Latest:

Vote The Process

The official website for Vote The Process (VTP) Sports and your go-to source for the latest Philadelphia 76ers and Eagles news, statistics, analysis, highlights, and coverage… sometimes memes

Vote The Process
Chip Bayless FEATURED Football Latest 

2025 Fantasy Football Rankings: RBs 1-10

votetheprocess 0 Comments
By Chip Bayless (click Howie for more Chip)

 

 

1) Saquon Barkley

Last season Saquon Barkley broke the single-season rushing record for most yards in a season including playoffs en route to scoring the most fantasy points per game of any running back.

Given the fact that the Eagles still have a dominant offensive line, Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown, and DeVonta Smith, there’s no sign that this offense and its every-down,  superstar RB will be slowing down or making any massive offensive recipe changes next season.

Among last year’s RBs, Saquon ranked:

  • 1st in fantasy PPG & 2nd in total points
  • 1st in rushing yards
  • 1st in rushes for over 10 yards
  • 1st in rushes for over 50 yards
  • 4th in yards after contact
  • 7th in rushing TDs

Saquon is playing like a faster, more athletic, prime Adrian Peterson as he can bust out any move you can think of and is both one of the toughest, most-feared, between-the-tackles rushers while being one of the most explosive players in the entire league.

Barkley’s TDs are due for improvement considering he led the NFL in rushing yards but ranked seventh in rushing TDs while ranking tied for eighth in red zone targets among 2024 backs and coming in sixth among RBs in combined rushing and receiving touchdowns.

Speaking of his constantly-improving receiving skills, when Barkley gets the ball in his hands in space he’s one of the most dangerous players in the NFL. In 2024 he ranked fifth in yards after contact on receptions, fifth in broken tackles on receptions, and ninth in passer rating when targeted.

It helps his fantasy stock that half the battle for fantasy RBs is volume, and Saquon’s fantasy stock is bolstered by the fact that he led the position in carries with a molly whopping 345, and ranked third in total snaps with well over 800.

Saquon wasn’t just a volume vulture either as he placed among the top five RBs in tons of advanced analytics such as ranking second to only Derrick Henry in: efficiency, rush yards over expected, rushes for over 20 yards, rush yards per attempt (4th among all players across all positions), and rush yards over expected per attempt.

He finished eight among all RBs in rush over expected percentage as well, and led the NFL in scrimmage yards by over 100.

Hopefully this record holder and Super Bowl champion will one day be worthy of having a bronze statue erected in his honor at a landmark location in Philadelphia, much like the ones the city already has for a fictional movie character and a backup quarterback.

 

 

2) Bijan Robinson

Bijan ranks number two on the list this year, barely ahead of Gibbs due not having a David Montgomery in the backfield to compete with, but you can’t go wrong with either selection in 2025.

The difference in their overall fantasy potential is about as negligible as the difference between a Celtics fan and a KKK member.

Much like Saquon Barkley, Bijan has a rarely-found combination of power, agility, vision, and breakaway speed (finished among the top seven RBs in carries for over 10 yards, 20 yards, 30 yards, 40 yards, and 50 yards) that should make him a generational talent at the position for years to come.

In terms of 2024 RBs, Bijan finished:

He has a knack for ripping defenders off his body, and is one of the better receivers out of the backfield at the RB position (placed among the top-5 RBs in receptions, yards, targets, and red zone targets) while being an absolute weapon in one-on-one situations with the ball in his hands (ranked third among RBs in yards after contact on receptions).

The Falcons have also improved their offensive line markedly over the years which is another fantasy factor that helps Bijan as last season he ran for the sixth-most yards before contact.

Allowing a hulking speedster like Bijan to get a head of steam is detrimental for defenses and critical for fantasy managers, as that then allows him to use his natural running ability and absurd stiff arms to gain extra yards and points.

Last season he led backs in rushing success rate, ranked fourth in broken tackles, and seventh in rush yards over expected.

Bijan also has a unique ability to be keenly aware of defenders and being ready to use any move he could think of to gain additional yardage while being one of the most trustworthy backs in league when it comes to carrying the rock.

He fumbled only once all year, the fewest times of any RB who recorded at least 300 carries.

For your final Bijan confirmation bias, look no further than the fact that he gets the ball in the red zone as often as your pet acts like the absolute biggest fucking freak as Robinson ranked second to only Kyren Williams in red zone rushing share with a massive 67% of all of the Falcons carries inside the 20 yard line.

