The AFC North has some of the most deep-seated and historic rivalries in football. The players, fans, and even owners hate each other's guts like no other. This hatred has a key repercussion, though. It means that any team can win at any time. It does not matter if a team is 17-0 or 0-17. If two teams in the AFC North face off against each other, it can go either way. That is why it is so vital for these teams to have elite running back cores to carry them to a win when it matters. So, to answer the question about who has the best chance, here is the ranking of each AFC North team's running back room.
4) Cincinatti Bengals
After losing Joe Mixon during the offseason, the Cincinnati Bengals running back room looks rough on paper. The Bengals brought in Zack Moss during free agency, who proved he could be an effective starter for the Colts at times.
Cincinnati also maintained Chase Brown as their second-string running back, serving as the backup to Moss. It also seems as if Brown is taking over the room during training camp and will look to take the job during preseason. Regardless of Brown emerging as the starter, the Bengals' weak running back room cannot compare to the rest of the division.
3) Pittsburgh Steelers
With new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith in the building, Pittsburgh Steelers fans hope Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren can hit another level this year. Harris was incredible his rookie year, totaling 1,667 yards and ten touchdowns.
Despite this extraordinary year, his carries and overall touches have slowly dissipated to work in Jaylen Warren, who gained 1,154 yards and four touchdowns in 2023. While some believe that Harris' once elite explosive ability has all but left him, optimists are hopeful that he can return to elite status and dominate like he did a few years ago.
2) Baltimore Ravens
A good running back might mean more to the Baltimore Ravens than anyone else on this list. Having an offense utilizing the run so heavily with Lamar Jackson, the Ravens needed a star running back to make them a real threat. JK Dobbins showed flashes of being able to do this but could never stay healthy.
Gus Edwards never truly took that next step. But the Ravens leaped this offseason and signed Derrick Henry in free agency. Despite his age, Henry is still amongst the NFL's best rushers and makes the Ravens a much scarier threat, with both him and Lamar Jackson as threats to run the ball.
1) Cleveland Browns
While the Ravens might have the best rushing attack in the division, the best running back room is the Cleveland Browns. Despite losing Kareem Hunt, Cleveland is still home to one of the NFL's best rushers: Nick Chubb. The University of Georgia product, unfortunately, tore his ACL early into last season but will look to return to his peak and dominate the NFL as he has for years now.
Behind him is Jerome Ford, who proved last year that he was a more than capable starter when his name got called to help replace Chubb after his injury. Given the star power in Chubb and depth with Ford, Cleveland easily has the best running back room in the AFC North.
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