One of the most exciting moments in any NFL football game is when a good running back darts through a hole in the defensive line and takes off down the field for a huge run or a touchdown.
In fantasy football, those moments stand to rack up some serious points for managers, and some running backs are far more likely to make that happen than others.
Want to make sure you secure a truly game-changing RB1 for your team? We’ve stacked up this year’s available options at the position in fantasy drafts. Here’s our top 10 fantasy football RBs for 2025, plus a full ranking of all running backs available this season.
Don’t forget: You can watch all of the stars in the backfield dash, dodge and catch their way to the top of the fantasy football scoreboards this NFL season with DIRECTV.
Top Fantasy Football Running Backs in 2025
Here are the top 10 running backs available in this year’s fantasy football drafts, plus the full fantasy RB rankings by ADP (average draft position) in 2025.
This is a consensus ranking and may differ based on your league’s specific format and scoring rules. Points based on standard scoring.
1. Bijan Robinson – Atlanta Falcons (Tier 1, ADP 2)
2024: 280.7 points, 304 attempts, 1,456 rushing yards, 12 rushing TD, 54 receptions, 4 receiving TD
Bijan Robinson was a bit underwhelming in his first two seasons, mostly as a result of his lower-than-expected usage under Arthur Smith, but he showed up in a big way in the last half of the 2024 season. Now, with Smith out as head coach and a new OC, Robinson is poised to make 2025 his breakout year, and he’s being ranked accordingly at the top of the RB list for fantasy.
Robinson is one of the league’s best pass-catching running backs, putting up the third most receptions behind De’Von Achane and Alvin Kamara last year, and the fourth most overall fantasy points among RBs. If he breaks out this year, he’s got a very real shot at RB1.
2. Saquon Barkley – Philadelphia Eagles (Tier 1, ADP 3)
2024: 322.3 points, 345 attempts, 2,005 rushing yards, 17 rushing TD, 43 receptions, 4 receiving TD
If Robinson is this year’s most likely candidate for RB1, Saquon Barkley is his stiffest competition. Barkley was an absolute beast last season, helping propel the Eagles to a Super Bowl championship season over the two-time reigning Kansas City Chiefs.
Barkley was by far the best running back in fantasy last season, posting the most overall fantasy points and the highest rushing yards among RBs. His 13 rushing touchdowns landed him seventh, but that was only three scores away from tying for first. Despite concerns around his injury history and age, Saquon looked every bit the best RB in football last year. He’s your guy if you want an RB in the first round and miss out on Robinson.
3. Jahmyr Gibbs – Detroit Lions (Tier 1, ADP 4)
2024: 310.8 points, 250 attempts, 1,412 rushing yards, 13 rushing TD, 63 receptions, 5 receiving TD
Detroit’s Jahmyr Gibbs rounds out our Tier 1 for fantasy RBs. The Lions have been one of the most high-powered offenses in the league over the last few years, and Gibbs is squarely at the center of it. He’s both an explosive runner and a talented pass-catcher, tying for most rushing touchdowns and posting third most receiving touchdowns for an RB last season. He’s a near shoe-in for a top 5 finish at the position, barring injury.
Despite the departure of former Lions OC Ben Johnson — the architect of their offensive success — and potential competition for targets from the team’s stable of other top offensive weapons, Gibbs is easily one of the most reliable picks at RB and stands to see his workload increase further, if the end of last season was any indication.
4. Christian McCaffrey – San Francisco 49ers (Tier 2, ADP 7)
2024: 32.8 points, 50 attempts, 202 rushing yards, 0 rushing TD, 15 receptions, 0 receiving TD
Christian McCaffrey topped both the RB and overall rankings heading into the last draft season, even with major concerns around his physical condition and availability at the time. When he’s healthy, he’s that kind of player: an explosive game-changer who can catapult a fantasy team to a championship.
Those concerns turned out to be well-founded, however, and anyone who took him first overall soon regretted it. This year, in contrast to the start of 2024, CMC himself has said he’s good to go, and the Niners have been limiting his participation in practice to make sure that remains the case heading into the season.
