Following the conclusion of the 2024 fantasy season, running backs were the talk of the town. The position, long devalued due to declines in draft stock, a lack of second contracts for veteran players, and an overreliance on passing across the league, experienced a massive resurgence.
Veterans Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry, and Joe Mixon all experienced significant success after signing contracts in free agency and became focal points for their respective teams’ offensive game plans. Barkley finished as the RB2 in 2024, with Henry close behind at RB4. Their success will hopefully dispel the misnomer that running backs over (or approaching) the age of 30 quickly deteriorate and should be replaced with collegiate athletes that have “less tread on the tires”.
Breakout performances weren’t limited to just the veterans, either. Rookies Bucky Irving (the RB13) and Tyrone Tracy (the RB26) were lineup locks, and Isaac Guerendo propelled plenty of fantasy managers to the playoffs with his heroics in late-season spot starts for San Francisco. Sophomores Bijan Robinson, Jahmyr Gibbs, and De’Von Achane all finished as top-5 point scorers at the position. The list goes on.
All told, a whopping 11 running backs finished with more than 250 points in a PPR format last year (you can view the data here)- the highest total since FantasyPros began keeping track over a decade ago. This breakout is here to stay.
This success now begs the question: With so many players performing well across the league, which ones should fantasy managers actively avoid in their upcoming drafts? Which players’ stock has tumbled during the offseason due to a change in the coaching staff, committee situations, or attempting to fend off rookies for snaps in their respective backfields? Here are a few running backs that I’ll be passing on in drafts this season, especially at their current ADP.
Fantasy Football Do Not Draft List: RBs to Avoid
Breece Hall (RB – NYJ)
Hall headlines my list of players at the position that I’ll be routinely passing on, for several reasons. After finishing as the RB2 in 2023, he appeared destined for another top-5 finish last season and was regularly selected within the first round of fantasy drafts. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to replicate the same success as the year prior, experiencing significant declines in rushing yards (just 876 in 16 games) and usage within the passing game. New York appeared unwilling to make Hall a true three-down workhorse, and instead handed over 120 carries to then-rookies Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis. To their credit, Allen and Davis performed well when provided the opportunity, and their rise coincided with the ultimate downfall of Hall. New head coach Aaron Glenn has already been vocal about maintaining a multiple-back system in 2025, so it’s not easy to envision a scenario where Hall sees a dramatic uptick in total touches. Additionally, the team brought in scrambler Justin Fields under center as their new starting quarterback, and his presence will further sap away rushing attempts from Hall. New York’s lack of receiving threats outside of wide receiver Garrett Wilson will allow opposing defenses to continue stuffing the box in an effort to stymie Hall. He’s currently ranked as our RB13 according to ECR, and I’m unwilling to invest that sort of draft capital on a player with so many hurdles to overcome.
Tyrone Tracy (RB – NYG)
New York’s backfield can be best summarized by the children’s tease, “Anything you can do I can do better, I can do anything better than you”. Let me begin by stating that Tracy is a fine player in his own right. He finished with over 1,000 all-purpose yards for Big Blue in 2024 and demonstrated a knack for being tough-nosed around the goal line. A converted receiver from Purdue, Tracy has a bevy of moves in his bag of tricks to make defenders miss, and is an adept pass-blocker. All that said? There isn’t one singular trait that Tracy has that is superior to Arizona State rookie Cam Skattebo. A 5-11, 215 lb. bruiser that barrels through contact and always fights for additional yardage, Skattebo is a deceptively excellent receiver who also excels in blocking. Skattebo figures to immediately inherit all of the short-yardage and goal-line situations for New York, and it wouldn’t surprise many if he eventually usurps Tracy on the team’s depth chart. Even though Tracy finished as the RB26 last season, he dealt with fumbling issues, coughing up the ball five times (and he didn’t even see expanded action until Week 5!). New York appears to be headed in the right direction as an organization, but their 2025 schedule is the toughest in the NFL, and they will often be forced into pass-first game scripts early and often. There are too many red flags with Tracy to be overly optimistic.
When the Broncos selected Harvey with the 28th pick in the second round, I was ecstatic. Denver had a clear need for explosiveness at the position after forty-one players had more rushing yards than their leader from last year, Javonte Williams. Even though he is diminutive in stature at just 5’8, Harvey has a thick 205 lb. frame capable of absorbing contact, if (and only if) defenders actually catch him. Capable of reaching his top gear in short order, Harvey has legitimate 4.4 speed and can line up as a receiver all over the field. So why is his name on this list? Uncertainty with total touch count due to competition around him. Denver made the curious decision to ink veteran J.K. Dobbins to a one-year deal in early June, a move that doused my burning love for Harvey. Dobbins enjoyed a bounce-back season with Los Angeles last year, totaling over 1,050 all-purpose yards and nine touchdowns on 227 touches. Already a proven commodity around the goal line, Dobbins’ presence greatly caps the upside Harvey once had. Keep in mind that I haven’t even brought up Audric Estime or Jaleel McLaughlin who are both options who figure to cycle in with this rotation. Could talent ultimately win out and Harvey still finish with the lion’s share of carries? We suppose so, but trusting head coach Sean Payton to do the right thing in this situation is a fool’s errand.
Jaylen Warren (RB – PIT)
Fantasy managers who were clamoring for Warren to secure the RB1 job in Pittsburgh finally enjoyed a fleeting moment of happiness, following the team’s decision to allow Najee Harris to walk in free agency. Sadly, that elation was short-lived after the Steelers drafted the dynamic Kaleb Johnson from the University of Iowa. Although Johnson is almost a carbon copy of Harris in terms of physical appearance, he is a superior talent in all other aspects and phases. Fresh off an outstanding junior collegiate campaign where he surpassed 1,725 scrimmage yards and 23 total touchdowns, Johnson is a powerful downhill runner who will excel with outside-zone schemes, capable of lowering his shoulder to blast through defenders. He doesn’t have the same top-gear as Warren and is an inferior receiving threat, but his overall skillset will ensure that he sees the bulk of early-down and goal line work, plus he won’t need to be removed for pass-blocking duties. Warren is mainly in the same position that he’s been in for several seasons – a complementary piece on a run-first team that will have the occasional decent game. He remains more of a weekly FLEX option in PPR formats than a RB3 selection. Unless Johnson struggles for an extended stretch, expect Warren to be on the wrong side of this timeshare.
