RB · St. Louis Rams
Marshall Faulk
The receiving engine of a historic offense
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NFL archetype · Running backs
All-purpose running back
All-purpose backs erase the boundary between the run and pass game. Their route skills force linebackers into space while their rushing ability prevents defenses from substituting lighter personnel.
A matchup from anywhere
A back who can run between the tackles, detach as a receiver and make base personnel feel wrong before the snap.
This is a role family, not a rigid label. Great players can belong to more than one archetype.
01
Receiving routes
02
Run-game versatility
03
Mismatch creation
04
Two-minute value
Different expressions of the role
Representative players
RB · San Diego Chargers
LaDainian Tomlinson
Every-down production with elite scoring touch
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RB · San Francisco 49ers
Christian McCaffrey
Receiver detail inside a complete rushing profile
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RB · New Orleans Saints
Alvin Kamara
Contact balance and route value in open space
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Continue learning the roles
Related archetypes
Make contact the defender's problem
Running backs
Power running back
A runner who creates yards through balance, leg drive and the ability to turn a clean tackle into another first down.
Contact balanceShort-yardage reliabilityDownhill decisiveness
Brown · Henry · Campbell · Lynch
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One crease is enough
Running backs
Speed and cutback back
A runner who stretches pursuit horizontally, plants once and turns a small backside lane into an explosive play.
Burst through the creaseCutback visionOpen-field agility
Sanders · Dickerson · Johnson · Charles
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Win before the snap
Quarterbacks
Field-general quarterback
A pocket passer who diagnoses leverage, changes the play and turns coverage answers into routine completions.
Pre-snap diagnosisAnticipationProtection control
Manning · Brady · Montana · Burrow
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