If he does remain healthy, his upside is enormous: the Niners offense has been hit hard by injuries to wide receivers Brandon Aiyuk and Ricky Pearsall, plus the departure of Deebo Samuel. All of that opens up a lot of opportunity for McCaffrey, if you’re willing to once again roll the dice. Judging by his current ADP, many fantasy managers are.
5. Derrick Henry – Baltimore Ravens (Tier 2, ADP 10)
2024: 317.4 points, 325 attempts, 1,921 rushing yards, 19 rushing TD, 23 receptions, 1 receiving TD
Despite his age, “King Henry” hasn’t shown many signs of slowing down. Henry arrived in Baltimore after eight years in Tennessee and immediately made an impact in their run-heavy offense. Pairing Henry with Lamar Jackson, one of the league’s best dual threat quarterbacks, presented one of the scariest backfield threats in the NFL.
He’s also an adept pass catcher, and he’s proven with worth and reliability season-after-season for fantasy managers. It’s hard to go wrong with Henry, especially if he falls to the middle of the second round or lower in your league.
6. Ashton Jeanty – Las Vegas Raiders (Tier 2, ADP 11)
2024 (College, with Boise State): 374 attempts, 2,601 rushing yards, 29 rushing TD, 23 receptions, 1 receiving TD
Ashton Jeanty was the Raiders’ first draft pick this year, and the rookie RB was widely regarded as one of the best options in the draft class, even with players like Cam Ward, Travis Hunter and Abdul Carter on the board.
In Las Vegas, he’s already the clear No. 1 in the backfield on a team that likes to run the ball and faces little to no competition for carries. Pair that with his equal proficiency in rushing and pass-catching, and you’ve got a formula for a top five RB despite his rookie status.
7. De’Von Achane – Miami Dolphins (Tier 2, ADP 15)
2024: 221.9 points, 203 attempts, 907 rushing yards, 6 rushing TD, 78 receptions, 6 receiving TD
De’Von Achane has been elite in terms of fantasy scoring since he arrived in Miami, and his workload is only expected to increase this year. Last season, he was the primary beneficiary of Miami’s shift to a shorter passing game amid offensive struggles in the 2024 season. He led the league in RB receptions, blowing the next closest Alvin Kamara’s tally of 68 out of the water with his own 78 catches on 87 targets.
With Tua Tagovailoa healthier this year, we may see a return to deeper passing and resurgence of the team’s WR duo of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, but if not, then Achane could become even more of an asset in fantasy, and clearly a top RB option. Still, his current injury status, injury history and Miami’s generally pitiful offensive line may cast a shadow over his potential this season.
8. Josh Jacobs – Green Bay Packers (Tier 2, ADP 16)
2024: 257.1 points, 301 attempts, 1,329 rushing yards, 14 rushing TD, 36 receptions, 1 receiving TD
Josh Jacobs will almost certainly be the lead RB in Green Bay, and he, too, will benefit from a solid offensive line and likely consistent workload both on the ground and through the air.
Jacobs is expected to have a little more competition for touches in the form of rookie MarShawn Lloyd, and he’s hitting the age where RBs typically begin to decline in productivity. Still, he’s a strong choice if you’re planning on waiting to draft an RB until the low-second or potentially high-third round.
9. Jonathan Taylor – Indianapolis Colts (Tier 2, ADP 19)
2024: 226.7 points, 303 attempts, 1,431 rushing yards, 11 rushing TD, 38 receptions, 3 receiving TD
After a few injury-plagued and underwhelming seasons, Jonathan Taylor surged back into the top RB conversation last season, finishing fifth in overall fantasy points. This season, he’ll have a new quarterback in Daniel Jones if Anthony Richardson is benched, and he’ll benefit from one of the top offensive lines in the league.
Taylor will have more competition for touches in the backfield than some of the other RBs in the top 10 and is likely to be less a part of the Colts’ passing game, but he’s still a top choice at RB in the second round.
