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2025 Fantasy Football Rankings — RB Tiers

Fantasy Football 2025

Last season saw a renaissance for the running back position in the NFL. There were six rushers who topped 300 carries. Five RBs rushed for over 1,400 yards. From 2020 to 2023, there were only seven who topped 300 carries, and seven topped 1,400 yards. To further illustrate the comeback for running backs, for the second time in three seasons, a running back was selected in the top 10 of the NFL Draft. Now, we have to account for these revelations in our fantasy RB rankings.

Are teams more willing to embrace a workhorse role for their lead RBs? Are defenses becoming softer, allowing more space for RBs to capitalize? Whatever the reason, fantasy football managers are primed and ready to take advantage of their return to prominence.

Below are my tiers at RB heading into the 2025 season. These reflect my rankings and projections. They’re not a reflection of their skill set or the type of back they are. But this should help provide a guide during drafts based on future production and offensive involvement.

Don’t miss the rest of my Rankings Tier Articles: QBs here! | WRs here! | TEs here!

RB Tiers — 2025 Fantasy RB Rankings

Tier 1

When I look at the landscape at running back, I look at a few things: offensive scheme, cumulative workload, pass-catching upside, touchdown upside, and efficiency. All four of these RBs offer upside in every single one of these categories.

Christian McCaffrey has been THE RB1 on multiple occasions and has put up historic seasons in the past. And we know how fruitful the 49ers’ offense is for RBs. Last year’s injuries may turn people off, but his upside is worth the price because of what he offers as a rusher and receiver.

Bijan Robinson showed last year how important he is to the Falcons’ offense. He rushed for over 1,400 yards, totaled 10+ TDs, and was 3rd in receptions among RBs. With a 1st year starter at QB in 2025, Robinson’s upside heading into Year 3 is astronomical.

Jahmyr Gibbs and De’Von Achane are both in offenses that rely heavily on their RBs. Both are massively efficient in the running game and are elite pass catchers. While they’re both in time shares, their efficiency and pass-catching elevate their floors. Pair that with their ability to score 10+ TDs, and you have a perfect storm.

I am willing to take all four of these RBs in the 1st round of drafts, whether I’m drafting a Robust RB or Hero RB squad. They will be your lineup anchors in 2025.

Tier 2

Much like the Tier 1 RBs, all three of these RBs find themselves in offenses that will feature them heavily and provide every opportunity to finish as the overall RB1 on the season.

It would be heavily irresponsible of the Raiders to NOT feature Jeanty as the focal point of their offense after spending the 6th overall pick in the NFL Draft on him. The good news: Offensive coordinator Chip Kelly loves to set up his downfield passing attack with the running game. All signs are pointing up for Jeanty.

Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry are clearly Tier 1 backs. But regression is in their future. History suggests it. Maybe their touchdown production remains high, but banking on them to hit the same lofty numbers as last year is irresponsible drafting. And in their run-heavy offenses, they don’t offer high floors as a pass catcher.

These are 2nd-round RBs for me. I like them more as my RB2 in Robust RB builds. But if they’re your RB1, don’t be upset.

Tier 3

All three of these backs provide a glimpse of what high volume can produce, which will elevate their fantasy football floors. But there are a few wrinkles that prevent them from top status.

Bucky Irving and James Cook find themselves as the lead backs on their respective teams. They both operate in high-powered offenses and gain a ton of yards. But they both have pesky backups (and in Cook’s case, a QB who loves to run) who eat into their workloads. 

Irving loses pass volume to Rachaad White. And the Bucs’ number three, Sean Tucker, could be a starter on some teams. Cook had a breakout season in terms of scoring touchdowns (16), but his pass volume was lower than usual. And with as many 4th quarters as the Bills didn’t play their starters, there wasn’t enough time to maximize carries or production.

Chase Brown handled a large workload after he became the starter. His 65 targets were 6th among RBs and were RB7 after becoming a starter. But despite 229 carries, he didn’t rush for 1,000 yards. The Bengals’ offensive line leaves much to be desired, but the offense uses Brown the same way as they previously used Joe Mixon.

