Ranking the NFC North Running Backs: Bears' Ground Game Leads the Pack

Ben Johnson's commitment to the run has propelled Chicago's running backs to the top of the division.

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They may not be as valued as they once were, but running backs still play a pivotal role in the NFL. This is especially true for teams that play outdoors in cold environments, like the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers. Once January rolls around, passing attacks slow down, and it's up to the NFC North running backs to help carry the offense with a bruising ground game.

With that in mind, we can continue our series of ranking each position group in the NFC North division. Yesterday, we saw that the top spot for tight ends went to Chicago as Colston Loveland stands atop a loaded division, but Tuesday's ranking showed that the Bears' receivers still lag behind their rivals. Now we're going to evaluate each team's running back room and see who runs away with the division lead.

For these rankings, the quality of each team's offensive line will also be considered due to the major role that unit plays in the success of the run game. The running backs will be the focus, but the offensive lines may break a tie between two teams.

4. Minnesota Vikings

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While Minnesota's passing attack languished in 2025, the running game didn't do much to help. Aaron Jones is clearly losing the battle to Father Time as he averaged just 4.2 yards per carry, the lowest number of his career. He's also missed at least five games in two of his last three seasons, yet he remains the best running back in Minnesota by far.

Jordan Mason flashed some promise in his first season with the Vikings, but his 159 carries marked a career high for him. That's not a lot, and 29 other running backs had more carries than him. Can he handle a workload that may have to drastically increase if Jones continues to underperform? We'll see, but this is just one more question for an offense that's already in quarterback purgatory. At least their offensive line should be one of the better ones in the division this year.

3. Green Bay Packers

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Like Aaron Jones, Green Bay's Josh Jacobs regressed quite a bit in 2025, averaging just 4.0 yards per carry, down from 4.4 in 2024. His work in the passing attack also regressed, going from 9.5 yards per reception in 2024 to just 7.8 in 2025. I'm not going to say that this trend will continue in 2026, but it's cause for some mild concern.

Green Bay's depth at running back is abysmal, even worse than Minnesota's, but Jacobs is their workhorse running back, and I still favor him over Minnesota's Aaron Jones. The big advantage Jacobs has over Jones is age; he is three years younger and has far more tread left on the tires, so to speak. However, Green Bay's offensive line fell to shambles in 2025, and I don't think it's looking much better for 2026. That's why I have Green Bay at No. 3.

2. Detroit Lions

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The Lions may have broken up Sonic and Knuckles when they traded David Montgomery to the Texans, but Jahmyr Gibbs should have no problem carrying the running game on his back. In his three years in the NFL, Gibbs has averaged 5.3 yards per carry and reached double-digit touchdowns each year. He also hit new highs in the passing game in 2025, hauling in 77 catches for 616 yards and five touchdowns. Bears fans may not like this, but Gibbs is reminiscent of a smaller Matt Forte.

But Gibbs isn't the only ground game weapon in Detroit. After trading Montgomery, the Lions signed former Chiefs running back Isaiah Pacheco. His numbers have dipped since his electric rookie season in 2022, but playing in a reduced role behind Gibbs should see him maximize his value. The only thing holding Detroit back in these rankings is its offensive line. Like Green Bay, that unit saw a major regression in 2025, and it may not be much better in 2026.

1. Chicago Bears

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Had Montgomery stayed in Detroit, I probably would have slotted them in at No. 1 for my rankings, but when I take everything into consideration (the running backs themselves, the offensive lines, and coaching), the top spot has to go to Chicago. They featured the No. 3 rushing attack last year in both yards per carry and yards per game, at 4.9 and 144.5, respectively, and I see no reason to believe that that won't continue into 2026.

D'Andre Swift set career highs in both yards (1,087) and touchdowns (9) last year, and he added 299 yards and another score through the air. Meanwhile, rookie Kyle Monangai came alive over the last half of the season, racking up 783 yards and three touchdowns. These two together give Chicago a dynamic 1-2 duo on the ground, with Swift being the shifty, outside runner and Monangai serving as the bruising, bowling ball back who picks up the tough yards.

Furthermore, despite some turnover on the offensive line, Chicago should still feature powerful blocking up front. And we know that Ben Johnson places tremendous value on a strong running game. One could even say it's the foundation of his entire offensive philosophy. For evidence, look no further than the difference in Chicago's running game before and after his arrival. In 2024, the Bears finished near the bottom of the league with just 102 rushing yards per game. In 2025, they jumped to No. 3 in the league with the same RB1 (Swift).

When taking all of that into account, it becomes clear that Chicago once again features the most dangerous rushing attack in the NFC North, and that could be what makes the difference come playoff time.

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