3 Fantasy Football Bold Predictions for Running Backs (2025)

When it comes to fantasy football, the conservative approach tends to result in a middle-of-the-pack finish. If you stick purely to ADP, you’ll just be drafting the players that the rest of the people in your league think are good, too. And that’s a great way to finish in fifth place. If you want to win your league, you have to be bold and take some chances. Sure, some of them won’t work out. But the right mix of solid picks and high-upside swings could result in a championship roster come January. That’s where our FantasyPros analysts come in. We cast a wide net and came up with several fantasy football bold predictions for the 2025 season.

The primary objective of bold predictions isn’t to get them exactly right; it’s to highlight the players with a strong chance to produce an outlier season and paint a picture of what that ceiling or floor looks like and why it could happen. Read on for our analysts’ bold fantasy football predictions.

Fantasy Football Bold Predictions

What is one bold fantasy prediction for the 2025 season, and why could it happen?

Quinshon Judkins (RB – CLE)

“Quinshon Judkins is a bold pick to finish as a top 5 fantasy RB in 2025. He’s been electric in Browns camp, flashing burst, balance, and vision that have him trending toward a week 1 starting role. Cleveland is expected to lean heavily on its ground game, and there’s growing optimism that the offensive line, which finished 30th in run-blocking with a 50.2 grade from PFF in 2024, will rebound after signs of late-season improvement. Judkins’ explosiveness and ability to create yards after contact make him a strong candidate to handle both early downs and goal-line opportunities. With that kind of workload, he has the volume and juice to deliver a substantial amount of fantasy points and crash the top tier.”
– Lawrence Iacona (Gridiron Experts)

D’Andre Swift (RB – CHI)

“I think that there is a chance that the Bears’ D’Andre Swift finishes as a top-5 RB in PPR this season. Everyone’s focusing on the fact that the current Bears Head Coach, Ben Johnson, traded Swift away when he was the Offensive Coordinator in Detroit. The prevailing narrative is that Johnson didn’t like Swift and wanted to get rid of him. Instead, I think that Swift only became expendable once the team was able to draft stud Jahmyr Gibbs. OC’s don’t usually get to decide who to trade away by themselves, and given how much Johnson used Gibbs in Detroit, I think Swift can be a terrific sleeper option at RB this year in Chicago. He doesn’t have much competition either, with only Roschon Johnson and seventh-round rookie Kyle Monangai behind him on the depth chart. Swift could be both a bellcow RB1 and a PPR machine this year, which is a rare combo in fantasy these days. I’m planting my flag on him.”
– Andrew Hall (FantasyPros)

Saquon Barkley (RB – PHI)

“Saquon Barkley is going to defy the “Curse of 370” and repeat as the RB1 in fantasy football for 2025. Despite the fact that leading the league in rushing and reaching 370 touches has been a death sentence for running backs the following season, Barkley’s exceptional talent and favorable situation with the Philadelphia Eagles has me betting on him to repeat his performance of a year ago. His 2024 performance, where he led running backs in fantasy points, showcased his ability to handle a heavy workload while maintaining elite efficiency, averaging 5.2 yards per carry and excelling as a receiver. The Eagles’ top-tier offensive line and high-powered offense, driven by Jalen Hurts, create consistent scoring opportunities and open running lanes, reducing wear and tear compared to his time with the Giants. Barkley’s age is a concern (28 in 2025), but Derrick Henry has shown the ability for generational talents to produce into their 30s and his improved durability, and lack of significant injury concerns in recent seasons suggest he can sustain his production. Additionally, his dual-threat role in a pass-heavy offense ensures a high floor and ceiling, mitigating the historical risks associated with running backs who exceed 370 touches. With a chip on his shoulder and a perfect system fit, Barkley is set to break the curse and dominate again.”
– Aaron St Denis (Fantasy Sports Advice Network)