 

3) Jahmyr Gibbs

Jahmyr Gibbs might be the most explosive back in the NFL today (3rd in rushes for 20+ yards), as he needs just the tiniest sliver of an opening to make one quick cut that ends in him hitting his head on the goal post. He led all players across all positions last year in scrimmage TDs.

That kind of TD potential has the Lions constantly wringing their hands trying to figure out how to get the ball to their best playmaker, as Dan Campbell knows Gibbs can bail the offense out of a bad situation or a long third down by simply outrunning everyone to the first down marker (ranked seventh in rushes for first downs).

Gibbs’ running back ranks from last season were:

  • 2nd in fantasy PPG and 1st in PRK
  • Tied for 1st in rushing TDs
  • 3rd in receiving yards
  • Tied for 3rd in receiving TDs
  • 5th in rushing yards
  • 6th in receptions

Gibbs’ do-it-all skillset (ranked third in the NFL in yards per reception) firmly locks him in as a top-3 fantasy RB especially in PPR leagues, as last season he ran for 1,400 yards and 16 touchdowns while placing seventh in RB targets and third among RBs in passer rating when targeted.

Much like Bijan Robinson, the Lions also have unquestionable faith in giving Gibbs the rock in clutch situations as he rarely fumbles and was one of only two RBs with at least 250 carries who did not fumble all of last season.

Gibbs’ speed and acceleration cannot possibly be understated, and last season he finished third among backs in yards per carry, fifth in yards after contact, and tied for fifth in broken tackles while ranking among the top-5 RBs in carries for over 30 yards, 40 yards, and 50 yards.

Additionally, Next Gen Stats clocked him as the fastest running back last season and Gibbs accounted for two of the 20 spots on Next Gen’s fastest ball-carrier list.

His efficiency is insane too, and last year he also ranked fourth among RBs in rush yards over expected.

If you’re searching for one last straw to put you over the edge like you’re a college that has to ban the 24-year-old girlfriend of your 70-year-old football coach, look no further than the fact that Gibbs led backs in red zone targets last season while also ranking tied for the league lead in rushing TDs.

 

 

4) Ashton Jeanty

Jeanty comes in at number four on this year’s list ahead of Derrick Henry and CMC, as while they will all have a similar workload it is Jeanty who will have the younger, spryer legs in an offense arguably just slightly more built around him.

Teams, and more specifically GMs, have shown their go-to RB strategy is to use them up early on, and then say they are due to fall off the RB cliff when their contract is up because they’ve received 300+ carries for three to five straight seasons – or are close to 29 years old.

Even Trent Richardson had a decent first year in the NFL fantasy-wise because even if Jeanty sucks (which he doesn’t), the Raiders will absolutely run him into the ground because:

  1. They have no other RB on their roster within even 50% of his talent level
  2. To get a true film evaluation on him that they can use to say they either will or will not continue to run the offense through him at the end of the season

Moreover, Jeanty absolutely does not suck, and last season he easily led all NCAA RBs in rushing yards with 2,601 – which was over 800 more yards than the next-closest back.

He also averaged an insane seven yards per carry on 374 carries, and ran for the second-most TDs (29) of any NCAA back.

Jeanty runs like Bijan Robinson, as he’s a compact back with smooth speed, elite burst and acceleration, and vision that makes you question if he sees the defense in slow motion.

He can run directly through opponents with ease, throw defenders into the stands, and even hurdle and spin his foes out of their shoes.

If you draft Jeanty this season, you’re getting a top-8 RB at absolute minimum.

 

 

5) Derrick Henry

Derrick Henry exceeded expectations like chocolate cake batter ice cream (get that shit ASAP if you don’t know what I’m talking about) as he ran for damn near 2,000 yards, trailed only Saquon in total scrimmage yards, and plowed his way to the fantasy championship for many owners due to his performance relative to his ADP.

He showed he not only is still as hard to tackle as a bronze statue, but he still has the deep speed to break long runs and burst through open holes, and its worth noting he ranked second among RBs in rushing success rate in 2024.

The supposedly aging veteran (per the same people who thought Will Levis was a good quarterback) accounted for two of the top 20 slots on Next Gen’s fastest ball-carriers list, breaking 21 MPH twice.

Among last season’s backs, Henry ranked:

If Derrick Henry is healthy even 80% of the time, he should finish well within the top-10 RBs again when it comes to fantasy points as he should have league-leading volume again considering he finished second in carries to only Saquon, and the Ravens don’t plan on changing their entire offensive strategy anytime soon.

