Kyren Williams enjoyed a breakout season in 2024, finishing third in the NFL in rushing yards and tied for seventh in rushing touchdowns. Williams was one of the biggest beneficiaries of the Los Angeles Rams' move to adopt the pistol formation in 2023, propelling him to a career year.
Despite this production, coaches and executives didn't name Williams as one of the top backs in the NFL. In an ESPN article ranking the best running backs in the NFL, coaches and executives had Williams in the "Also received votes" category. Williams didn't earn an Honorable mention nod either.
Williams was in the same category as players like James Conner, Raheem Mostert, Tony Pollard, and Najee Harris.
It is understandable for Williams to be left off of the top-10 if the concerns were about his durability woes and playing behind the Rams offensive line. Unfortunately, nothing was written about Williams, so we have no idea their possible justification.
Surprisingly, D'Andre Swift came in as an honorable mention. If the penalties for Williams were durability and playing behind a talented offensive line, you'd think that would apply universally.
Looking across these rankings, it feels like they are almost entirely done by athleticism instead of film. While certainly important, production should also factor in, otherwise it turns into Combine rankings. Hopefully, Williams will earn a higher ranking in future updates and get some well-deserved praise for his play on the field.