​The Seattle Seahawks made notable upheavals at running back this offseason. They let Kenneth Walker III, who earned the Super Bowl 60 MVP honors for his performances, depart in free agency and turned to the draft to replenish the position, selecting Jadarian Price. Across the NFC West, backfields remain hotly contested as teams vie for depth, talent, and workload distribution. Looking ahead to the 2026 NFL season, the quartet of division backfields will be rated from strongest to weakest, with a focus on how each group shapes up for the year to come.
San Francisco enters with a healthy Christian McCaffrey, who remains one of the most explosive and versatile players at the position. The dual-threat weapon has been a “cheat code” for quarterback Brock Purdy, enabling a variety of offensive looks and play designs. When he’s on the field, McCaffrey consistently sits in the discussion for Offensive Player of the Year and is a central pillar of the 49ers’ offense.
Turning to the Arizona Cardinals, this is a franchise that is rebuilding, yet their running back situation looks more robust than many expect. Veteran James Conner continues to provide dependable production, while the team added significant talent in the 2026 draft with Jeremiyah Love selected No. 3 overall. Love was widely regarded as one of the top prospects in the draft, and the Cardinals also added depth with the free-agent acquisition of Tyler Allgeier. Taken together, this backfield has the potential to present a multi-headed threat, offering both power and explosiveness with a capable mix of veteran leadership and young upside.
The Los Angeles Rams have Kyren Williams, who has established himself as a top-10 back in the league. The former Notre Dame standout has recorded 1,000 rushing yards in each of the past three seasons, underscoring his durability and productivity. Complementing Williams is Blake Corum, who posted 746 rushing yards and six touchdowns last year, showcasing himself as one of the better NFL handcuffs and a reliable depth option capable of stepping into a larger role if needed.
Finally, the Seattle Seahawks enter the season with questions at the position, leaving them at the bottom of the division in this ranking. The status of Jadarian Price as a rookie impact player remains uncertain, and the health and availability of Zach Charbonnet are still in question. There’s also curiosity around how extensively George Holani will be involved. With those unknowns, Seattle’s backfield is the most unsettled in the NFC West as training camp approaches, leaving their overall ranking more tentative than the other teams in the division.