Running backs represent the core — the beating heart of a fantasy football roster. Typically selected early and then reinforced often, they are the foundation that provides a solid floor of points for managers to rely upon each week.
Even with the advent and rise of the Zero RB, I’d argue it is more difficult than ever not to place a heavy emphasis on the position. Committee situations and heightened injury risks make finding reliable options imperative.
Continuing our positional overview series, we shift our eyes and attention to the running back position, with my thoughts and recommendations based upon FantasyPros’ expert consensus rankings (ECR).
Which options should you take as upside plays? And whom should you avoid? What rookies am I most excited about this year? And are there any players set to outperform their current average draft position (ADP) heavily? Let’s dive in.
Fantasy Football Running Back Overview
Tier One
The first tier of options at running back represents the cream of the crop — players that are the focal point of their respective offenses, capable of scoring double-digit touchdowns and being involved in the passing game. Of the players listed above, all should be off the board no later than the middle of the first round, confirming their value.
Bijan Robinson is the odds-on favorite to finish as the overall RB1 in 2025, following his RB3 finish last year. The total package, Robinson should flirt with 2,000 all-purpose yards this year, even in a moderate timesplit with Tyler Allgeier. Atlanta isn’t afraid of handing him the ball more than 20 times per game every week.
Jahmyr Gibbs is the most flat-out explosive option of the players listed here, but he also has the most direct competition for touches in David Montgomery. Detroit’s commitment to running the ball is near unparalleled, and Gibbs’ ability to maximize his potential with each touch is outstanding. Even with former offensive coordinator Ben Johnson moving on to Chicago, I still anticipate a top-five finish for Gibbs.
As a Giants fan, it pains me to discuss Saquon Barkley, since we were finally able to see what would happen if he ran behind a halfway competent offensive line — over 2,200 all-purpose yards and 15 touchdowns. There are concerns about last season’s workload being detrimental, but even with built-in regression, Barkley remains a top-three option.
Christian McCaffrey was 2024’s biggest fantasy football flop, after he managed to participate in just four games due to bilateral Achilles tendonitis. I understand the “once bitten, twice shy” mentality, but McCaffrey finished as the fantasy RB1 and RB2 in the two prior seasons. He is a major injury risk, but offers the highest ceiling of anyone at the position.
Favorite Pick
Bijan Robinson has the fewest red flags and question marks of anyone within this tier, making him the easiest to endorse. Given the similar ADP price points for all options, Robinson is the clear-cut favorite to return on the heavy investment that it takes to acquire him. Draft him with confidence.
Tier Two
Running backs within this second tier are taken between the end of the first round and the middle of the second round in all formats, despite each player having at least one major question mark or hurdle to overcome.
In the case of De’Von Achane, it is twofold. Will Miami have more of a committee situation in 2025 (especially around the goal line)? And will quarterback Tua Tagovailoa remain upright for an entire season? No one questions how explosive Achane is in open space, but his bust potential and consistency should be called into question.
Ashton Jeanty is one of the most impressive backs to be drafted since Saquon Barkley. His stats from Boise State were jaw-dropping. He’s predicted to be given a massive workload immediately with Las Vegas out the gate, which should aid his weekly floor. The downside comes from spending a high first-round pick on a rookie who hasn’t proven he can be productive at this level, yet.
Derrick Henry enters 2025 at 31 years old, coming off his best statistical fantasy finish of his storied nine-year career. The question is, when will Father Time catch up? If he remains healthy, even with his limited role as a receiver, it is difficult to envision a finish outside of RB1 territory.
Chase Brown was one of last year’s breakout stars in the second half, and Cincinnati did little to provide competition in the offseason. The Bengals are one of the most explosive offenses in all of football, and Brown’s receiving chops provide him with a nice floor each week.
Favorite Pick
Of the options listed, I view Chase Brown as the biggest “bang for your buck” option listed. De’Vone Achane, Ashton Jeanty and Derrick Henry are all late-first-round picks, but I’ve seen Brown last until the middle of the second round, making him much more attainable. I always prioritize adding weapons from the best offenses available, and few doubt Cincinnati’s potential.
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Tier Three
This tier is much deeper than the prior two, with most options representing upside plays that have cases to finish within the top seven at the position, should things break correctly.
Josh Jacobs is the “safest” pick of the bunch due to his reliable workload and red-zone work, but an infusion of receiver talent in Green Bay has me wondering if the Packers will be as run-heavy in 2025. After breaking out of a time split with Rachaad White last year, Bucky Irving was fantastic for his managers after Week 9. Despite taking a half year to emerge, Irving finished as the RB13, proving himself a valuable asset around the goal line and in the passing game.
Jonathan Taylor is one of the league’s best pure runners, but a lengthy injury history coupled with major concerns about who is under center in Indianapolis are (rightfully) scaring managers away. He doesn’t carry the same upside as prior seasons.
Kyren Williams has to be thrilled about getting paid recently and putting contract concerns behind him. Los Angeles has little issue handing him the ball until the wheels fall off, but his inefficiency as a runner and reliance upon rushing touchdowns to generate value are daunting. If the Rams opt to carve out a role for backup Blake Corum this year, Williams is in deep trouble.
Alvin Kamara is the elder statesman of the RB2 options. We have a solid understanding of what he provides at this point. During his eight seasons with New Orleans, he has yet to rush for more than 950 yards, but instead inflates his floor as one of the league’s best receiving backs. In PPR formats, he is still a solid RB2, but in standard leagues, he takes a significant hit in value.