With a few lucky breaks, all three of these backs offer top 5 upside. They’re upside RB1s for early WR builds or perfect RB2s for Robust RB builds. The back-end of the 2nd, early 3rd round should be their target range.

Tier 4

Any one of these backs can be a top-5 RB in fantasy football. All have opportunities for some combination of elite workloads, high passing upside, and touchdown upside. But their respective offenses all have questions.

  • Jonathan Taylor rushed for over 1,400 yards last year and has scored 10+ rushing TDs in three of five seasons. But his lack of passing game involvement (and unsettled QB situation) limits his upside.
  • Alvin Kamara has seen his efficiency tumble as the Saints have used him less as a 1B and more as a 1A in recent seasons. But he continues to have elite passing game usage, keeping his floor high, despite mounting questions about who the QB will be in 2025.
  • Kenneth Walker enters a new offensive scheme that heavily features running backs. His efficiency took a hit last year, and health has been a concern in recent years. But his ceiling? Woo boy!
  • Kyren Williams has rushed for 1,100+ yards and 12+ TDs in back-to-back seasons. But his efficiency and pass game involvement have taken a hit, and questions remain about how replaceable he is in this offense.
  • Josh Jacobs has always been a heavy workload running back. But every year he’s topped 270 carries, his production has regressed, and he’s gotten hurt. (And he topped 300 carries last year.)
  • Joe Mixon excelled in his 1st year in Houston. But a change in scheme, the fact he’ll be 29 in July, and four straight seasons with 270+ touches make him a volatile investment.

These are the types of RBs you want to help you fill out your fantasy football teams. These guys in the 3rd and 4th rounds are sound investments after you stockpile the elite talent at RB, WR, or even TE.

Tier 5

Each of these backs has pathways to productive workloads. And their respective offenses will give them those opportunities. But all have histories of injury and/or inefficiency, and all have fairly capable backups that will push for expanded roles in their respective offenses.

This is what knocks them lower in the pecking order for me. I love the Cardinals and Titans offense for James Conner and Tony Pollard’s value, but without 10+ TDs, they’re likely no better than top 15 RBs. New Bears HC Ben Johnson has already traded D’Andre Swift once. Makes me feel uneasy about his job security, despite how fruitful the Bears’ offense will be for RBs. Chuba broke out last year, earning a sizable contract extension. But Rico Dowdle proved reliable for Dallas last year and can easily earn a role if Hubbard’s efficiency drops.

And then there’s Breece Hall. He’s probably a top 10 RB just in talent. And now he gets to run behind Justin Fields and an improved offensive line. He’s flashed when given the chance, and this may be the last year he’s viewed with any semblance of hope. But Fields doesn’t throw to RBs much, and the coach-speak coming from new HC Aaron Glenn is that the plan is to use all three of the Jets RBs. Those two factors are enough for me to be cautious about Hall in 2025.

These are quality RB2s who can win you weeks on occasion and provide your lineup with a steady, if boring, lineup presence throughout the season. Rounds 5-6 are where I’d be looking to acquire them. (If there’s one you love from this group, a round 4 reach is perfectly acceptable.)

Tier 6

There are plenty of paths this tier of RBs can go. They could all finish in the top 15 due to usage and production (TDs and/or receiving work), or they could fall behind a teammate in the pecking order on their respective offenses.

TreVeyon Henderson and Aaron Jones are the same back to me. Both offer top 10 upside as a receiving threat, but the question is whether they’ll be given a chance to amass 200+ carries to work in tandem with their receiving work. And both have running mates that can handle plenty of carries for an extended period of games.

Brian Robinson Jr. and Tyrone Tracy Jr are in similar situations. Both have quality backups that can do exactly what they can do as starters. And in some ways, might be able to do them better. Health is their best friend.

Then there’s RJ Harvey. We expect this rookie to come in and be the Broncos’ workhorse as he’s clearly the most talented RB on the team. But his two backups, while not the best on paper, can handle individual aspects of his game. So if Harvey struggles in a given game as a runner, in comes Audric Estimé. If he struggles in the passing game, in comes Jaleel McLaughlin. As long as Harvey is up to the task as a pass blocker, his job will be safe.

