3 Dynasty Running Backs Experts Avoid (Fantasy Football)

We’ll have you covered as you prepare for your 2025 dynasty drafts. In order to dominate your dynasty draft, check out our expert consensus dynasty draft rankings. And sync your dynasty league to practice with fast and free dynasty mock drafts. Below, we dive into dynasty draft picks our analysts are lower on compared to our expert consensus rankings.

Dynasty Draft Advice: Running Backs to Avoid

Jonathan Taylor (RB – IND)

Taylor posted another RB1 season (RB7 in fantasy points per game) while dealing with a high ankle sprain. He racked up 321 touches and 1,567 total yards with 12 scores. While I think Taylor should post another top 12 season in 2025, I do have some concerns. The quarterback play for Indy is a worry with how often they could be in the red zone this year, as well as his lack of pass-game involvement. Last year, Taylor ranked sixth in red zone touches. I don’t know if he comes close to that number this season, but I could easily be wrong. I don’t see more check-down opportunities for Taylor this season with Daniel Jones or Anthony Richardson under center. It’s not like he’s demanding those looks either, with his per-route performance in 2024, anyway. Last year, among 45 qualifying backs, Taylor ranked 37th in target share (7.4%) and 43rd in yards per route run and first downs per route run. Taylor is a solid pick again this year, but I struggle to see a ceiling outcome for him in 2025.
– Derek Brown

James Cook (RB – BUF)

I have some concerns about James Cook heading into the 2025 season. Cook’s touchdown totals for the last three seasons: 3, 6, 18. Which number looks like the outlier to you? Cook is being selected as a high-end RB2 in early drafts, which doesn’t seem terribly unreasonable. But TD regression is inevitable, Cook probably isn’t going to get a huge rushing load because he weighs less than 200 pounds, and while he’s a good pass catcher, Cook might not be a huge needle-mover in that area simply because Josh Allen doesn’t check down to his RBs very often. (Cook has averaged 38 catches over the last two years.) It’s also possible the Bills give more work to second-year RB Ray Davis, who had 152 yards from scrimmage against the Jets in the one game Cook missed last season.
– Pat Fitzmaurice

Kyren Williams (RB – LAR)

It feels like Groundhog Day all over again – another offseason, another round of analysts fading Kyren Williams. But this year, the concerns are more justified. Despite a monster workload in 2024 (nearly 400 touches, 87% snap share, both second to only Saquon Barkley), Williams was wildly inefficient – ranking near the bottom in explosive run rate, missed tackles, and YAC per attempt (akin to Najee Harris‘ numbers in 2024) with fumbles to boot. The Rams spent legit draft capital on Blake Corum in 2023 (who Sean McVay thinks is a stud) and Jarquez Hunter in 2024 (who the Rams traded up for) while publicly embracing the NFL trends of a more committee-driven backfield approach this offseason. Williams could still deliver RB1 numbers on sheer volume alone after signing a new contract, but if that volume even slightly dips to ensure his longevity, it will be tough for him to live up to his ADP.
– Andrew Erickson

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