Zeke vs Barkley: Which is best RB in NFL?

[kskboys]

Barkley has only been in the league for one season, Zeke has had 3 seasons. So, all we can do is compare Zeke's last season and Barkley's first and then make a prediction off that about how things will go for both.

Barkley simply had a better season than Zeke last year. That's all there is to it. If Barkley had similar carries to Zeke last year, he would have had more rushing yards and FAR FAR more rushing TDs.

For the excuses Zeke gets about how our offensive line was last year and defenses "loading up" to stop Zeke, what the heck do you think Barkley was facing behind that line and with Manning as QB? Barkley also broke off multiple long runs for TDs, Zeke had a run of 41 yards last year. Oh, and Zeke is getting real close to being tagged a fumbler.

Barkley won in 2018. I suspect Barkley being a far more versatile player while Zeke is more of a volume back as he has been. I prefer Barkley's style of play as a runner and catcher and homerun hitter.

If you have to go that far to cherry pick your stats, one has to wonder just how weak of a case you have.

EZ made 73 first downs last season. SB made 50.

Different types of RB, and you're using the stats that favor Barkley and then proclaiming him better.

 

[shabazz]

Here’s the better question. Let’s say their both the same age, same contract, same amount of years locked up......which one do you put on the Cowboys. If your answer isn’t Barkley than you are either a homer cowboys fan or your Skip Baylessing it.

In your premise; do you have Barkley jumping in the Salvation Army Bucket too?

 

[Whirlwin]

First of all. Define what better means. Yardage without points means nothing to me. Can you block. Can you pass protect. How well can you catch the football coming out of the backfield running down the sidelines. How much patience does the running back have. You have to Define better

 

[gjkoeppen]

We didn't throw to Elliot his rook season. Kinda common knowledge there, Kops.

If you read it I also said if you take Elliott's best season, his third his number STILL don't beat Barkleys.

.

 

[Whirlwin]

In your premise; do you have Barkley jumping in the Salvation Army Bucket too?

I don't think he's the knucklehead Elliott is

 

[JoeKing]

I want to say Zeke is better. What does $50M guaranteed buy us?

 

[gjkoeppen]

Of course, dude, he quit when he was 30. That's before he would've lost a step. Since most RB's are done around that age, claiming that Barry wouldn't have soon been less effective is a huge stretch.

Here's a little something for you. The average career for a NFL RB is 3.6 years but Emmitt lasted 15. For you to say that because backs start to lose a step after 30 and there are no exceptions is to say that then Emmitt and every other back that goes beyond 3.6 years shouldn't. To say that it's a stretch to think that Sanders would not lose that step after 30 is then saying Emmitt should not have been able to play 15 seasons because Emmitt was one of those exceptions. Also beside Sanders speed he also had moves and balance that very few backs have ever had.
.

 

[Starforever]

Elliott

 

[shabazz]

I don't think he's the knucklehead Elliott is

Agree, Unfortunately.

 

[Whirlwin]

I like the running back up in New England, myself Michelle. I thought Le'Veon Bell was the best back in the league. And after watching saquon Barkley last season. Breaking six different defensive tackles from the Eagles. I think he's the best back in the league. I think Elliott could be the best back in the league if he just got his head on straight. You can't trip over your own ego on the goal line in a playoff game. You can't be too slow to take it to the house. You can't put the ball on the ground six times and only have six touchdowns. Need to have a better 4th Down record.

 

[JD_KaPow]

Would you rather have runs of....

5, 10, 25, 4, 7, 5, 6, 40, 4, 5, 1 (they just needed a yard to get a 1st down on that play), 17, 5, 12
or
3, -3, 2, 5, -4, 4, 3, 5, -1, 65, -3, 4, -1 (they tried to get a 1st down and couldn't), 2 (that was from another RB when they needed a 1st down), 3, -2

Well, obviously I'd rather have the guy averaging 10.4 yards per carry than the guy averaging 5.1. But this doesn't describe either Zeke or Barkley, so I'm not sure what you're talking about.

