Just when many thought running backs were no longer essential pieces of the team-building puzzle, the football world has watched several blue-chip rushers sign blockbuster deals rewarding them for their dazzling play. Within days, Bijan Robinson (three years, $66.75 million, $51 million guaranteed), Jonathan Taylor (two years, $44 million, $39 million guaranteed) and Jahmyr Gibbs (three years, $67.5 million, $51.5 million guaranteed) agreed to megadeals that changed the marketplace for RBs around the NFL.
Just one year after Saquon Barkley became the first $20 million running back when he agreed to a two-year, $41.2 million extension, the league welcomed three new entrants into the exclusive club. While Taylor deserved his invitation — after all, he’s posted four 1,000-yard campaigns in six pro seasons, grabbing a rushing title and leading the league in touchdowns twice along the way — the 5-foot-10, 226-pounder is an old-school workhorse who punishes defenses on hard-hitting runs between the tackles. Although there is still a place in the game for ultra-productive sledgehammers like Taylor and Derrick Henry, the NFL’s transformation into a passing league has prompted team-builders to prioritize multidimensional playmakers out of the backfield. Following in the footsteps of the late, great Bill Walsh — who tapped into Roger Craig’s unique skills to make him the first player in NFL history to finish a season with 1,000 yards rushing and receiving back in 1985 — offensive play-callers are using RB1s like WR2s in the passing game.
The diversification of the position has made it easier to pay feature backs who can impact the game running between the tackles and snagging passes on the perimeter. The NFL scouting community is finally beginning to embrace the importance of a dominant playmaker in the backfield, with Robinson and Gibbs resetting the market with deals that average north of $22 million annually. And their placement atop the mountain of RB earnings is fitting: Since entering the league together as first-round picks in the 2023 NFL Draft, Robinson and Gibbs have indeed established themselves as the NFL’s top two running backs.
Robinson entered the ’23 draft with universal fanfare, ultimately going eighth overall to the Atlanta Falcons. While he fell just shy of 1,000 yards rushing as a rookie (976), he has eclipsed 1,400 in each of the past two seasons, additionally leading the league with 2,298 scrimmage yards in 2025. Gibbs had plenty of fans entering the NFL, but the Detroit Lions surprised everyone when they took him at No. 12 overall. The pick has paid off in spades, though, as Gibbs has made the Pro Bowl in each of his three pro seasons, scoring 49 touchdowns in 49 games despite sharing the backfield with David Montgomery.
Heading into the 2026 season, both 24-year-old backs are poised to produce monster numbers. This begs one question
Who is the best running back in football today: Gibbs or Robinson?
After taking a closer look at the film, here is my breakdown
