Insiders pick NFL's best running back between Falcons' Bijan Robinson, Lions' Jahmyr Gibbs

Ahead of NFL training camps getting started, Bijan Robinson of the Atlanta Falcons and Jahmyr Gibbs of the Detroit Lions are widely considered to be the top two running backs in the league. 

On Monday, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN asked "league executives, coaches and scouts" to name the NFL's best overall ball-carrier. Robinson finished atop the list, while Gibbs is No. 2. 

Bijan Robinson "is just more dynamic than" Jahmyr Gibbs, other running backs

"Bijan is just more dynamic than the rest of the field in terms of creating positive runs despite blocking failure," one unnamed NFC executive said. "Combo of his bend, feet and agility. His size shows up with physicality. And while Gibbs is top-end faster, Bijan is still explosive in his own right, creating home run plays."

According to StatMuse, Robinson finished the 2025 regular season with a league-best 2,298 yards from scrimmage. ESPN stats show that he was fourth in the NFL with 1,478 rushing yards and fifth with 287 carries. Perhaps the biggest knock on Robinson as it pertains to this discussion is that he scored only 11 scrimmage touchdowns last season. To compare, Gibbs was second in the league with 18 scrimmage scores. 

NFL coordinator disagrees about Bijan Robinson, Jahmyr Gibbs ranking

"Your eyes tell you there's no one like him with the ball in his hands," one NFL coordinator said about Gibbs. "He plays with better pace because of his vision, and then the gear is different. You see him blow by guys with angles. And he's elite in the passing game."

Gibbs was fifth in the NFL with 1,839 total yards from scrimmage last season. Having him allowed the Lions to trade running back David Montgomery to the Houston Texans for offensive lineman Juice Scruggs, a 2026 fourth-round draft pick and a 2027 seventh-rounder this past March. 

One NFC executive suggested that transaction could result in Gibbs producing even better numbers later this year. 

"He's got 39 [rushing] touchdowns in three years while splitting time," the executive said about Gibbs. "It's crazy."

As of Monday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook had Gibbs as the overall betting favorite at +750 odds to win the Offensive Player of the Year Award for the upcoming season. Robinson was second on the list at +800 odds. 

In short, Robinson-versus-Gibbs debates could continue through at least Week 18 of the 2026 campaign.