We have made it a quarter of the way through season 4 of the Madden 22 cycle. Some teams are finding their stride early, while others are still struggling to find their identity. A handful of teams are relying on new faces to lead their rushing attack, and today we will take a look at how the some standout rookie running backs have performed at the quarter mark.
Braelon Allen, Las Vegas Raiders, HB
78 Rushing attempts, 541 yards, 6.9 YPC, 3 TDs
Braelon Allen is a rare combination of power and speed, and at 6’2″, 250 lbs he strikes fear in defenders as he heads towards them at top speed. Many are comparing him to the king himself, Derrick Henry, and he certainly has the size, strength, speed, and explosiveness to earn that comparison. Thus far, Allen has been the perfect 1, 2 punch in unison with pass catching/3rd down back Lynn Bowden Jr. Allen currently leads all rookie running backs with 541 total rushing yards, and has an impressive 6.9 yard average per touch. At only 20 years old, the sky is the limit for Allen, and he has already shown the Raiders staff his value in his first quarter of a season. He has forced a typically pass heavy offense to feature more rushing by proving his value early.
LJ Johnson Jr., New Orleans Saints, HB
105 rushing attempts, 521 yards, 5 YPC, 7 TDs
Johnson Jr’s role in this New Orleans Saints offense has been somewhat of a surprise. With Alvin Kamara being the dominant work horse for years, no one expected the Saints to draft a rookie who would end up having a significant role in the offense. However, that all changed with the Saints made a shocking move to deal Alvin Kamara to the Colts. Even without Alvin Kamara it was still up in the air what role Johnson Jr. would play in this offense. D’andre Swift was signed in free agency and it looked as though it was his backfield. Unfortunately, D’andre Swift got hit with a suspension and that gave Johnson Jr. a chance to shine, and that he did as he currently leads all rookie running backs in rushing touchdowns and is second in overall rushing yards amongst rookies. D’andre Swift has now returned, but Johnson Jr. has seemingly cemented his role as, at the very least, the 1st and 2nd down back, and the Saints have showed they are incredibly comfortable with rushing the ball 30 times a game.
Antwain Littleton, New York Jets, HB
We saw a coaching change last season for the New York Jets, and with it came a change of scenery for the rushing attack. Michael Carter Jr. was a favorite for the previous coach, but didn’t seem to have the same value to the current staff. Early in the pre season for the New York Jets we begin to hear a buzz of excitement for Antwain Littleton. Littleton ended up earning himself a starting role in the pre season and the Jets ultimately decided to deal away Carter Jr. It’s easy to see what the Jets are excited about as Littleton is one of the most menacing running backs on the field at 6’0″ and 293 LBS! Littleton doesn’t have the break away speed like the previously mentioned Braelon Allen, but he has the ability to overpower any player on the field and is one of the most difficult players to bring down.
Corey Kiner, Minnesota Vikings, HB
Corey Kiner has emerged as the perfect compliment to Dalvin Cook. Unlike the other backs mentioned, Kiner has a very selective role in this offense. However, we had to bring him to attention because he has been incredibly efficient in the role he is playing. Despite having only 30 carries, Kiner has scored 5 rushing touchdowns. That is more than an other rookie aside from LJ Johnson Jr., who has has more than 3 times the amount of total touches. Kiner also leads all rookies in YPC with an insane 8.9 YPC. The Vikings seem to be following the league wide trend of adding a bruising back who will beat of the defense with power, and it’s working great for them.