All of these guys are RB3s with RB2 upside. These are all picks in the 6th-7th round of your drafts.

Tier 7

These are your hammers. They’re the 1st and 2nd down options on their respective teams and don’t offer as much receiving upside as we’d like. That makes them extremely dependent on touchdowns for success in fantasy football.

We know exactly what David Montgomery’s role is. But Jahmyr Gibbs just scored 16 rushing TDs in 2024, so he may not be first in line for those short-yardage TDs anymore. Isiah Pacheco missed much of last season with an injury and didn’t exactly regain his starting job upon return. The Chiefs will likely keep a rotation going, but we know what Pacheco can do when given an opportunity.

Kaleb Johnson and Quinshon Judkins are rookies who landed in perfect spots. Both have a clear pathway to 250+ touches, but neither of their respective offenses is expected to be very good. That will limit their TB upside and is a big reason why they land in this tier for me.

These are your RB3s, maybe your RB4s in a shallower league, depending on your builds. These are all 7th-8th round picks for me after I start to fill in my starting WRs and TE, and potentially my QB.

Tier 8

There’s a little bit of everything in this tier for me. And based on this, I can already tell you I won’t have much Omarion Hampton (consensus RB13 as of this writing).

Maybe Travis Etienne is the Jaguars’ starter. Or maybe he’s predominantly their pass-catching back while someone else handles most of the rushing. The same goes for Jaylen Warren, who coaches say will have an opportunity to earn more attempts, but has never rushed the ball 150 times in a season.

I fully expect Najee Harris and Hampton to split carries until one shows they’re that much better than the other. My comp for Hampton coming in was “faster Najee Harris,” so it’s only appropriate they land on the same NFL team. But what some people are overlooking is that we’ve never seen Harris run behind a quality offensive line. Hampton won’t be handed this starting job.

All of these RBs have RB2 upside with the right breaks. But all could also provide headaches for fantasy managers waiting for those breaks. But after Round 8, and after I have three starting RBs, I can live with them as depth pieces to fill out my roster.

Tier 9

The beauty of the RB position is that even the worst RBs could find themselves starting a game or two. And that’s why we make room for them on our benches.

Any of these guys can find themselves as their team’s starter. Or they could find themselves lucky to touch the ball five times in a game. At best, they’re touching the ball no more than 10 times a game. And that’s why I’m not likely to touch any of these guys until at least the 10th round. They’re strictly for depth and the occasional spot start.

If I’d bet on any of these guys to put up a top-24 season, it’d be Tank Bigsby and Jaydon Blue. They have shaky starters in front of them, providing a clearer path for them.

Tier 10

This tier is full of has-beens and never-will-bes. But there are some intriguing backups here – Tyjae Spears, Rico Dowdle, and Roschon Johnson – that could see a top 24 finish with the right break.

We’ve seen the best of Kareem Hunt, and it wouldn’t surprise me if he’s not a Chief by September. Javonte Williams had the quietest 70 targets ever last season. He’s lucky he knows how to pass block because injuries have taken his burst from him. McLauglin is a soaking wet chihuahua in size and isn’t blocking anyone. He’s lucky Sean Payton likes him.

This is the last tier I’m likely willing to grab an RB from on draft day. Everyone else is waiver wire fodder and a potential handcuff to a starter I grabbed.

Tier 11

I’m not likely drafting anyone from this tier unless I drafted their backup. The only three RBs from this tier that I think have stand-alone value are Allgeier, Mason, and Allen. Tuten is also intriguing because we don’t yet know how new Jaguars HC Liam Coen will use his RBs.

These are your FAAB RBs. You’re blowing it on them when the starter ahead of them gets injured.

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I will tweak these tiers as the summer progresses. New reports will come out of camps, unlucky injuries will occur, and some situations will clear themselves up. So stay tuned for updates all summer long!

Do you disagree with my 2025 fantasy RB rankings? Feel free to @ me on X/Twitter, Instagram, or Blue Sky and let’s discuss! You can also find more great content from Club Fantasy here!

Check out how Josh’s rankings compare to Ryan Weisse’s Best Ball Rankings!

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