With NFL training camps in full swing, here are five players we think might lead the NFL in rushing this season.
Jonathan Taylor ran away with the NFL’s rushing title in 2021.
Literally.
The Indianapolis Colts running back carried the ball 332 times for 1,811 yards, which was over 500 yards more than the next-closest rusher.
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In just his second professional season, Taylor became the 20th player to ever eclipse 1,800 rushing yards. And the former second-round pick can put himself in an even more exclusive group if he’s able to pace the NFL in rushing yet again this season.
There have been just eight running backs who have won consecutive rushing titles in the post-merger era (since 1970), and seven of them are Hall of Famers: O.J. Simpson (1972-73, 1975-76), Earl Campbell (1978-80), Eric Dickerson (1983-84), Emmitt Smith (1991-93), Barry Sanders (1996-97), Edgerrin James (1999-2000), LaDainian Tomlinson (2006-07) and Derrick Henry (2019-20). The only one who isn’t in Canton is current Titans tailback Henry.
So what are the odds Taylor becomes the ninth to accomplish the rushing feat in 2022?
Who are the betting favorites to lead the NFL in rushing in 2022?
New England Patriots
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A pair of former rushing champs are co-favorites to rack up the most yards on the ground this season, as Taylor and Derrick Henry both have +500 odds, according to our partner, PointsBet.
Had Henry not gotten hurt in 2021, he might have become the NFL’s first back-to-back-to-back rushing champ since Emmitt Smith from 1991-93 and the third overall in the post-merger era. Henry put up 937 yards in eight games, and at that pace he would have been on track to finish with 1,990 over a full 17-game season.
Browns running back Nick Chubb, who finished second to Taylor with 1,259 yards last season, is tied with Vikings RB Dalvin Cook for the third-best odds at +900. Chubb has been second on the rushing leaderboard in two of the last three seasons. Cook, meanwhile, finished second in 2020 before tallying 1,159 yards in 13 games last season, good for fifth-most.
Patriots running back Damien Harris has the 10th-best odds at +2000, behind the Commanders’ Antonio Gibson and ahead of the Rams’ Cam Akers. In his first full season as the Pats’ lead back, Harris recorded 929 yards, good for 10th-most in the NFL, across 15 games.
Here’s a full look at the top betting favorites for the 2022 rushing title:
Jonathan Taylor: +500
Derrick Henry: +500
Dalvin Cook: +900
Nick Chubb: +900
Joe Mixon: +1400
Najee Harris: +1400
Elijah Mitchell: +1600
Javonte Williams: +1600
Antonio Gibson: +1800
Damien Harris: +2000
Cam Akers: +2500
Austin Ekeler: +2800
J.K. Dobbins: +3300
Ezekiel Elliott: +3300
Leonard Fournette: +3300
Josh Jacobs: +3300
Christian McCaffrey: +3300
Rashaad Penny: +3300
Miles Sanders: +4000
Devin Singletary: +4000
Saquon Barkley: +5000
Breece Hall: +5000
Aaron Jones: +5000
Alvin Kamara: +5000
David Montgomery: +5000
AJ Dillon: +6000
D’Andre Swift: +6000
Editor's note: All odds are provided by our partner, PointsBet. PointsBet is our Official Sports Betting Partner and we may receive compensation if you place a bet on PointsBet for the first time after clicking our links.