“Top 10 Fantasy Football Running Backs for 2025 – Unstoppable Picks!”

Back when I first started digging into fantasy football, I learned quickly that the running back position could make or break your entire season—especially in a PPR format. Now in 2025, as the NFL landscape continues to shift, it’s time for those way-too-early evaluations. I’ve been analyzing rankings, watching the AFC and NFC shake out in division battles, and even tracking betting odd stories to get ahead. You’d be surprised how much edge you get from following every real-time update. With a FantasySP membership, I’ve been able to track players efficiently using their robust, fastest news engine. It’s become my go-to for monitoring key player news and injury reports in all sports.

From quarterbacks to tight ends, every roster spot matters—but none more than backs who can explode in the right matchup. Over the coming weeks, my personal coverage will break down trends and usage stats that can push a guy like Jahmyr Gibbs into the No. 1 spot. With wide receiver depth being strong this year, getting a top-tier running back early will be essential.

That’s where my rankings come in—curated not just from hype, but real usage patterns, snap counts, and team shifts. If you want to dominate in fantasy this season, you need to think beyond just names—you need to understand the system behind how these players are being used.

The Top-Four Backs

In 2024, we saw the top four backs truly separated themselves from the rest of the league, and from my experience, I’m confident the same group will shine again in 2025. My books have Philadelphia‘s Saquon Barkley as the No. 1 back — he’s simply unmatched when it comes to consistency and upside. Last year, he averaged the most points among RBs in PPR leagues, and if you’re playing to win, you can’t ignore the edge he gives. Philly is basically running it back after winning all, and that stability matters. I fully expect another monster season from him as a result of that cohesion. That’s why he leads the way this season.

Atlanta’s Bijan Robinson is my clear-cut No. 2. Though he averaged the third-most points last year, this is his third NFL season — the breakout window for many elite runners. He’s poised to take a small step forward, especially since Atlanta won’t suddenly turn into a pass-heavy team. With Michael Penix Jr. leading the charge, expect the benefit to lean toward Bijan, who should turn in another monster year. Detroit‘s Jahmyr Gibbs claims my third spot in the upcoming year.

Though he averaged the second-most last season, I’m wary — the Lions’ offense may take a step backward without their coordinator of the past few seasons. That said, Gibbs remains a great fantasy asset, and he’s still coming in strong.

I round out my rankings with Baltimore’s Derrick Henry, who still remains my No. 4 running back. While a decrease in touchdowns is certainly possible, and he may score a couple times less, he was so far ahead of everyone else last year that I’m betting he’ll still finish fourth. His volume and power make him dependable in any format — and in fantasy, that kind of edge is gold.

Everyone Else

When it comes to the next tier of fantasy backs, there’s plenty of talent and upside. I have Las Vegas’ Ashton Jeanty slotted in at No. 5, and he’s absolutely capable of finishing even higher by season’s end. I’m comfortable putting him fifth now, but I could easily change my mind by the time the season rolls around. The Raiders’ offense is lacking a ton of offensive talent, so Jeanty should be heavily utilized and may prove to be more valuable than people expect.

Next up, Miami’s De’Von Achane gets my No. 6 spot. He averaged the sixth-most points in the past season, and I believe he’ll perform at the same level again in 2025. He might become an even bigger focal point in the Dolphins‘ offense, as they look to switch things up after last year’s disappointing finish. San Francisco’s Christian McCaffrey finally appears in my No. 7 spot. I try to not let injuries affect my rankings, but when discussing CMC, it’s hard to ignore his history. He’s getting older, has dealt with several injuries over the years, and while there’s a chance he can outproduce this ranking by several spots, there’s also the risk he ends up a major bust if he deals with setbacks again. Thus, the caution.

In the No. 8 slot is Green Bay’s Josh Jacobs, who gets the nod in my book after averaging the eighth-most PPR points among backs in 2024. He’s got another monster season in him. While he too could see a decrease in touchdowns, a bump in yardage might offset a few less scores. Indianapolis’ Jonathan Taylor lands in my No. 9 spot — he put up strong numbers per game, but I expect a step back due to an offense missing a true difference-maker at quarterback. His injury woes only make this spot feel even more solidified in my mind. Rounding out the top ten is Tampa Bay’s Bucky Irving at 10. He was great while splitting the workload in 2024, and I think he’s going to be a huge fantasy asset in 2025. I did want to place him above 10th, but just couldn’t bump anyone down.

Excellent! Following the title “Top-10 Fantasy Football Running Backs for 2025: Will Jahmyr Gibbs Steer the Pack? I’ll extract and categorize all relevant keywords into topical clusters. These clusters will help organize the keywords based on context, semantics, and relevance to fantasy football.

🏈 Categorized Keyword Table for Top-10 Fantasy Football Running Backs (2025)