The Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles know the importance of a strong run game, which will be highlighted in Super Bowl LVII.
Philadelphia was much more effective running the football than Kansas City this season, which had the Eagles tally the fourth most yards per game on the ground with 153.9, while the Chiefs were all the way down in 21st at 113.5.
Below, we’ll rank the running backs that should have a role in the Super Bowl between the Eagles and Chiefs.
1. Miles Sanders (Eagles)
The run game for the Eagles has more importance to their overall game plan than the Chiefs, meaning it’s difficult not to rank their lead back on top. Miles Sanders is coming off 11 rushes for 42 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the NFC Championship over the San Francisco 49ers. With how the game unraveled, Sanders wasn’t needed as much down the stretch, but he’s certainly expected to get a big workload come Super Bowl LVII.
2. Isiah Pacheco (Chiefs)
There’s an explosive element to Isiah Pacheco’s game, and the rookie has emerged as the lead rusher for the Chiefs. Pacheco carried just ten times for 26 yards in the AFC title game against the Cincinnati Bengals, but the Chiefs know they’ll have to mix in a better rushing attack if they want to have success with their play-action calls. Pacheco found success against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the Divisional Round, rushing for 95 yards on twelve carries.
3. Kenneth Gainwell (Eagles)
You can certainly make a case that the next two Eagles running backs on this list can be flipped. Whether you want to place Kenneth Gainwell here or Boston Scott, we won’t fight you on that. Gainwell got more work in the NFC Championship, rushing 14 times, but you can make a fair case that was large in part due to the game being well out of reach. Still, the Eagles love to change the pace with their running backs, and Gainwell will play a significant role in that department.
4. Boston Scott (Eagles)
The other option in the Eagles backfield is Boston Scott. He’s played a role for Philadelphia at times this year and can certainly work around the goal line and find success in doing so. It’s unknown how many carries the combo of Scott and Gainwell will get, which depends on how other facets of the Eagles offense are rolling, in addition to the game’s score.
5. Jerick McKinnon (Chiefs)
It’s hard to see Jerick McKinnon getting a ton of work on the ground for the Chiefs in this matchup, but he’ll certainly be involved in the team’s passing game. McKinnon can make an impact in the Super Bowl, especially if the Chiefs pass catchers still have injury concerns surrounding them.
Super Bowl LVII Game Odds
FanDuel Sportsbook has the Eagles as -1.5-point favorites in the big game. Philadelphia sits at -122 on the moneyline, while the Chiefs are at +104. The game total is 50.5, with the over taxed at -108 and the under at -112.