He’s not exactly due for TD reduction either considering Henry was fourth in red zone rushing share too, accounting for over 60% of all the Ravens red zone rushes.

Henry isn’t just a volume hog, and last season he led eligible RBs in average yards per carry, averaging a devastating nearly six yards (5.9 exactly) per carry.

He showed his powerful stiff arm is as deadly as it ever was too, and he led the NFL in broken tackles with 43 (no other player broke 37) and in yards after contact with 967 which was over 150 more yards than the next closest player.

In terms of some final noteworthy efficiency metrics, Derrick Henry’s first Baltimore season also resulted in him leading the NFL in rush efficiency, rush yards over expected, and rush yards over expected per attempt.

Detractors are likely saying “but now defenses are just going to stack the box to stop him and Lamar, that can’t work that well again.” Here’s the thing: defenses already tried that.

Derrick Henry faced eight-man boxes on 33% of his snaps, the most of any starting RB.

With DeAndre Hopkins added, key offensive linemen resigned, and the Ravens’ draft capital, it’s doubtful defenses are going to suddenly figure out a formula for stopping the daunting combination that is a Jackson/Henry backfield.

 

 

6) Christian McCaffrey

CMC only places outside the top five fantasy backs this season due to his injury history, as he is definitely a top five NFL back when it comes to talent level, and he is usually a top three fantasy back when healthy.

McCaffrey is maybe the best receiver out of the backfield in the league, and despite his diminutive size he has the instincts and power to run between the tackles as well as anyone.

Plus, he is absolutely volcanic with the ball in his hands in space as he can hit home runs with ease.

His suddenness and awareness are elite as well, making CMC one of – if not the most – complete backs in the NFL.

CMC only appeared in four games, seemingly half of which he was either limited or reinjured in, so he doesn’t have many 2024 numbers to write home about.

Although, he accrued 2,000 total yards just two seasons ago in 2023 and has shown almost every time he’s taken the field that he is Kyle Shanahan’s ideal football player.

If McCaffrey truly ends up being drafted outside of the top five backs based on ADP this summer, it will be almost impossible to pass on McCaffrey at that point when you consider that if he is healthy he will be the best pick in the draft.

Before last season, CMC had put together six consecutive seasons as a top five fantasy RB in terms of fantasy PPG.

Although on a personal note I’m throwing everything I just said out the window in my own drafts and will be avoiding this dude like someone you wish you hadn’t hooked up with who you also have to interact with at work everyday.

 

7) De’Von Achane

The question for De’Von Achane coming into this season was just how much work would he get with Raheem Mostert in the backfield (who at the time had led RBs in TDs the prior season) and Achane’s size/injury concerns.

Achane answered those questions by proving his game-breaking speed, instincts, vision, and receiving talent make him an undisputed top-10 NFL back when it comes to talent level, and a top-10 back in a top offense means Achane will have mid to high-end RB1 status again in 2025.

In 2024, Achane ranked (among RBs):

  • 6th in fantasy PPG & 6th in PRK
  • 1st in receptions
  • 1st in receiving yards
  • 1st in receiving TDs
  • 2nd in targets

Achane catches passes like Americas eat McDonald’s, so as long as you’re in a PPR league he is guaranteed to have RB1 value in 2024 barring injury.

De’Vone Achane is one of the fastest players in the league, and it’s no surprise that his do-it-all skillset resulted in him also ranking among the top-10 backs in combined rushing and receiving TDs.

And while Achane failed to break 1,000 rushing yards or place among the top-20 backs in rushing yards, he ranked 10th in total scrimmage yards among the position group as his versality might be his greatest strength.

Amazingly, 665 of his receiving yards came after the catch, and Achane actually trailed only Ja’Marr Chase in YAC last season when it came to all players across all positions.

Achane’s production when targeted is among the best the NFL has to offer as far as RBs go, and last season Achane averaged the second-highest passer rating when targeted (118) of any running back.

 

 

8) Kyren Williams

Kyren isn’t particularly flashy and doesn’t have eye-popping speed, but he is an every down back when you consider his ability to run tenaciously between the tackles, pass protect, catch the ball out of the backfield (ranked 12th among RBs in passer rating when targeted last season), and make defenders miss in space.

Williams doesn’t waste his steps and reads blocks as well as any back in the league, making him one of the best north-and-south rushers (averaged the seventh-lowest time behind the line of scrimmage last season).

