ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- There was a strong argument to be made before the 2021 NFL draft that the Buffalo Bills should take a running back at 30th overall. Neither of their leading rushers from 2020 -- Devin Singletary (687 yards) and Zack Moss (481) -- had distinguished themselves. But the draft came and went and the Bills didn't select a running back at all.

The one offseason addition to Buffalo’s running back room was free agent Matt Breida, who has been active in two of seven games.

Singletary and Moss are carrying the load again. They have almost equal rushing attempts -- Singletary has five more with an extra game played over Moss after he was inactive in Week 1 -- and receptions. But no Bills player has rushed for 100 yards in a game this season.

“I don't think either one of our backs are home-run hitters, so is there an elite trait that [a prospect] has and says, 'Man, he's got something we don't have?'" general manager Brandon Beane said before the draft. "Those are the conversations you have ... [where] you're going, 'Man, if we add that to the group that's going to help our overall offense.'"

The presence of a dynamic running back is missing in the Bills offense.

Singletary did break off a 46-yard score in a Week 2 win against the Miami Dolphins. He leads the team with 339 rushing yards after a strong training camp and preseason, but neither back has consistently shown explosiveness or vision. Moss is trusted more in stacked box situations (eight-plus defenders) with a team-high 15 attempts. However, he is averaging 2.3 yards per carry on those plays.

The Bills have had 10 explosive plays (either a 10-plus-yard rush or a 20-plus-yard reception) from a running back this season. Only the Houston Texans (six), one of the worst teams in the league, have had fewer, per ESPN Stats & Info. Quarterback Josh Allen has as many 10-yard runs (nine) as the team’s running backs combined.

But the two backs are working together -- discussing tips and pointing out areas that could help.

“During the game, if I'm not in, I'm just paying attention,” Singletary told ESPN. “For one, for myself. For two, maybe I'll see something that Zack won't see and then I can help him out, and he's doing the same for me.”

Coordinator Brian Daboll’s offense asks a lot of its running backs, including run blocking for Allen.

“You're really doing it all, and you've got to be able to do it all as a running back in the offense,” Singletary said.

Allen’s ability to run is a key part of Daboll's scheme, in part because of some of the consistencies with the backs, and he finished the Week 8 win over the Dolphins as the team’s leading rusher with 55 yards and a score.

Allen has been the most-trusted ball carrier on third downs with 17 carries, while Moss is second with six. Allen is strong multi-use weapon, but that doesn’t mean the team wants him to win the team’s rushing title. (Allen ranks second on the team with 269 yards.)

Of course, the rushing inconsistencies don’t fall on just the backs. Issues along the offensive line play a role. The offensive line has rotated in a number of players due to injuries with right tackle Spencer Brown and guard Jon Feliciano missing time. The Bills' guards have the 20th-best run block win rate in the NFL (67.2%), and Mitch Morse is 29th among centers in run block win rate (60.4%). Brown and Feliciano could miss Sunday's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars (1 p.m. ET, CBS).

Despite the issues at running backs and along the offensive line, the Bills are leading the league in points scored per game (32.7) and turnover margin (+13). And although the running backs lack explosive plays, the Bills are averaging more yards rushing per game than they did last season (126.6 in 2021 vs. 107.7 last season).

But there is still urgency to improve. As the team continues down the stretch and potentially into the playoffs, the temperatures will drop and having a reliable running game will be even more important.

“As far as like teams’ game-planning us and trying to make us play left-handed, running the ball is going to be pivotal,” wide receiver Stefon Diggs said earlier this season. “… As far as this year being more balanced and having that ability to run the ball and pass the ball, it goes hand in hand. One hand washes the other.”