• Bijan Robinson takes the highest spot: The Atlanta Falcon was probably the most constant working again down the stretch, posting a top-16 fantasy end in 11 of his final 12 video games.
• Ashton Jeanty leads the second tier: The Boise State working again must be an early-to-mid first-round choose, and working backs with that expertise are likely to thrive as rookies.
• 2025 NFL Draft season is right here: Attempt PFF’s best-in-class Mock Draft Simulator and find out about 2025’s prime prospects whereas buying and selling and drafting to your favourite NFL staff.
Estimated studying time: 12 minutes
With the conclusion of the 2024 NFL season, these way-too-early 2025 fantasy soccer rankings are an preliminary have a look at how gamers could possibly be ranked this summer season. Participant motion in free company may have a giant issue on the rankings, notably at working again. For now, gamers anticipated to be unrestricted free brokers are marked as free brokers within the staff column. These rankings are for redraft PPR leagues.
Final Up to date: 7:00 a.m Monday, January 13
Tier 1: The straightforward first-round picks
Robinson, Barkley, and Gibbs are the three working backs who averaged at the least 20 PPR factors per recreation final season. They’re additionally the three working backs who had been picked inside the first 20 picks of the final seven NFL drafts. They’re among the many top-eight working backs by PFF grade this season, they usually ran behind offensive strains which have ranked among the many prime 10 every of the final two seasons.
Robinson leads the working backs after a robust end to the 2024 season. He constantly performed at the least 70% of the Falcons’ offensive snaps by Week 9. He acquired a minimal of 20 touches in eight of these 9 video games, and a 6-38 blowout loss was the exception. Whereas Barkley and Gibbs have benefited from constant optimistic recreation scripts, there’s nonetheless room for the Falcons offense to enhance with Michael Penix Jr. at quarterback.
Barkley benefited from an distinctive quantity of lengthy landing runs. He had 9 landing runs of greater than 10 yards, which hadn’t been completed since 2008. Sometimes, the league chief is round five-to-six landing runs of that size. That included 4 touchdowns of 60-plus yards, which has solely been completed twice within the final 19 seasons. In case you take away 10-plus-yard landing runs from all working backs, he would have completed at RB9 in 2024. Whereas Barkley ought to have earned extra lengthy landing runs than different working backs, his numbers from 2024 will doubtless regress.
Achane is the fourth working again on this tier. His 17.6 PPR factors per recreation ranked sixth amongst working backs final season. The 2 working backs who completed forward of him and aren’t on this tier might be at the least 30 years outdated by the beginning of the 2025 season and can doubtless face extra competitors than the 2024 season. Achane has the second-highest dashing grade and highest receiving grade of all working backs during the last two seasons mixed among the many 27 working backs with at the least 1,000 snaps.
For elements of the season, the Dolphins didn’t have Tua Tagovailoa. Achane averaged 22.5 factors per recreation within the 11 video games with Tagovailoa and eight.7 with out him. The Dolphins had the fifth-worst run block grade for an offensive line this season. Our most up-to-date mock draft suggests assist could possibly be on the best way.
Tier 2: Potential prime total working backs
This tier is for working backs with the potential to be the highest total working backs, however they carry extra danger than the Tier 1 working backs.
Jeanty leads the best way, although we don’t know what staff he’ll play for. Jeanty is fourth on our massive board, becoming a member of Bijan Robinson, Dalvin Prepare dinner and Ezekiel Elliott as the one working backs ranked within the prime 10 prior to now decade and just one within the prime 5. Jeanty is predicted to get picked within the prime half of the primary spherical, becoming a member of Robinson, Jahmyr Gibbs, Barkley, Leonard Fournette, Christian McCaffrey and Elliott as the one working backs chosen within the first half of the NFL draft within the final decade. Every of those working backs completed within the prime 10 in fantasy factors throughout their rookie season or the second half of their rookie season.
Brown and Irving are the 2 younger up-and-coming working backs. They completed fifth and sixth in fantasy factors per recreation over the second half of 2024. Browns’ 75.7 PFF grade was good however not nice, and the staff will doubtless deal with the backfield sooner or later this offseason. In the event that they keep on with Zack Moss or Khalil Herbert as the first backup, then an argument could be made for Brown in Tier 1. Irving graded at an elite stage with a 90.6 grade however nonetheless has Rachaad White as one of many higher backups within the league. Irving was lastly utilized in a characteristic function in Week 18. How coaches discuss these two working backs all through the offseason may transfer Irving increased.
McCaffrey and Corridor had been the highest two working backs concerning fantasy factors in 2023. This previous season wasn’t practically nearly as good for both again. In three of his final 5 seasons, McCaffrey has been held to seven video games or much less. He might be 29 years outdated by the beginning of subsequent season, and that might be sufficient danger to maintain McCaffrey within the second tier. Corridor’s fantasy worth may change in both course, relying on who the pinnacle coach and quarterback are.
Henry is the most important outlier of the group. His lack of receiving manufacturing will doubtless make it not possible for him to complete as the general RB1. He’s 31 years outdated, and if Keaton Mitchell can regain his 2023 kind, it might make sense for the Ravens to relaxation Henry extra usually in 2025 than in 2024. His expertise as a runner within the Ravens offense is sufficient to maintain him within the prime 10.