10. Bucky Irving, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Tier 2, ADP 21)
2024: 244.4 points, 207 attempts, 1,122 rushing yards, 8 rushing TD, 47 receptions, 0 receiving TD
This week, Bucky Irving rounds out our top 10 RBs for fantasy in 2025. He’s a strong mid-round target with massive upside, especially in PPR formats. Irving is coming off an impressive rookie season, finishing top-10 in several advanced RB metrics despite splitting time with Rachaad White. His increased usage in the second half points to a growing role in the Buccaneers’ explosive offense. If he reaches 250 touches, a breakout similar to Jahmyr Gibbs’ 2024 season isn’t out of the question.
Other Top Fantasy RBs in 2025
Here are some other top options for later rounds in your 2025 fantasy football drafts:
11. Chase Brown, Cincinnati Bengals
12. Kyren Williams, Los Angeles Ram
13. James Cook, Buffalo Bills
14. Omarion Hampton, Los Angeles Chargers
15. Kenneth Walker III, Seattle Seahawks
2025 Fantasy Football Running Back Rankings
Here’s the complete ranking of top fantasy football running backs for the 2025 draft season.
ADP calculations based on average ADP per player in points per reception (PPR) leagues across CBS Fantasy, ESPN Fantasy, NFL Fantasy, Sleeper, Yahoo! Fantasy and Underdog Fantasy platforms. Data provided by 4for4.
This is a consensus ranking and may differ based on your league’s specific format and scoring rules. Round denotes which round the player is being drafted in for 10- and 12-team leagues.
| Rank | Player | Team | ADP | ADP +/- vs. Prior Week | Round (10 Team) | Round (12-Team) |
| 1 | Bijan Robinson | ATL | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | Saquon Barkley | PHI | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 3 | Jahmyr Gibbs | DET | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 4 | Christian McCaffrey | SF | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 5 | Derrick Henry | BAL | 10 | -1 | 1 | 1 |
| 6 | Ashton Jeanty | LV | 11 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 7 | De’Von Achane | MIA | 15 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 8 | Josh Jacobs | GB | 16 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 9 | Jonathan Taylor | IND | 19 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 10 | Bucky Irving | TB | 21 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| 11 | Chase Brown | CIN | 24 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| 12 | Kyren Williams | LAR | 26 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 13 | James Cook | BUF | 30 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 14 | Omarion Hampton | LAC | 35 | 1 | 4 | 3 |
| 15 | Kenneth Walker | SEA | 41 | 1 | 5 | 4 |
| 16 | Alvin Kamara | NO | 42 | 1 | 5 | 4 |
| 17 | Breece Hall | NYJ | 44 | -4 | 5 | 4 |
| 18 | Chuba Hubbard | CAR | 45 | 0 | 5 | 4 |
| 19 | TreVeyon Henderson | NE | 46 | 3 | 5 | 4 |
| 20 | James Conner | ARI | 48 | -2 | 5 | 4 |
| 21 | D’Andre Swift | CHI | 59 | 1 | 6 | 5 |
| 22 | David Montgomery | DET | 60 | 1 | 6 | 5 |
| 23 | RJ Harvey | DEN | 61 | 1 | 7 | 6 |
| 24 | Isiah Pacheco | KC | 64 | 0 | 7 | 6 |
| 25 | Tony Pollard | TEN | 65 | 3 | 7 | 6 |
| 26 | Aaron Jones | MIN | 69 | 0 | 7 | 6 |
