Running Backs In 2025: Fantasy Football Predictions
In this new series of articles at Fantasy In Frames this season, I will cover each position from a fantasy perspective in order to give you my thougths on players you POUNCE ON, FRET ABOUT, and FANTASIZE ABOUT for 2025 in my Fantasy Football Predictions series.
Let’s get things going by talking Running Backs!
In the last four seasons, we witnessed the trend shifting towards the wide receivers regarding fantasy football dominance, even prompting some leagues to use three WR starting roster spots, but the pendulum is now running back. See what I did there?!
We’re SO back that Saquon Barkley single-handedly, or two-legedly, to be precise, put the running back position back in the fantasy spotlight. Also, with teams scheming to reduce the impact of WRs and a massive influx of raw talent in this year’s NFL draft on football’s most underrated position, I expect RB to be relevant again and for us to witness a lot of old-school robust RB fantasy drafts with players hitting RB-RB in the first two rounds of 1QB leagues and even hitting RB’s in the late second/early third rounds of Superflex leagues.
FOUR RUNNING BACKS TO POUNCE ON
Saquon Barkley, 2024 RB1 (PPR Scoring)
The top running back was the real MVP in fantasy football last season, and of course, I’m talking about Saquon “RJ” Barkley. “RJ” is short for “reverse 360 jumping over a defender, ” which puts him in a tier of his own on sheer athleticism. Seven weeks with 25+ fantasy point games, five of those being over 30 points, and chalking up 27/30 points (depending on the scoring) in the fantasy championship last year, he was a league winner, a league winner that was drafted, mostly, in the third or fourth round of drafts in 2024. With the Philadelphia Eagles taking care of the “trenches” over the years, groundwork has been laid to ensure a similar outcome for 2025.
Derrick Henry, 2024 RB4 (PPR Scoring)
Another underrated RB who was deemed obsolete and over the hill, Derrick Henry, once again denied his age and the doubters. This pick is a bit of a gamble in 2025, but what we witnessed last season, with regular red zone usage, fourth-quarter daggers, and Lamar Jackson (the REAL REAL MVP) diverting defensive attention from the one true King indicates a potential repeat of 1,921 rushing yards — the second-highest total of his career — and a league-high 16 rushing touchdowns in 17 regular games.
Bijan Robinson, 2024 RB3 (PPR Scoring)
Despite the volatility at the QB position in Atlanta (pretends to be shocked) without Arthur Smith’s scheming shenanigans, Bijan was one of the most constant fantasy contributors last season. With Penix, the ball-toting southpaw, now in tow, expect Bijan to play to his full potential in the upcoming season. What is his full potential, you ask? Many compared him to Saquon coming out of college. He had ten top-15 finishes during the fantasy season, averaging 19.9 fantasy points from week six onwards and scoring 20+ points in the fantasy finals.
Chase Brown, 2024 RB14 (PPR Scoring)
An unlikely hero emerged in one of the dumpster fires of last season. After three weeks of Zack Moss, an unauspicious sophomore took over the Cincinnati Bengals backfield. Sure hands made him invaluable to QB Joe Burrow, and he built from his debut, never relinquishing the starting spot and averaging 16.7 fpts in weeks 4 through 16. The hope is that the Bengals will bolster their defense, resulting in more favorable game scripts for running the ball and controlling the clock. Joe Burrow played the best football of his career last season, and if Cincy manages the daunting task of retooling the D, Brown may rocket up to Top 5 fantasy RB territory.
FOUR RUNNING BACKS TO FRET ABOUT
Just to put this article out of the Duh – thanks for nothing, “Captain Obvious” territory, let us consider four RBs that I’m finicky about – last year’s RB2 Jahmyr Gibbs, the undisputed speed king, may have had an uptick in usage due to Montgomery being injured, and snap number should decline this season. Also, Ben Johnson left the building, and let’s be frank about it: he is an offensive genius who will be hard to replace.
Jonathan Taylor’s ceiling is the RB1, but the Indianapolis Colts seem not to know what they are doing. As the rumors about Richardson not starting are beginning to heat up, I might very well be wrong about JT, but at this point, I’d rather have another fantasy manager have those headaches. If a more static QB replaces Richardson, we may see JT finally dominate this season.
Kyren Williams had another great season on pure volume, and next to nothing else, with the RB draft class being deep, I’d closely monitor who Les Sneed picks in the third.
De’Von Achane will be a popular pick, but the inconsistency for that price scares me, and McDaniels’ scheme seems to have been read more times than “Catcher in the Rye” by opposing defenses.
FOUR RUNNING BACKS TO FANTASIZE ABOUT
With Ashton Jeanty coming to the pros after a historic college season and numbers so outrageous, it was considered a below-par outing when he had 150 yards in a game. Jeanty averaged 7 yards per carry, taking the rock 374 times, resulting in 2,601 running yards and 29 touchdowns. Many teams in the top 15 picks may view him as a cure-all for the running back position. If he lands on a solid team in the first or second round, we may have an instant miracle on our hands.
Another RB who I hope will surprise us this season and finish as one of the top 15 RBs is Rhamondre Stevenson. The New England Patriots are borrowing a bit from the Lions’ playbook and using some of their vast cash and draft capital to surround Drake May with talent.
At the end of the season, Bryce Young emerged as a new person, and Chubba Hubbard finally showed the quality his college career had predicted. With Carolina emerging from the darkness it had been in for SEASONS, Hubbard should set their next season on fire.
Finally, I hope Baker Mayfield and Tampa Bay overcome the loss of Liam Cohen, even though I expect a regression in Baker’s numbers. Bucky Irving established himself as perhaps the best rookie RB of last season and a staple of Tampa Bay’s offense.