A
running back (
RB) is an
American and
Canadian football position, a member of the
offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive
handoffs from the
quarterback for a rushing play, to catch
passes from out of the backfield, and to
block. There are usually one or two running backs on the field for a given play, depending on the offensive formation. A running back may be a
halfback (in certain contexts also referred to as a tailback) or a
fullback.