Le’Veon Bell, running back, Pittsburgh Steelers
If Bell can stay healthy on the field and stay out of trouble off the field, there’s little reason to believe he won’t be this generation’s most dynamic running back. Yes, that includes Ezekiel Elliott of the Dallas Cowboys and Arizona Cardinals lead ball-carrier David Johnson.
In 12 games last season, this former second-round pick put up 1,884 total yards and averaged an absurd 5.6 yards per touch. He also caught 75 passes in those 12 games. Talk about a tremendous all-around performance. This came on the heels of three-year span to start his career that saw Bell average nearly 120 total yards per game. Again, this just ridiculous.
Did we mention that Bell is just 25 years old? Given that he plays a position that has a relatively short shelf life, Bell’s future Hall of Fame credentials are aided by his early-career success. Put it this way, Adrian Peterson tallied an average of 1,738 total yards in his first four seasons. Bell is currently averaging 1,512 total yards per season in 15 less total games.
That’s the crux of the issue for Bell. Is he going to be a short-term wonder due to a combination of off-field issues and injury? Considering he’s coming off a suspension and groin surgery, those are two major concerns. But we’re willing to give him the benefit of the doubt here.