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Hey guys! If you know me very well, you will know that I have a video-game addiction that rivals some people’s heroin addictions. The only difference is that mine isn’t quite so costly!

I love to play most types of games and I especially love playing first-person shooters and sports games. I enjoy Madden, NBA games, and MMA.

Now that I have gotten that out of the way, I must say that Madden is a great game and is getting better every year.

With that being said, sometimes their predictions are out of whack. That is why I come to you guys to tell you MY thoughts on the running backs of 2011.

I plan to make this a series so don’t be upset that there are no wide receivers, quarterbacks, or defensive players. I will take this position by position until I have covered the best in the NFL…..except for lineman. Lineman are no fun!

Also, please remember that this is just part one. Part two will talk about the players who have become less viable in the NFL. Thank you in advance for reading!

Just remember to looks for future articles involving the video-game world!

With all of that out of the way, let’s get on with article!

Adrian Peterson

I am rather enjoying all of the hatred for some players just because another player gets less than they deserve.

One could look at the AP/CJ debate as one of those things people just can’t get enough of. Since I don’t feel like getting into it here, you may read my own article about the subject here:

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/3…est-in-the-nfl

But back to the reason this article exists: VIDEO GAMES.

I didn’t want to say it in the opening slide, but all of my Madden 2010 ratings are from the original released game. Not from the online updates.

Adrian Peterson is one of the most interesting players in the NFL to me. Some people say that he is not a very powerful runner, yet he runs right into contact on every play. If that is a good thing,which I don’t believe it is, but it is really up to everyone themselves to decide.

He can do literally everything well and he has done it over his career except…hold onto the ball.

People have made a huge ordeal about this, but I firmly believe that he has changed himself this off-season and has made that his biggest focus. He must feel bad about that NFL Championship game.

Judging by EA’s chosen rating for him, I think they loved him. The only thing on here that is a knock on him is a fumbler and not the toughest of players (at the time).

Overall, they did a good job, but there is no denying that he is the best back in football. I am only showing ratings that I would change.

2010:
95 speed
87 awareness
69 carrying
97 overall

2011:
97 speed
94 awareness
76 carrying
99 overall

Chris Johnson

Everyone knows and loves Chris Johnson. He is fast, tough, and holds onto the ball. Again, the AP/CJ conversation comes up for most of you, so again, I must send you to my other article….located here:

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/3…est-in-the-nfl

But…once AGAIN….we must talk about the video game.

There is very little you can say about Chris Johnson that is negative. He is very fast, has good instincts, and he is one of the quickest backs in the NFL. He literally does everything to AT LEAST average.

The only knock in him is that he isn’t the best at running people over. Other than that…I really have nothing to say about Chris Johnson that hasn’t already been said.

RATING TIME!

2010:
94 agility
89 elusiveness
85 ball-carrier vision
95 juke move
85 carrying
88 overall

2011:
99 agility
97 elusiveness
85 BCV
98 juke move
93 carrying
98 overall

Steven Jackson

I don’t know about you….but he looks really pissed off. Maybe it’s because you are an awful QB, Boller!

Unlike every other back in the NFL, Steven Jackson has done more with nothing than anyone else has in almost 20 years. Here is a list of things he has overcome in his fairly short career:

1.He has had no line, which means he is always breaking tackles behind the line of scrimmage.

2. He has had no quarterback support for every year except for Marc Bulger’s single season being at least a good quarterback.

3. The Rams’ defense is absolutely abysmal and has caused him to have to play with the worst field position in the NFL.

While the Lions were the team that went 0-16, the Rams are still the worst team of the last five years.

He is also one of the best receiving running backs. Very few can rival him in that department.

If Steven Jackson had anything relative of what Adrian Peterson, Chris Johnson, or almost any other back has, he would be able to lead the league in per carry average and he could also lead it in touchdowns.

It is actually easy for me to say he is arguably the BEST running back in the NFL.

2010:
86 speed
87 strength
87 agility
95 trucking
89 BCV
84 juking
85 carrying
92 overall

2011:
88 speed
90 strength
90 agility
95 trucking
94 BCV
87 juke move
94 carrying
98 overall

Michael Turner

Michael Turner…what can be said about Michael….Turner.