Because of that skillset, Williams is a perfect fit in the Rams offense and has one of the best workloads in the league.

Last year, his RB rankings were:

Maybe just as important as his own talent level and offensive fit, the presence and experience of Matthew Stafford, the addition of Davante Adams, and the presence of Puka Nacua means defenses simply can’t focus on stopping the subtlety-talented Williams.

For example, last season Williams saw the sixth-fewest stacked boxes of any RB according to Next Gen Stats.

This allows him to use his quick up-field cuts to get a head of steam on backpedaling defenders which often results in him running directly through or around his opponents, and in 2024 Williams finished among the top five backs in both broken tackles and in rushing yards after contact (per Pro Football Reference).

Finally, Kyren is also the only RB with back-to-back seasons with 250+ fantasy points (per StatMuse).

Like Californians continuing to build houses over the most major fault lines on earth, you can count on Kyren Williams to continue producing elite fantasy RB numbers in 2025.

 

 

9) Josh Jacobs

Josh Jacobs defied all expectations last season, and if it weren’t for Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry’s historic seasons on their new teams at their age, Jacobs would be the face of the current veteran RB revolution.

Jacobs is a dependable ball-carrier, a capable pass-catcher, a decent pass-protector, and one of the best middle-of-the field rushers in the league.

He’s one of the NFL’s best goal line backs too.

While Jacobs led the NFL in broken tackles on receptions and ranked sixth in YAC per reception, he also ranked sixth in the NFL in carry share inside the five yard line, accounting for over 70% of all the Packers’ rushes in that area.

Those attributes make Jacobs is a unique do-it-all back with a rare combination of finesse and power, and for a young team like the Packers his combination of consistency and veteran experience is a critical asset.

In terms of last year’s RBs, Jacobs ranks were:

  • 8th in fantasy PPG and 6th in PRK
  • 4th in rush TDs
  • 5th in rushes for 1st downs
  • 6th in carries
  • 6th in rushing yards
  • 14th in receiving yards

Even at his advanced age, Jacobs isn’t exactly a slow, inefficient back lacking explosiveness.

Last year he ranked second to only Derrick Henry in yards after contact and broken tackles. He finished 12th among RBs in rushes for at least 20 yards as well.

Again, while the conventional wisdom apparently from most fantasy owners was that Jacobs would have significant volume dependence and was on over-the-hill back that would split snaps with A.J. Dillon, Jacobs’ production relative to his opportunities and his age was at minimum well above-average.

Jacobs finished third in rush percentage over expected, fifth in rush yards over expected, and he ranked among the top-15 backs when it came to rush efficiency last season, per Next Gen Stats.

Jacobs also possesses a keen awareness for the soft spots in zone coverage and is an underrated route runner and receiving weapon.

In 2024, he averaged the fifth most yards after the catch per reception in the NFL, averaging a mind-boggling 11.2, and led the league in broken tackles on receptions without dropping a single pass.

As long as Green Bay fans continue believing wearing moldy dairy on their heads is intimidating, Jacobs should produce RB1 numbers again next season.

 

10) Jonathan Taylor

Taylor might be the most underrated player on this list as Anthony Richardson and the Colts’ lack of offensive productivity hinders his fantasy potential, but if the offense can be even average then Taylor should be a lock-it-in RB1 again in 2025.

Taylor has underrated burst through the line of scrimmage, smooth, deep speed, and plays with one of the strongest centers of gravity in the league as it feels like defenders bounce off of him like a cement truck flying down the highway when he gets going.

In terms of 2024 RBs, Taylor ranked:

Additionally, he ranked 11th in red zone rushing share and in yards per carry among eligible RBs, according to Next Gen Stats. He finished ninth in rush yards over expected too.

Some final JT advanced analytics to convince you the lead back of a potentially ineffective offense is still deserving of RB1 status would be that he ranked seventh in yards after contact with over 500 and 14th in broken tackles in spite of playing three fewer games than the majority of the other backs ahead of him.

Finally, according to statmuse, Taylor is also one of only two active RBs with at least 50 rushing touchdowns in their first five seasons.

 

 

 

You May Also Like

Top Waiver Wire Pickups: Week 7

votetheprocess 0

Top Waiver Wire Pickups: Week 10

votetheprocess 0

2024 AFC Championship Pick & Preview

votetheprocess 0

Leave a comment