Madden NFL 12 – Top 5 Running Backs

There’s no doubt fans love to air it out in Madden. Similar to real life, it’s becoming a pass-first league. But every great footballer should know, you run first to set up the passing game. With so much emphasis on the QB position, and so much drama at WR, it’s easy to forget about the running game. Remember the days of Barry Sanders, Emmitt Smith, and Terrell Davis? Those guys put the team on their back. Let’s see if these top running backs can bring back that “run first” mentality. After all, it’s much more fun to make a defender look silly with a sick juke or spin, stiff arm to the face, or the plain old “truck” stick.

Adrian Peterson: 97
“All Day” takes the top spot for Madden running backs. With 97 speed, 97 acceleration, 98 agility, 96 stamina, 97 elusiveness, 99 ball carrier vision, 97 stiff arm, 95 spin, 98 juke, and 90 trucking, expect Adrian Peterson and the Vikings to be one of the most played teams in the this year’s game.

Chris Johnson: 96
I could make a strong case that Chris Johnson should be the best running back in Madden, but it’s hard to complain about a guy with 99 speed and 99 acceleration. Throw in 97 spin and 98 juke and you are going to have a ton of fun with CJ.

Jamaal Charles: 95
Jamaal Charles officially established himself as one of the elite running backs in the NFL last year. He looks to continue to his success this season and with 98 speed, 98 acceleration, 98 agility, and 99 elusiveness I don’t think that should be much of a problem. Following in the footsteps of running back greats Priest Holmes and Larry Johnson, Charles should prove he belongs right there with some of the greats.

Maurice Jones-Drew: 95
Checking in at 5’7″ this small back packs a big punch. He may be small, but don’t expect to bring him down easily with 89 trucking, 92 spin, and 94 juke. The only thing holding him back is lack of a supporting cast, but with 94 speed and 95 acceleration he might just be able to outrun everyone on the field, including his own blockers. He’s going to need that 97 ball carrier vision to dodge the onslaught of defenders that will most likely meet him in the backfield. This guy is a trooper, and should be considered one of the best backs in the league.

Steven Jackson: 94
Did I miss something EA? When did Steven Jackson become slow? With only 87 speed and 90 acceleration, Steven Jackson is the slowest back in the top 5. I guess the folks at EA figured it’s hard to build up speed and momentum when you have a defender in your face as soon as you get the ball. But if he does manage to get out of the backfield, watch out, as his 86 strength, 95 toughness, 95 trucking, and 96 stiff arm will make him tough to bring down.

That concludes the Top Running Backs in Madden NFL 12. With ratings like that, it shouldn’t be too hard getting to the coveted 2,000 yard mark.

Check out the top tier players at these key Madden NFL 12 positions:
WR |DE | LB