I’ve got Arian Foster’s body of work in front of me. It’s more impressive than I thought. Before today, I was figuring he’d be just a top-10 running back on my board – somebody who’d go in the first or second round, but not a player I’d particularly want. Upon closer inspection, I think he’s better than that.

With running backs, I like to look at per-game production. That is, set aside the missed games and look at apples-to-apples production. I’m tossing out guys who didn’t start more than half of the games, but from what’s left, I don’t want a so-so 16-game guy beating a really good 12-gamer just because he played more.

Anyway, in per-game production, Foster has been either the No. 1 or No. 2 running back in four of the last five seasons. That’s hard to do at any position. (In fact, off the top of my head, I would doubt that anybody at any of the other positions finished 1st or 2nd in all but one of the last five years).

Foster’s age and injury history are worrying, but it will be tough to not have him in the top 5 among running backs.

TOP FIVE RUNNING BACKS, 2010
RkPlayerRunRecTDPts
1.Arian Foster, Hou.101381.1320.6
2.Darren McFadden, Oak.8939.7717.4
3.Adrian Peterson, Minn.8723.8716.1
4.Peyton Hillis, Clev.7931.7915.6
5.Jamaal Charles, K.C.9229.5015.1
TOP FIVE RUNNING BACKS, 2011
RkPlayerRunRecTDPts
1.Arian Foster, Hou.9447.9219.7
2.LeSean McCoy, Phil.87211.3318.8
3.Ray Rice, Balt.8544.9418.6
4.Fred Jackson, Buff.9344.6017.4
5.Maurice Jones-Drew, Jac.10023.6916.5
TOP FIVE RUNNING BACKS, 2012
RkPlayerRunRecTDPts
1.Adrian Peterson, Minn.13114.8119.3
2.Arian Foster, Hou.89141.0616.6
3.Doug Martin, T.B.9130.7516.5
4.Marshawn Lynch, Sea.9912.7515.7
5.Alfred Morris, Wash.1015.8115.4
TOP FIVE RUNNING BACKS, 2013
RkPlayerRunRecTDPts
1.Jamaal Charles, K.C.86461.2720.8
2.LeSean McCoy, Phil.10034.6917.5
3.Matt Forte, Chi.8437.7516.6
4.Marshawn Lynch, Sea.7920.8815.1
5.Adrian Peterson, Minn.9012.7915.0
TOP FIVE RUNNING BACKS, 2014
RkPlayerRunRecTDPts
1.DeMarco Murray, Dall.11526.8119.0
2.Arian Foster, Hou.96251.0018.1
3.LeVeon Bell, Pitt.8553.6918.0
4.Marshawn Lynch, Sea.82231.0616.8
5.Matt Forte, Chi.6551.6315.3

—Ian Allan