Best RB in the NFL?

[Admin]

I'm curious, for those of you who consider Barber a top back, why does Barber get a pass for being among the "best rb's" when he's never had a 1,000 yard season and he's never been the feature back (even in college I believe) and his career yards per carry are the same as Ronnie Brown's?

As far as LT goes, he's had some pretty damn good offensive lines and for most of his career he had Hudson Houck coaching the line in front of him and he's one of the best OL coaches ever.

It might be premature to say that Peterson is better than LT, but I have a feeling that Peterson will end up shattering many NFL records by the time his career is over much like LT and talent wise there's no doubting that he is as talented as any back in the league.

[Swish]

Dolfan:

The reason I see Marion Barber as a top back and not Ronnie Brown? Simple. He is a touchdown machine. No back in the NFL except for LT has a nose for the endzone like the Barbarian. He has two hundred less career yards than Ronnie but eighteen more touchdowns. Eighteen! He's more durable. He runs a hell of a lot harder. He's a closer. He's younger. Facts say that they run the exact same 40 but to the eye Barber is faster, IMO.

The card you played on never being the feature back obviously doesn't work, dude. Ronnie shared with Cadillac Williams at Auburn and is sharing with Ricky Williams now. Barber shared with Maroney in college and with Julius Jones until this year where he is now the feature back. (Certainly Felix Jones is getting his but don't kid yourself Barber is the man in big D). They both have traditionally shared the load until Barber this year.

If you watch a game (say Sunday night's game against GB, 140 yards 1 TD) and then watch a Ronnie Brown game when he was healthy, excepting the Pats game, could you honestly tell me from what you saw that Ronnie was the better player? I couldn't.

All this to say, Ronnie is a great back. No doubt. I just question him being top 5.

[Admin]

Dolfan:

The reason I see Marion Barber as a top back and not Ronnie Brown? Simple. He is a touchdown machine. No back in the NFL except for LT has a nose for the endzone like the Barbarian. He has two hundred less career yards than Ronnie but eighteen more touchdowns. Eighteen! He's more durable. He runs a hell of a lot harder. He's a closer. He's younger. Facts say that they run the exact same 40 but to the eye Barber is faster, IMO.

The card you played on never being the feature back obviously doesn't work, dude. Ronnie shared with Cadillac Williams at Auburn and is sharing with Ricky Williams now. Barber shared with Maroney in college and with Julius Jones until this year where he is now the feature back. (Certainly Felix Jones is getting his but don't kid yourself Barber is the man in big D). They both have traditionally shared the load until Barber this year.

If you watch a game (say Sunday night's game against GB, 140 yards 1 TD) and then watch a Ronnie Brown game when he was healthy, excepting the Pats game, could you honestly tell me from what you saw that Ronnie was the better player? I couldn't.

All this to say, Ronnie is a great back. No doubt. I just question him being top 5.

Have you stopped to consider that the Cowboys have been a MUCH better team than the Dolphins and maybe that's why he has scored so many more TDs?

Ronnie Brown is one of the most physical backs in the league so I'm not sure where the runs harder thing comes from and other than him hurting his knee last year Ronnie Brown has never had an injury that made him miss time before.

Last year Ronnie Brown had 5 consecutive games over 100 yards, averaging 4.9 yards per carry in the worst of those games. Do you realize that before he got injured he was on pace for roughly 2,200 total yards from scrimmage with 80 receptions and a yards per carry average of over 5? All of that while playing for one of the worst teams in league history (at least record wise).

Just because the Dolphins offense doesn't score a lot of points doesn't mean he can't score. Barber has had the advantage of having Julius Jones carry the ball up and down the field and then he was brought in as the short yardage and red zone back which is why he has scored so much. I'm not taking anything away from Barber as I have said many times that I am a huge fan of his but yes I can honestly say that I consider Ronnie Brown to be equally as good as him.

[AHF]

I actually feel the same way about people putting Peterson over LT. LT made his bones on one of the worst teams in the league. For half a decade he was busting out 1500-500-15 seasons on a team with no O-line and no passing game to take the heat off of him.

He was the best back in the game last season and he's a single season removed from what is probably considered the greatest individual performance ever (2300 total yds - 31 TDs plus a couple passing TDs for good measure). If he says his toe is holding him back, I'll believe him. I'm not ready to pass the torch to Peterson as I don't think he's as versatile as LT even if he is more explosive at the top end.

I agree.

[AHF]

I'm curious, for those of you who consider Barber a top back, why does Barber get a pass for being among the "best rb's" when he's never had a 1,000 yard season and he's never been the feature back (even in college I believe) and his career yards per carry are the same as Ronnie Brown's?