| 27 | Tyrone Tracy | NYG | 77 | 2 | 8 | 7 |
| 28 | Kaleb Johnson | PIT | 79 | -2 | 8 | 7 |
| 29 | Jaylen Warren | PIT | 85 | 0 | 9 | 8 |
| 30 | Jordan Mason | MIN | 92 | 6 | 10 | 8 |
| 31 | Joe Mixon | HOU | 96 | -18 | 10 | 8 |
| 32 | Travis Etienne | JAX | 97 | 0 | 10 | 9 |
| 33 | J.K. Dobbins | DEN | 99 | 3 | 10 | 9 |
| 34 | Zach Charbonnet | SEA | 103 | 5 | 11 | 9 |
| 35 | Cam Skattebo | NYG | 106 | 11 | 11 | 9 |
| 36 | Jacory Croskey-Merritt | WAS | 110 | 20 | 11 | 10 |
| 37 | Austin Ekeler | WAS | 112 | 15 | 12 | 10 |
| 38 | Rhamondre Stevenson | NE | 113 | -7 | 12 | 10 |
| 39 | Javonte Williams | DAL | 115 | 4 | 12 | 10 |
| 40 | Quinshon Judkins | CLE | 118 | 0 | 12 | 10 |
| 41 | Brian Robinson | SF | 119 | -3 | 12 | 10 |
| 42 | Tank Bigsby | JAX | 123 | -11 | 13 | 11 |
| 43 | Najee Harris | LAC | 130 | 24 | 13 | 11 |
| 44 | Braelon Allen | NYJ | 132 | 3 | 14 | 11 |
| 45 | Bhayshul Tuten | JAX | 133 | 4 | 14 | 12 |
| 46 | Jaydon Blue | DAL | 134 | -2 | 14 | 12 |
| 47 | Trey Benson | ARI | 141 | 0 | 15 | 12 |
| 48 | Ray Davis | BUF | 143 | 0 | 15 | 12 |
| 49 | Dylan Sampson | CLE | 148 | -4 | 15 | 13 |
| 50 | Rachaad White | TB | 155 | -24 | 16 | 13 |
| 51 | Nick Chubb | HOU | 157 | 1 | 16 | 14 |
| 52 | Tyjae Spears | TEN | 163 | -30 | 17 | 14 |
| 53 | Jerome Ford | CLE | 164 | 0 | 17 | 14 |
| 54 | Tyler Allgeier | ATL | 166 | -6 | 17 | 14 |
| 55 | Ollie Gordon | MIA | 172 | 28 | 18 | 15 |
| 56 | Rico Dowdle | CAR | 176 | -6 | 18 | 15 |
| 57 | Will Shipley | PHI | 179 | 5 | 18 | 15 |
| 58 | Isaac Guerendo | SF | 183 | -22 | 19 | 16 |
| 59 | Kareem Hunt | KC | 187 | 29 | 19 | 16 |
| 60 | Roschon Johnson | CHI | 188 | -2 | 19 | 16 |
| 61 | Jaylen Wright | MIA | 190 | -17 | 19 | 16 |
| 62 | Woody Marks | HOU | 196 | -1 | 20 | 17 |
| 63 | Blake Corum | LAR | 207 | -9 | 21 | 18 |
| 64 | Keaton Mitchell | BAL | 215 | -10 | 22 | 18 |
| 65 | DJ Giddens | IND | 217 | -10 | 22 | 19 |
| 66 | Tahj Brooks | CIN | 218 | 15 | 22 | 19 |
| 67 | Kendre Miller | NO | 219 | -1 | 22 | 19 |
| 68 | Justice Hill | BAL | 229 | 15 | 23 | 20 |
| 69 | Kyle Monangai | CHI | 230 | 0 | 23 | 20 |
| 70 | Sean Tucker | TB | 239 | -7 | 24 | 20 |
| 71 | Brashard Smith | KC | 242 | 0 | 25 | 21 |
| 72 | Jarquez Hunter | LAR | 245 | -7 | 25 | 21 |
| 73 | MarShawn Lloyd | GB | 248 | -28 | 25 | 21 |
| 74 | Chris Rodriguez | WAS | 265 | 11 | 27 | 23 |
| 75 | Dameon Pierce | HOU | 269 | 12 | 27 | 23 |
| 76 | Miles Sanders | DAL | 271 | -68 | 28 | 23 |
| 77 | Raheem Mostert | LV | 273 | -54 | 28 | 23 |
| 78 | Elijah Mitchell | KC | 279 | -14 | 28 | 24 |
| 79 | Devin Neal | NO | 291 | -2 | 30 | 25 |
| 80 | Ty Johnson | BUF | 294 | -6 | 30 | 25 |
Looking to win your Fantasy Football league in 2025? Find even more stats, tips and tricks right here, all updated on a weekly cadence:
- Fantasy Football 2025 Rankings & ADP
- Top Rising & Falling Fantasy Players by Position
- Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Rankings
- Fantasy Football Tight End Rankings
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the top running backs in fantasy football in 2025?
Bijan Robinson, Saquon Barkley and Jahmyr Gibbs are the best fantasy football running backs in 2025.
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