rusher, but he was a solid receiving threat for the Broncos, catching 47 passes for 356 yards and five touchdowns. Dobbins will re-enter free agency this offseason, but if he returns, Denver will have a formidable partnership in the backfield.
8. Los Angeles Chargers: Omarion Hampton and Kimani Vidal
Hampton looked excellent before going down with an injury that sidelined him for much of last season. The rookie had 545 yards and four touchdowns in his first nine games. PFF graded him as the No. 17 running back last season and his 85.8 rushing grade was in the top 10 at the position. When he went down, Vidal stepped into the starting role for the Chargers, and he played well across 13 games (10 starts), recording 643 yards and three touchdowns.
7. Pittsburgh Steelers: Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell
Warren quietly put together a strong season in 2025, rushing for a career-high 958 yards and six touchdowns. Gainwell also had a career year with 537 rushing yards and five touchdowns, as well as 73 receptions (fourth-most among running backs) and three receiving touchdowns. The Steelers weren’t a run-first offense last year, but they had a strong partnership of versatile running backs in the backfield who contributed in multiple facets of the game.
6. New England Patriots: Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson
Stevenson’s fumbling woes still haven’t gone away, as he’s coughed the ball up 10 times over the past two seasons, but he’s otherwise an incredibly productive running back. Stevenson is efficient as a rusher, receiver and blocker. Henderson impressed in a backup role last season, racking up 911 yards and nine touchdowns as a rookie, though he’s got plenty of room to grow as a blocker.
5. Houston Texans: David Montgomery and Woody Marks
Montgomery is a starting-caliber running back, and he’ll get that opportunity once again in Houston. The veteran has 33 rushing touchdowns over his past three seasons, and he figures to see the bulk of the touches as the top option out of the Texans’ backfield. Marks looked promising as a rookie, racking up 703 yards and five total touchdowns, and he will be a strong complement to Montgomery.
4. Chicago Bears: D’Andre Swift, Kyle Monangai
Swift had the best season of his career in 2025, rushing for nine touchdowns and topping 1,000 yards for the second time in six years as a pro. Meanwhile, Monangai had a sensational rookie season, racking up 783 yards and five touchdowns. For a team that’s had some questions at running back in recent years, they seem to have found an answer in this pairing.
3. Atlanta Falcons: Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier
The emergence of Robinson as one of the NFL’s best running backs has largely overshadowed Allgeier’s production. In the year before Robinson’s arrival, Allgeier had a 1,000-plus-yard season as Atlanta’s lead running back, and he’s remained productive despite being pushed down to the second string. The two complement each other well and combined for 15 rushing touchdowns last season. Now, the Falcons will have to try to keep the partnership with Allgeier intact, who is headed for free agency and perhaps seeking a bigger role.
2. Los Angeles Rams: Kyren Williams and Blake Corum
Williams has strung together three consecutive seasons with 1,140-plus yards and 10-plus touchdowns. Last year was Corum’s first season getting regular touches out of the backfield. While he still played second fiddle to Williams, he impressed with 746 yards and six touchdowns. PFF assessed both Corum and Williams to have rushing grades above 85.8, putting them both in the top seven in the category.
1. Seattle Seahawks: Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet
The tandem of Walker and Charbonnet put up excellent numbers in 2025. Walker, however, is a free agent this offseason, so it’s possible this partnership has played its final snap together. Last season, Walker, the Super Bowl MVP, racked up 1,027 yards on 221 carries. He scored five touchdowns, with Charbonnet often called upon deep into opponents’ territory. Charbonnet had 12 touchdowns last season, giving the tandem a total of 17. Walker was PFF’s No. 1-graded rusher last season (91.5), while Charbonnet was third with a grade of 90.3.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Ranking the 10 Best Running Back Tandems After Lions Trade David Montgomery to Texans.