Tier 3: Sturdy starters with competitors
This tier consists of eight veterans and two rookies. The eight veterans ranked among the many prime 14 working backs final season in fantasy factors per recreation at 15.9 or higher. The 4 working backs drafted earliest through the 2024 draft are backups to 4 of those working backs, and all 4 ought to see extra enjoying time in 2025 than in 2024.
James Prepare dinner and Kenneth Walker III even have younger backup working backs, Ray Davis and Zach Charbonnet. The Seahawks’ scenario might be notably fascinating as they discover a new offensive coordinator. That leaves Joe Mixon and Jonathan Taylor. Mixon ranks third in profession dashing makes an attempt amongst energetic gamers, whereas Jonathan Taylor has missed time within the final three seasons. It appears doubtless each groups deal with their backup working again scenario this offseason, which may result in fewer snaps by the present starters.
Hampton and Johnson are the 2 rookies on this tier. Each working backs rank among the many prime 60 on our massive board and the highest 50 on consensus massive boards. They’re typically ranked increased on our massive board and consensus than the working backs from final 12 months’s class and higher than these not named Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs within the earlier class. The Las Vegas Raiders might be searching for a brand new working again. Starters on the Dallas Cowboys, Minnesota Vikings, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers are free brokers. There must be extra working backs incomes beginning jobs this 12 months than final. These gamers may have extra upside than different working backs that we all know might be in committees.
Tier 4: The remaining starters
This tier is for these slated to be starters, however there’s vital danger. The Detroit Lions, Tennessee Titans and Washington Commanders used two-man committees final 12 months and can doubtless do the identical subsequent 12 months.
Pacheco began 2024 enjoying 80% of his staff’s offensive snaps, however in his 5 video games again, he performed 30-40% of these snaps in most video games. Pacheco may transfer up or down relying on what the Chiefs do with their backup scenario.
Kamara is the one working again to common at the least 15 factors per recreation final season that isn’t ranked among the many prime 20. He was one in every of 5 working backs to common 21-plus touches per recreation. The Saints may have a brand new head coach subsequent 12 months. Kendre Miller graded higher as a runner final season, albeit on a smaller pattern measurement. Miller averaged extra first downs per carry, had practically twice nearly as good of an averted sort out fee and averaged extra yards after contact per carry. The Saints may not use Kamara in a characteristic function like they’ve wanted to in current seasons.
Tracy ended the season because the Giants’ clear starter in a workhorse function, however he didn’t have the grades or fantasy manufacturing to belief he would stay in that function. His 58.4 offensive grade was the second-lowest amongst working backs with at the least 400 snaps final season. An enormous a part of that was his pass-blocking and 6 dropped passes, however his dashing wasn’t adequate to counteract the negatives on cross performs. He additionally completed outdoors the highest 16 fantasy working backs in six of his final seven video games. He would transfer up a number of spots if the Giants don’t deal with the working again place, however he may additionally drop 20-30 spots if New York provides one other again.
Tier 5: The unknowns
This tier is for working backs whose fates are unknown. Judkins begins the record as a rookie whose fantasy worth will rely fully on which staff he lands with, and who else is on the roster.
Jones, Harris and Dowdle ranked among the many prime 25 fantasy working backs and had been clear lead working backs on their groups. Their season grades ranged between 73.9 and 77.9, which is usually adequate to be starters within the NFL but in addition low sufficient that groups may look to improve if given the chance.
Stevenson and Etienne had disappointing fantasy seasons. Each gamers had been enjoying beneath 50% of their staff’s offensive snaps by the top of the season. Each working backs may have new head coaches for 2025, which could possibly be a chance to change into a characteristic again once more, however they may additionally change into a backup.
Tier 6: The highest backups
This tier is for the highest gamers presently ranked outdoors of the highest 32.
Dobbins and Swift had been starters final season however ranked among the many backside six working backs when it comes to offensive PFF grade for these with at the least 500 makes an attempt. The Bears may have a brand new head coach, and Dobbins is a free agent, including to the uncertainty surrounding each gamers. Each gamers are more likely to see a lower in enjoying time and touches in 2025.
White, Charbonnet and Spears all posted top-five fantasy finishes at occasions final 12 months. They need to additionally see vital enjoying time, notably on passing downs, giving them some standalone worth in deeper leagues together with handcuff worth.
Warren posted two top-12 finishes within the final seven weeks with Najee Harris on the Steelers roster. Likelihood is, the Steelers both re-sign Harris or usher in one other again, however there’s at the least an opportunity Warren would be the lead working again for the Steelers going ahead.
Tier 7: The opposite backups price drafting
These working backs are more likely to be handcuffs this 12 months. This group options a number of gifted gamers getting into their sophomore seasons. There are additionally a number of rookies who could possibly be high-upside choices.
Two exceptions are Ford and Chubb. The Browns had been one in every of 5 groups to common beneath 100 dashing yards per recreation. They ranked within the backside 10 in most different dashing metrics as a staff. The Denver Broncos and Las Vegas Raiders had no working backs on this record. These three groups are the more than likely to spend money on a brand new working again this offseason.
Bigsby, Allgeier and Miller are the opposite working backs on this record with at the least three years of expertise. Whereas all three are effective handcuff choices, their lack of receiving manufacturing of their NFL profession limits their ceiling.
