I have seen a few folks making the case for Todd Gurley as a legitimate MVP candidate, and since the Packers face the Rams this week, I thought it would be a good time to address the idea. Running backs face a huge uphill value in terms of adding value, generally speaking. Because there is a lot of talent available at the position and the league prefers passing, running backs are closer to punters in terms of value than they are to even average quarterbacks.
That said, I don’t think it’s impossible for a running back to provide value, and Gurley is probably the closest back in existence to a platonic ideal at the position, at least in past seasons.