He was LaDainian Tomlinson’s backup for a pretty long time and was just a great talent waiting to be set free. Sadly for the Chargers, they let go one of the best in the NFL just as LT began his production decline.

He is really one of those backs who you can claim as one of the best pure running backs in the NFL.

He is pretty fast. He is very strong. He runs with authority and is very quick for his size. He blocks well. He does everything well….

Except for catch! He literally has caught the least passes of anyone on this list…and he has still been a starter for two years.

Other than that, he is a great running back. Not much else needs to be said.

2010:
85 strength
99 injury
97 trucking
95 overall

2011:
80 strength
79 injury
92 trucking
91 overall
Yes, I know he is on the movers list, but he is still among the best in the NFL, despite a couple of troubles this past year.

Frank Gore

And the most versatile player in the NFL award goes to…

Frank Gore…..he does literally everything at a top-five rate.

He is one of the best at everything a running back is expected to do.

He can run through a defender at a top-three level.

He can juke and get away from a player at a top-five level.

He can catch like a beast, and he can also speed away…..at a top seven level.

Frank Gore does everything. I believe he could be one of the top-three in the NFL if he had a better team around him this whole time. Luckily, however, that team is coming together and I expect big things from him in the near future.

I think he was given such a name because he GOREs defensive players like a bull….

I would like to apologize first-hand to all of the 49ers fans out there who are offended by my disgusting use of a pun. Again…I would like to apologize.

I would also like to apologize to Joseph Burkey because him being a 49ers fan, must be the most offended person on my list of fans. Please don’t be frightened away from the rest of the article!

2010:
76 strength
87 trucking
89 juke move
72 carrying
91 overall

2011:
80 strength
91 trucking
93 juke move
80 carrying
94 overall

Rashard Mendenhall

I am sorry for the blatant “Homerism” here, but I must include my beloved Rashard Mendenhall.

I am sorry, but people seem to not realize that he could have led the NFL in yards (obviously excluding Chris Johnson) if he had started all 16 games for the Steelers.

I think he is one of the most underrated players around now because no one seems to credit him with being a great back. No one seems to think the Steelers can succeed for some reason, yet I firmly believe that they will prove everyone wrong.

I made predictions for the first four games of the Steelers’ schedule here:

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/3…an-they-be-won

Anyway….to Mendenhall. He can do plenty of great things, much like every other player on my list.

He has the potential to be one of the best around. He is very big and powerful, but he also has some unbelievably quick feet and can go from 0-60 in 0.23 seconds. He also possesses a wicked spin move that could rival the league’s best.

He catches well, runs hard, runs fast, and does not shy away from contact. I have a lot of hope for this kid and think he could be a mainstay for years.

Be prepared for a lot of change here. He literally came out of nowhere this year so they gave him rough ratings.

2010:
86 speed
82 agility
91 acceleration
84 trucking
75 elusiveness
64 BCV
86 stiff arm
65 spin move
67 juke move
64 carrying
72 overall

2011:
90 speed
87 agility
96 acceleration
89 trucking
86 elusiveness
88 BCV
90 stiff arm
97 spin move
87 juke move
78 carrying
90 overall

Yes….I know….

Yes, I am well aware that I did not add some players. Ryan Grant isn’t on here, Cedric Benson isn’t here, Felix Jones isn’t here, and quite possibly even more. Please forgive me, but I had a deadline for this one! Please Snoop….not again….

Also…I had written a nice lengthy slide about Maurice Jones-Drew but apparently it wasn’t good enough. It was there…but when I published the article, it suddenly was not….*cries* let’s all mourn my fallen slide….it was awesome.

Thank you all for reading my articles and helping to make me an “Analyst” for Bleacher Report!

Also…I would like to recommend a friend of mine, Dustin Brown, to you all because he really is a great writer and I expect big things to come from him.

http://bleacherreport.com/users/212475-dustin-brown

Lastly….here is Joseph Burkey’s profile!

http://bleacherreport.com/users/108522-joseph-burkey

Again, though, I seriously want to thank you guys for giving me these opportunities. Keep on reading or writing or whatever it is you guys do!

Don’t forget to look out for my future installments of the Madden ratings….that is….if this one takes off!

*long pause*

*longer pause*

*extended pause*

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