Kenneth Walker is a polarizing figure due to the substantial variances in potential outcomes. He has the upside to finish as a top-three option at the position thanks to his ability to be a three-down workhorse when healthy. However, he struggles with the “when healthy” part.
Breece Hall is a major fade candidate for me, and for the life of me, I can’t understand why his ADP hasn’t been steadily declining. After regressing across the board statistically during his third season, questions linger about a potential committee approach moving forward under new Jets head coach Aaron Glenn. Athletically, Hall is the most gifted option in New York’s backfield, but he will certainly cede important touches to Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis.
Omarion Hampton‘s hype train is full steam ahead after the news that veteran Najee Harris sustained an eye injury in a fireworks accident. Most seasons, Hampton would have been the poster child in fantasy magazines as the top rookie to drool over, given his outstanding production at the University of North Carolina the last two years.
A power back with soft enough hands to make him a threat in the passing game, Hampton finds himself in the perfect situation amidst a Harbaugh offense that pounds opponents into submission. If Harris is out long-term, it will be challenging to have him force a timeshare with Hampton.
James Cook‘s holdout is finally over in Buffalo, after the team recently rewarded him with a major contract. Cook has improved in each of his three seasons with the Bills, culminating in his fantasy RB8 finish last year. Buffalo’s decision to finally feature him within the goal line played a significant part in his breakout, as he totaled 16 rushing touchdowns in 2024. Regression is sure to hit on that front, but it is difficult to deny that the Bills have a potent offense capable of coming close.
Favorite Pick
Anyone who has followed my social media over the last year and change knows how high a proponent I was of Bucky Irving. That hasn’t changed. I think that he is set to explode in 2025, and have sung his praises in numerous breakout/sleeper articles for this site over the past few months.
Tier Four
The fourth and final tier represents the “what if” scenarios. The “in a perfect world, if X broke our way, we could catch lightning in a bottle” type of players. Though inherently risky, they represent a batch of solid RB2 candidates with upside — precisely the kind of players managers should target.
Chuba Hubbard surpassed everyone’s expectations last year, mainly due to his lingering role on the starting job, thanks to rookie Jonathon Brooks re-tearing his ACL. Hubbard compiled over 1,300 scrimmage yards and 11 touchdowns, but now faces increased competition from Rico Dowdle and rookie Trevor Etienne.
James Conner finally managed to stay healthy for a full season, and in doing so, finished as the fantasy RB11 in 2024. This marked his second consecutive year with more than 1,000 rushing yards and nine total touchdowns, making him a value in the middle rounds. The presence of sophomore Trey Benson looms large, especially considering that Conner is on the wrong side of 30. Arizona’s scheme is friendly towards running backs since quarterback Kyler Murray draws a constant “spy” defender with his running ability.
TreVeyon Henderson fell into a perfect situation in New England, instantly becoming the change-of-pace option to Rhamondre Stevenson, with a chance to pass him on the depth chart early on in the season. Henderson has exceptional hands and immediately gets a boost in PPR formats, and will play behind a greatly reinforced offensive line.
D’Andre Swift finished with the most fantasy points in his career during 2024 (214.5), but experienced his fair share of struggles behind an atrocious Chicago offensive line. A lack of running lanes capped his totals last year, but significant investments to reinforce the front should pay dividends. The Bears didn’t bring in much competition to challenge Swift, making him an intriguing buy-low option.
RJ Harvey’s selection in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft raised plenty of eyebrows, including mine. Sean Payton’s offense has long favored pass-catching running backs, a skill that Harvey specializes in. The addition of veteran J.K. Dobbins initially threw some water on the Harvey fire, but he has the talent to surpass him in short order.
David Montgomery is who he is at this point in his career — a short-yardage and goal-line specialist option that benefits from playing behind one of the best offensive lines in football. Montgomery likely reached his ceiling in recent seasons as the fantasy RB17/RB18, but that isn’t anything to scoff at. Jahmyr Gibbs caps his upside, but his floor is worth considering.
Tony Pollard finished with his third-straight 1,000-yard rushing season with Tennessee in 2024, and was the 1A option to Tyjae Spears‘ 1B. The presence of Cam Ward under center represents a massive improvement over Will Levis, and the mere threat of a passing game should open up holes for Pollard to exploit.
In five of the past six seasons, Aaron Jones has finished as a top-15 running back, and he only missed out on making it six-for-six due to injury. Ponder that for a moment. Yes, Minnesota signed Jordan Mason to ease some of the work off of Jones (he amassed a career-high 306 touches last year), but the Vikings’ offense is powerful enough to make him an intriguing add in the early sixth round of drafts.
Isiah Pacheco is the ultimate boom-or-bust candidate thanks to expectations of a committee situation coupled with his return from a broken fibula. We caught glimpses of what Pacheco could be in 2023 if given the reins. Whether or not he dominates the work in 2025 is anyone’s best guess.
Favorite Pick
Call me a sucker for rookies, but I think TreVeyon Henderson is set to go ballistic. As someone who had plenty of shares of Rhamondre Stevenson in 2024, I can say unequivocally that he isn’t going to hold off Henderson because he doesn’t possess any single above-average trait.
Henderson is a threat to score every time he has the ball in his hands and will be running behind a massively improved offensive line alongside upside-starter Drake Maye.
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