There's been optimism about Jets fourth-round running back Michael Carter, and in some respects it's warranted; he's apparently shown well in camp. But it also seems very possible he'll be stuck in a messy committee this season, with Ty Johnson and Tevin Coleman; maybe even LaMical Perine. That's something that should give you pause before selecting Carter in drafts.

In thinking about this possible committee, it's a reminder that it's been quite a while since the Jets have had a really great fantasy running back. The early part of the century there were a couple of top-5 years out of Curtis Martin, and top-5 and top-10 seasons from Thomas Jones. But those days are gone.

Since 2010, New York hasn't had any top-10 running backs (PPR scoring). Shonn Greene snuck into the top 20 a couple of times, and Chris Ivory made it all the way up to 11th back in 2015. But just six top-20 players at the position in the last 11 years. Greene and Ivory are also the team's only 1,000-yard rushers in that time period.

Maybe Carter makes it into the top 20 or 25; that's a solid starter in typical leagues. But he's just one of several players in the backfield who will be vying to be that guy. And in those 11 years, New York has had a lot more of the kind of backs that are afterthoughts.

New York's best 30 running backs (ordered by rank in their specific season) since 2010 are shown below.

JETS RUNNING BACKS, 2010-2020
YearPlayerAttRunNoRecTDPPRRk
2015Chris Ivory2471070302178206.711
2010LaDainian Tomlinson219914523686216.215
2019LeVeon Bell245789664614217.016
2016Bilal Powell131722583885199.017
2012Shonn Greene2761063191518188.419
2011Shonn Greene2531054302116192.520
2016Matt Forte218813302638185.621
2014Chris Ivory198821181237154.424
2017Bilal Powell178772231705147.230
2015Bilal Powell70313473883135.134
2013Bilal Powell176697362721140.434
2018Isaiah Crowell143685211526140.735
2011LaDainian Tomlinson75280424493132.935
2014Chris Johnson155663241512117.439
2017Matt Forte103381372933122.442
2010Shonn Greene185766161202116.643
2012Bilal Powell11043717140498.744
2020Frank Gore18765316892102.246
2013Chris Ivory1828332103104.348
2018Elijah McGuire9227619193489.955
2017Elijah McGuire8831517177280.262
2018Bilal Powell8034311110162.373
2020LaMical Perine642321163252.577
2011Joe McKnight4313413139146.378
2018Trenton Cannon3811317144148.780
2020Josh Adams29157629236.685
2019Bilal Powell59229733033.286
2019Ty Montgomery321031390032.387
2014Bilal Powell331411192140.388
2010Joe McKnight39189320023.990

--Andy Richardson