Running back is a deep position in free agency this year, with Matt Forte, Lamar Miller, Arian Foster and Doug Martin available for teams looking to upgrade the position; LeGarrette Blount and Alfred Morris are also intriguing options.
NFL Total Access discussed which player will be the most appealing free-agent running back on the market, per the NFL on Twitter:
NFL @NFLForte. Miller. Ivory. Foster. Martin. Who is the BEST free agent RB in 2016?
Ivory could represent a nice value, however. He's likely cheaper than Miller and Martin, while he's younger than Forte and Foster and doesn't have the laundry list of injuries that Foster brings to the table.
| Free-Agent Running Back Comparison: 2015 Stats | ||||||
| Doug Martin | 27 | 1,402 | 6 | 33 | 271 | 1 |
| Lamar Miller | 24 | 872 | 8 | 47 | 397 | 2 |
| Chris Ivory | 27 | 1,070 | 7 | 30 | 217 | 1 |
| Matt Forte | 30 | 898 | 4 | 44 | 389 | 3 |
| Arian Foster | 29 | 163 | 1 | 22 | 227 | 2 |
He’ll be 28 when the 2016 season begins, but 2015 was the first season of his career where he saw more than 200 carries. Tough to bring down, he forced 47 missed tackles and averaged 2.6 yards after contact per carry. If the past is anything to go by, he’s unlikely to be viewed as a long-term option by anyone, but based on what we’ve seen, a team would be wise to lock him up for two to three years, where he can be a stable force at the position.
Ivory, 27, had a career year with the Jets in 2015, rushing for career highs in yards (1,070) and touchdowns (seven). He will team with T.J. Yeldon to form a formidable duo of running backs in Jacksonville.
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