I don't consider him to be top tier either. The advantage he has over Brown is that he has not had any injury issue. I consider Barber to be a better goalline back than Brown but Brown to be better between the 20's.

[Admin]

I don't consider him to be top tier either. The advantage he has over Brown is that he has not had any injury issue. I consider Barber to be a better goalline back than Brown but Brown to be better between the 20's.

Fair enough, although it's tough to say who the better back is in different phases since they are on such polar opposite teams as far as talent goes. Perhaps in 2-3 years when the Dolphins catch up to the Cowboys in talent we'll truly be able to see who is the better back.

As an aside, I wouldn't be surprised if it's much longer before Barber has a major injury with the punishment he takes each game by trying to finish each run by pounding the defender.

[High5]

Steven Jackson has lost some of his luster with the rapid fall of the Rams, but put him on a team like Dallas and I bet his numbers would shoot right back up.

[Traceman]

I agree.

I think Peterson has the ability to be an all timer BUT I am not sure that he is going to be durable enough with his running style to play long enough to be considered among the best ever. He has an unbelievable combination of power, elusiveness and speed BUT he's tall, he runs very upright and he takes (and delivers) a lot of shots. He's VERY powerful but he's not huge at 6'1" 217. I just wonder how long he will be able to play the way he does without losing some of his explosiveness. If he can stay healthy though, I don't think 2,000 yards is out of the question this season.

[EazyRoc]

Ronnie Brown isn't even a top 10 back in this league. He's good, but he just hasn't produced consistently in the league.

[AHF]

As an update, halfway through the season the guys most discussed are on pace for:

Ronnie Brown - 928 rushing yards, 4.1 ypc

Marion Barber - 1222 rushing yards, 4.0 ypc

Michael Turner - 1457 rushing yard, 4.5 ypc

Adreian Peterson - 1563 rushing yards, 4.5 ypc

[Admin]

As an update, halfway through the season the guys most discussed are on pace for:

Ronnie Brown - 928 rushing yards, 4.1 ypc

Marion Barber - 1222 rushing yards, 4.0 ypc

Michael Turner - 1457 rushing yard, 4.5 ypc

Adreian Peterson - 1563 rushing yards, 4.5 ypc

And what pace are they on for touchdowns?

[Swish]

As an update, halfway through the season the guys most discussed are on pace for:

Ronnie Brown - 928 rushing yards, 4.1 ypc

Marion Barber - 1222 rushing yards, 4.0 ypc

Michael Turner - 1457 rushing yard, 4.5 ypc

Adreian Peterson - 1563 rushing yards, 4.5 ypc

Where is Captain Quick? (aka Chris Johnson ;)

How many TDs is LenDale White on pace for? He has 10.

[crimedog]

As an update, halfway through the season the guys most discussed are on pace for:

Ronnie Brown - 928 rushing yards, 4.1 ypc

Marion Barber - 1222 rushing yards, 4.0 ypc

Michael Turner - 1457 rushing yard, 4.5 ypc

Adreian Peterson - 1563 rushing yards, 4.5 ypc

How bout Portis on pace for 1888 with 5ypc and 14 TDs, why didn't we mention him?

Gore and Jacobs are having nice seasons too but Portis is lookin like a stah.

Swish, Lendale is pace for 747yds with 3.7 per but 23(!) touchdowns, he partner in crime is lookin at 1431yds at 5.1 per with 9TDs rushing.

With none of the front runners really distinguishing themselves I'm stickin with a healthy LT as the "best back" in the league.

... but Portis is certainly having the best season of any back.

[Swish]

Phew. 23 TDs! He could really go for more than that...or less. Amazing.

[Admin]

No doubt Portis is having a hell of a season! He's definitely the best RB this year.

[Swish]

Crazy question--how many TDs per game would Lendale have to average from here out to tie LT's 31?

[AHF]

I just put in the four guys who got the most individual debate. Portis is definitely having the best year so far but I think he will suffer some in the second half from the number of carries and likely miss some time, although he is on my yahoo fantasy team so I hope that doesn't happen.

Feel free to expand on the meager list I gave with SJax, Portis, Lendale, etc. and add TDs, receiving yards, or whatever anyone thinks is interesting.

[DrReality]

Barber has a lot more talent around him while Peterson cairries the mail without all the all pro guys. He's the man.

[Admin]

Crazy question--how many TDs per game would Lendale have to average from here out to tie LT's 31?

2.33 TDs per game

[Admin]

Barber has a lot more talent around him while Peterson cairries the mail without all the all pro guys. He's the man.

Don't kid yourself, if the Vikings had a quality QB they'd be among the best teams in the league ... but Peterson is still the most talented back in football!