Fantasy Football: Wish List No. 1, Nick Chubb

There are a few traits that are hard to find in running backs, and set them apart from the rest. Those traits include: quick mental processing, vision, power, balance, breakaway speed, footwork, and hip fluidity to change directions quickly. I would say Chubb possesses all of these traits. Some he is higher on than others, but he gets a “good” or better on his report card for every single trait.

Let’s take a look at a run from this past season, in a game against the Panthers. Watch his quick decision making in traffic.

Chubb quickly sees the right path to take in the middle of traffic, and bursts through it. His vision, mental processing, and power are on display. But it might be the end of the run that is the most impressive. When the safety comes up to meet him, Chubb uses his excellent footwork and hip fluidity to cut past him, gaining an extra 20 yards. Watch it again in slow motion, and watch him beat the safety to the edge.

Let’s take a look at another run, this time against the Bengals. During this remarkable run it seems like there are defenders everywhere,  yet he gets through. How does he do it? It’s with top-notch footwork, enabling him to stop and start quickly. It’s with excellent vision and mental processing, allowing him to see the best path forward and react quickly at each stage of the run. And it’s with remarkable hip fluidity, with which he changes directions without slowing down. Check it out.

Watch the best part of the run again in slow motion, and notice the safety (No. 30) come up to meet Chubb in the hole. Most running backs, even good ones, would have been tackled there, or within a few yards. Chubb is able to flip his hips and burst behind another blocker, and pick up an extra 23 yards in the process: