Four RBs who could be the NFL's next breakout star

The running back position has arguably the shortest career span and the highest turnover rate in the NFL, so it should come as no surprise that the top 10-15 RBs in the league change on an almost yearly basis.

With players like Dalvin Cook, Ezekiel Elliott and Melvin Gordon hitting their respective plateaus and their production beginning to decline, there’s a new wave of runners waiting for them to pass the torch.

Below are four up-and-coming RBs who could be the NFL’s next big breakout star.

Breece Hall, New York Jets

Hall was on pace for over 1,000 yards rushing as a rookie in 2022 before a torn ACL derailed his season after just seven games. He came back with a bang last season and finished just six yards shy of 1,000 rushing yards and nine yards shy of 600 receiving yards.

Because the Jets were playing from behind most of the time, Hall’s impact on most games was minimal. But with a healthy Aaron Rodgers under center, Hall should see a more balanced split between rushing and receiving. 

Hall didn’t take over as the full-time starter until Week 5 in 2023, getting minimal carries until that point while splitting time with Cook and Michael Carter. But starting the 2024 season as the unquestioned starter, Hall should be a near lock for at least 1,000 yards rushing and another 600 to 700 yards receiving.

Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions

Gibbs began his rookie year in 2023 as the backup to David Montgomery. He was used primarily as a receiver out of the backfield and got limited carries until the middle of October when Montgomery missed three games with an injury. 

That’s when Gibbs forced head coach Dan Campbell to involve him more in the offense. Gibbs rushed for 297 yards and four touchdowns and added 18 receptions for 130 yards in those three games. When Montgomery returned to the lineup, his carries per game dropped from 22 to 13.8, and Gibbs’ rose from 9.7 to 13. 

Gibbs finished the season leading all rookies in rushing touchdowns (10), runs of 10 or more yards (33) and runs of 15 or more yards (17), and he finished second in rushing yards (945), yards per carry (5.2) and missed tackles forced (46), per Pro Football Focus. If he plays a larger role in Detroit’s offense from Week 1, there’s a good chance Gibbs could be a top-eight rusher next season.

Isiah Pacheco, Kansas City Chiefs

The 25-year-old Pacheco was just 65 yards away from reaching 1,000 last season, and he’s shown marked improvement in each of his first two seasons. He also took a giant step forward in his development as a receiver out of the backfield, jumping from 13 receptions on 14 targets as a rookie to 44 catches on 49 targets last season.

Pacheco’s dual-threat ability makes him an even bigger asset to Kansas City’s offense, and if he can get into the 250-carry range, he should easily be in the 1,000-yard to 1,200-yard range. If Pacheco reaches his potential in 2024, he could be an Austin Ekeler-type of player with a higher upside as a pure runner.

Jonathon Brooks, Carolina Panthers

Though Brooks has yet to take an NFL snap, he was considered by most scouts to be the top running back in the 2024 draft class, and if any of the 19 RBs that were drafted last month have a chance to rush for 1,000 yards a rookie (barring injury), it’s him.

In his first year as a starter at Texas, Brooks rushed for 1,139 yards and 10 touchdowns while averaging 6.1 yards per carry and added 25 receptions and 286 yards in 11 games before suffering a season-ending ACL injury in early November. He’s expected to be ready for the start of training camp at the end of July, so he should get every chance to contribute from Day 1.

Miles Sanders was a disappointment in his first season with the team (432 yards rushing, one touchdown), and Chuba Hubbard is more of a solid change-of-pace back than an RB1. Brooks can carry it 12-15 times per game, and if used as a receiver, he should consistently get 20-25 touches per game. If that’s the case, he could be among the leaders in yards from scrimmage and be a dark-horse contender for Offensive Rookie of the Year.