As far as those "needed a yard to get a 1st down" plays, Zeke succeeded on 24 of 35 of those last year. Saquon converted 15 of 20, a higher rate.

 

[QuincyCarterEra]

Because they're in this game Sunday, I am assuming. And that would really be the only marquis matchup between the two teams.

It doesnt say Sunday's match up, it says NFL.

 

[slick325]

Let me see Barkley do it for three straight seasons while making All-Pro one of them. Let me see him amass more rushing yards over those three years than any other back.

In other words...Barkley shows consistency and good health and then I can debate. What I won't debate is that Barkley will likely be the highest paid RB of all-time in a few years.

 

[JD_KaPow]

Because they're in this game Sunday, I am assuming. And that would really be the only marquis matchup between the two teams.

Oh, I wouldn't start calling them football royalty just yet.

 

[QuincyCarterEra]

Well it’s definitely between these two and Gurley as the best overall RB in the league right now.

Melvin Gordon and Alvin Kamara are both a tier below, and Le’Veon Bell is a wildcard because he hadn’t played football in a year and a half. With that said, if he comes back as the old Le’Veon, he’s right there in the mix too.

Definitely is a string word, and it's used improperly here. The discussion is definitely not just between those three.

And McCaffrey is hella better than Gordon.

 

[CouchCoach]

Interesting this year vs last when the consensus was that Barkley wouldn't be anything, had to bounce everything outside, couldn't run inside which was based on that average OL at Penn State.

I have yet to see Elliott do anything I haven't seen another back do but like Barry Sanders, I have seen Barkley only do what he can do in college and the NFL. Given the choice, I would take Barkley and he ran better behind that OL in NY that Elliott did behind this very good OL.

Behind that Giants OL, he averaged 5.0 ypc to 4.7, 11 rush TD's to 6 and 0 fumbles to 6 and ranked 1st in 20+ and 40+ runs while Elliott led all RB's in carries and fumbles. Want a great stat? One TD per 50 carries and one fumble, that's the best RB in the NFL? Since when isn't protecting the ball important? RB's, yardage, 2,3 and 4......0 fumbles and all with more TD's.

I've had to use the same qualifier for Emmitt and Witten to make the comparison favorable, best all around. Emmitt, like Elliott, was a great all around RB but couldn't hold a candle to Barry as a pure RB. Barry Sanders gave fits to DC's because they had to play him different than any RB of his time. If he'd cared as much about records, Barry would have put that record out of reach but he marched to a different drummer. He wasn't as ego driven or greedy as Emmitt, who was all about the glory and the money.

All around back, I will take Elliott at this point because Barkley's only had one season but as a pure RB, no contest and Elliott wouldn't even be in my top 3 as a pure RB.

 

[CouchCoach]

Definitely is a string word, and it's used improperly here. The discussion is definitely not just between those three.

And McCaffrey is hella better than Gordon.

Another that they said couldn't carry the load as a RB.

 

[mattjames2010]

If you have to go that far to cherry pick your stats, one has to wonder just how weak of a case you have.

EZ made 73 first downs last season. SB made 50.

Different types of RB, and you're using the stats that favor Barkley and then proclaiming him better.

Nothing was "cherry picked" - what the hell are you talking about? Those are basic stats right there. Zeke had 73 first downs with 300+ carries, Barkley had 50 with 261.

And god forbid pointing out an important category like fumbles. I guess that makes Zeke seem to mortal in a place that is basically using his jock as worship material.

Barkley had a better 2018 season. I didn't say Barkley is a better back. Learn to read.

 

[silvrNblue]

IMHO this is a dead horse, 2 totally different style RB's, 2 totally different teams with their own style of play calling,. or making up plays to "suit" their RB. It's my distinction that both are equally good in the offense they play in. Both of these backs are dangerous and a player every DC HAS to game for...that's my 2 cents.

 

[aria]

Barkley had 7 games in 2018 that he had less than 3.35 yards per carry.

Zeke has had 5 in his career!

No mention of the difference in O lines?

I don’t recall Barkley ever having a game with a total of 8 yards.

Zeke had 6 fumbles last year, Barkley has had ZERO in his career.