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It’s that time of the year when everyone has a ranking for everything, but sometimes those rankings are idiotic. You know, like predicting the Denver Broncos would finish 2-14 in 2019. Here is another from Maurice Jones-Drew of NFL.com who ranked Pro Bowl running back Phillip Lindsay as one of the worst starting running backs in the league entering this season.
23. Phillip Lindsay, RB. Broncos
There’s been talk that Royce Freeman could get more carries than Lindsay in 2019, but that’s not my forecast here. Lindsay had a great first season, recording the second-most rushing yards (1,037) by an undrafted rookie in the Super Bowl era. Lindsay is recovering from a wrist injury he suffered last last season, but it’s hard to be down on a guy who accomplished such a feat. With defensive-minded coach Vic Fangio running the show, expect the Broncos’ offense to lean on the run game. It’s something they’ll have to do to make a run at the postseason, and Lindsay should be the guy leading the charge.
Aside from his flimsy reasoning, he went on to rank a slew of fellow running backs that either haven’t proved themselves at all at the NFL level or are beyond the running back age wall.
Guys above Lindsay on this list I could argue against being above: LeSean McCoy, Josh Jacobs, Damien Williams, Adrian Peterson, Chris Carson, Jordan Howard, Leonard Fornette, James Conner, Aaron Jones, Kerryon Johnson, and Dalvin Cook. That’s 11 guys, which would put Lindsay right outside the Top 10.
It’s a strange list that Jones-Drew threw together and Lindsay is certainly not the 23rd best starting running back. He’s closer to Top 10 than Bottom 10.