This year's NFL rushing title remains up for grabs, and the league's injection of youth is spicing up the race.
Kareem Hunt of the Kansas City Chiefs and Leonard Fournette of the Jacksonville Jaguars have taken the league by storm during their rookie years, Los Angeles Rams star Todd Gurley is benefiting from a coaching change, and Pittsburgh Steelers standout Le'Veon Bell remains the best all-around threat in the NFL.
Below, we handicap the odds of winning the rushing title for each member of the quartet.
Note: Ezekiel Elliott isn't included due to the ongoing legal battle surrounding his six-game suspension.
Le'Veon Bell
Current stats: 555 yards, 134 carries, 4.14 yards per carry
The most dynamic of these four players, Bell is equally adept as a receiver or a runner. Sporting the lowest yards per carry of the group, however, he may be in a tough spot trying to win his first rushing title, since the Steelers deploy him as a master of all trades. When he's at the top of his game, it's impossible to conceive of a running back better suited for the modern era, but in order to win the rushing title, Bell would likely need to neglect his receiving duties. The Steelers, of course, won't consider that option.
Odds: 10-1
Todd Gurley
Current stats: 521 rushing yards, 123 carries, 4.24 yards per carry
Gurley is undergoing a rebirth of sorts under new Rams head coach Sean McVay after struggling miserably during his sophomore campaign. He's displaying his excellent open-field ability and agility, submitting four 100-yard-plus games during the first half of the year. Gurley is the focal point of the Rams' offense, and if the team harbors serious ambitions of making the playoffs for the first time since 2014, he'll need an uptick in carries, which should help his bid for the rushing title.
Odds: 8-1
Kareem Hunt
Current stats: 630 yards, 106 carries, 5.94 yards per carry.
After fumbling his first carry of his professional career, Hunt has been nothing short of remarkable. The current NFL rushing leader, Hunt has stepped up admirably for an injured Spencer Ware, and has displaced his predecessor entirely. Hunt submitted his worst rushing total so far on Sunday against the Steelers, stumbling to 21 yards on nine carries - though he was still productive in the passing game, with five catches for 89 yards.
Odds: 5-1
Leonard Fournette
Current stats: 596 yards, 130 carries, 4.58 yards per carry
Fournette is a safe bet to catch Hunt in the rushing race. He's improving on a weekly basis, bursting for 75-yard touchdown runs with impressive consistency. Tasked with keeping the Jaguars' offense afloat, the 2017 fourth overall pick will continue to see a high volume of carries. That workload, combined with Fournette's unique blend of speed, size, power, and field vision, could make him the second consecutive rookie to win the title after Elliott captured it last year.
Odds: 4-1
(Photos courtesy: Action Images)
