Top Running Backs In A Fictional ‘NFL Street’ Re-Make

After going over the top quarterbacks in a fictional NFL Street re-make, we’re moving to perhaps the most fun position in the classic football game: running backs. Having an awesome running back to lead your offense and rack up yardage and style points is critical in NFL Street, and these would be the best players at the position if the game was made today.

 

12. Joe Mixon

Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette was close to making the top 12 as a powerful runner, but Bengals third-year back Joe Mixon would offer more speed, agility, and catching while also likely being a better fit on defense—remember, every players plays both ways in NFL Street—because of his athleticism. Mixon would have no stand-out attributes in the game, but he’d be solid at everything.

 

11. Chris Carson

He doesn’t necessarily get the recognition of one of the NFL’s top power runners, but Chris Carson would probably get the high mark in run power that he deserves in NFL Street. The athletic Carson would also have speed around 80% and adequate agility in the game. Playing for the tough Seahawks might also give Carson a boost on defense, with the ability to play back at safety or linebacker.

 

10. James Conner

People can try to claim James Conner was a product of a running-back-friendly Steelers offense all they want, but he ran like a man possessed last season, which is perfect for the gameplay in NFL Street. In addition to his power, Conner has the speed to break big plays along with plus pass-catching potential, so he’d likely be one of the top-rated players at his position in the game.

 

9. Christian McCaffrey

Just check his Instagram; Christian McCaffrey is seriously ripped, but his playing style—despite routinely breaking arm tackles—probably wouldn’t translate to the classic football video game as well as other running backs. In NFL Street, it’s mostly better to have bruisers running the rock, but McCaffrey could still overwhelm virtual defenses with his speed and agility (both would certainly be nearly maxed-out) on tosses and as a receiver. This No. 9 ranking is evidence that these are not close to real-life running back rankings.

 

8. David Johnson

While he’s a little bigger, David Johnson would be somewhat similar to McCaffrey in a new NFL Street game, as he has the power to shed tacklers but does most of his damage by relying on top-notch agility and athleticism. DJ would likely have agility that surpasses his speed, with catching, run power, and carrying not far behind.

 

7. Nick Chubb

If Nick Chubb was in the league 15 years ago, he would’ve fit right into NFL Street as a balanced, old-school style runner that would’ve had similar ratings to the likes of Edgerrin James and Curtis Martin. The second-year Browns running back didn’t have any fumbles last season, so he’d have nearly all-green carrying that would allow you to truck the opposition while worrying less about losing the ball.

 

6. Alvin Kamara

Alvin Kamara has drawn comparisons to Marshall Faulk, who was in the original NFL Street game and was a strong player on both sides of the ball, so that’s a bonus for his outlook for this exercise. Kamara would be nearly full at speed and agility, and he’d probably have a decent coverage rating to help him be usable at defensive back. On offense, Kamara would be able to also play receiver if you want more versatility, as he’d have a very high catching attribute.

 

5. Ezekiel Elliott

The majority of the top-five consists of do-it-all bruisers that also possess plus speed. Emmitt Smith was at the end of his career on the Cardinals in the original NFL Street, but Ezekiel Elliott would likely be a supped-up version of the former Cowboy in a re-make of the game: speed, agility, catching, and run power would all be in the green zone—though carrying wouldn’t be quite as high for Elliott, who has had some issues with fumbles in his career.

 

4. Todd Gurley

It would be interesting to see the attributes for all the top backs in a re-make of NFL Street, and Todd Gurley might very well be the best runner to use. Gurley might have speed, agility, and run power all at 90% or higher, while his catching would be among the best at his position, too.

 

3. Melvin Gordon

They’re playing styles aren’t completely similar, and maybe it’s the dreadlocks, but Melvin Gordon reminds me a lot of NFL Street cover star Ricky Williams. The former Dolphins running back was a beast in the game, and Gordon would probably be the same way as someone that would likely be in the green range for speed, agility, catching, run power, and carrying. It just feels like Gordon would translate well to a re-make of NFL Street.

 

2. Derrick Henry

Former Bucs fullback Mike Alstott was usable in NFL Street because he had full run power, but he didn’t crack 75% in any other attribute. Today, Titans running back Derrick Henry would likely get close to full run power, and he’d also have much higher speed, agility, and carrying ratings than Alsott did; overall, he’d just be a monster on the virtual gridiron. Because running backs are so important for the game’s gameplay, defense hasn’t gotten a lot of focus here; but Henry would be a potential force at defensive end, giving him a boost.

 

1. Saquon Barkley

Barry Sanders was available as a “Legend” in the original NFL Street, and he was one of the best players in the game with full agility and carrying ratings, high speed, and solid attributes in the other important categories for a running back (along with coverage at about 70%). Giants star Saquon Barkley might not be quite as high in speed and agility, but he’d be right there with Sanders along with better run power and the ability to be used on defense. There are many good running backs available, but Barkley would be in the mix for the first pick in an All-NFL Pickup draft.