I wrote tiers for the first time last season, and it was a fun exercise. I hope you enjoyed reading them, and I’m giving it another try this year. So here we go.
These are my running back tiers prior to the start of training camp. These tiers can — and likely will — change prior to the end of August. But this is how I would draft these running backs in the middle of July.
And for context, this is based on PPR, as well as one point for every 10 yards rushing and receiving. Hopefully, these tiers can help with any draft decisions you have to make this year.
Tier 1
Bijan Robinson
Jahmyr Gibbs
Saquon Barkley
Christian McCaffrey
You can make the argument that these four running backs are all deserving to be drafted No. 1 overall. They’re all elite when healthy, and I would draft them in the first seven overall picks in PPR.
Robinson is my No. 1 running back this year and No. 2 overall player behind only Ja’Marr Chase. Robinson closed 2024 on a tear when he averaged 22.5 PPR points per game in his final eight outings, which was better than what Barkley (22.2) and Gibbs (21.4) did last season, and a big reason for Robinson’s strong ending was his workload. Robinson, who averaged 20.1 PPR points per game for the season, averaged 17.2 total touches per game in his first six outings last year. But over his final 11 games, Robinson averaged 23.9 total touches per game, and hopefully that’s the norm in 2025.
Gibbs has the disadvantage of sharing touches with David Montgomery, but Gibbs also has the most upside of maybe any player in the NFL. He showed that to close last season when he scored at least 25.4 PPR points in each of his final four games — three without an injured Montgomery — and Gibbs finished 2024 with nearly 2,000 total yards and 20 total touchdowns.
Barkley makes me the most nervous of any player in the first round this year, even though he was a monster last season. While he rushed for 2,005 yards and 13 touchdowns and had 33 catches for 278 yards and two touchdowns on 43 targets in the regular season, he finished the entirety of the year with 436 carries and 482 total touches with the playoffs, which is a concern.
Along with that, the history of 2,000-yard rushers the following season isn’t ideal. Of the eight who have previously accomplished this feat in NFL history, all of them declined in production by at least 562 rushing yards, with six of them dropping 871 rushing yards or more. I still consider Barkley a first-round pick, but I wouldn’t draft him ahead of Robinson or Gibbs.
You have to be nervous about McCaffrey after he played only four games last season due to injury, but all reports this offseason about his health have been positive. He’s 29 now, but he still has as much upside as any player in the NFL. In 2023, he averaged 24.5 PPR points per game, and he could get back to that level if he stays healthy. I’m willing to take the risk for the reward as early as No. 7 overall.
Tier 2
De’Von Achane
Ashton Jeanty
Derrick Henry
For the season in 2024, Achane averaged 17.6 PPR points per game, but in 11 games with Tua Tagovailoa, Achane averaged 22.6 PPR points, which is elite. The hope is Tagovailoa stays healthy all season, and Achane can play at that level with his starting quarterback for 17 games. He’s worth drafting toward the end of Round 1 in all formats.
Jeanty is also worth drafting in Round 1, and there are lofty expectations for the Raiders rookie. In three seasons at Boise State, he rushed for 4,769 yards and 50 touchdowns to go with 80 catches for 862 yards and six touchdowns on 100 targets. In 2024, he ran for 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns on 374 carries, and he should do well playing for Pete Carroll and Chip Kelly.
I’m tired of betting against Henry. He’s 31, but Henry continues to give Father Time a stiff arm, which will hopefully continue this year. In his first season in Baltimore, Henry averaged 19.8 PPR points per game, including a career-best 5.9 yards per carry. He’s worth drafting early in Round 2, even in PPR.
Tier 3
Josh Jacobs
Jonathan Taylor
Chase Brown
Bucky Irving
These running backs should all be drafted in Round 2, and we have two proven guys in Jacobs and Taylor, with two players who some fear could be one-hit wonders. I’m excited about all of these running backs.
Jacobs was a star in his first season with Green Bay, scoring a career-high 16 total touchdowns (15 rushing), and he had more than 1,600 total yards. It’s the second time in three seasons when he had at least 1,600 total yards and 12 touchdowns, and he should continue to dominate touches for the Packers again.
In 2024, Taylor had a career-low 18 receptions for 136 yards and one touchdown on 31 targets. But he was dominant on the ground with 1,431 yards and 11 touchdowns on 303 carries, and he closed the season on an impressive run with three games in a row with at least 25 PPR points, while averaging 30.8 PPR points per game over that stretch. We’ll see who starts at quarterback for the Colts between Anthony Richardson or Daniel Jones, but neither quarterback should dramatically alter the Fantasy value for Taylor.
Brown took off last season from Week 9 on when he averaged more than 23 touches a game. Over that span, Brown averaged 20.6 PPR points, and hopefully that carries over to this season. The Bengals added Samaje Perine and rookie Tahj Boyd, and Zack Moss (neck) should be healthy. But it’s hard to envision Brown not being the catalyst of Cincinnati’s backfield, which is why he should be drafted in Round 2.
Last year, Irving took over the Tampa Bay backfield from Rachaad White and was dominant to close the season, scoring at least 16.3 PPR points in seven of his final nine games, including the playoffs. And in his final four outings, Irving had at least 19 total touches in each outing. If that continues, Irving could have top-five upside in his sophomore campaign.
Tier 4
Kyren Williams
James Cook
Kenneth Walker III
Williams and Cook performed like second-round picks last season, but I would only draft them in Round 3. Williams will likely have an Average Draft Position in Round 2, especially since he’s averaged at least 17.0 PPR points per game in two seasons in a row with the Rams.
But the Rams have offensive line concerns coming into training camp (Alaric Jackson is dealing with blood clots), and we might see Los Angeles give work to rookie Jarquez Hunter to get more explosive plays. I like Williams as a low-end No. 1 running back, but I don’t want to reach for him on Draft Day.
The same goes for Cook, who tied for the NFL lead with 16 rushing touchdowns last year. But he was tied for 19th in carries with 207 and only had 32 catches on 38 targets. He benefits from playing in an explosive offense in Buffalo, but I’m concerned if his touchdowns decline, as well as the Bills giving more work to Ray Davis.
Walker isn’t likely to get drafted in Round 3, but I’m excited for his outlook this season. He has to stay healthy since he played a career-low 11 games in 2024 due to injury, including just one outing in the final five outings of the season. But he also averaged a career-best 16.5 PPR points per game, and he scored at least 18.9 PPR points in four of his first five games of the season and at least 13.3 PPR points in nine of the 11 games he appeared in.
Walker also proved he can be a viable pass catcher with 46 receptions for 299 yards and a touchdown on 53 targets. Zach Charbonnet will continue to share work with Walker, but Walker has been the featured back for the Seahawks when healthy. He’s one of my favorite breakout candidates this season.
Tier 5
Breece Hall
Chuba Hubbard
Alvin Kamara
James Conner
Joe Mixon
There will likely be some incredible values in this tier, but there also are several question marks with older players (Conner is 30, Kamara turns 30 in July, and Mixon turns 29 in July). And we could see Hall and Hubbard dealing with competition for touches that didn’t happen in 2024. These are running backs worth drafting in Rounds 4 and 5.
I don’t buy Aaron Glenn’s comments that he wants to use Hall, Braelon Allen, and Isaiah Davis “as much as possible,” but it’s clear Hall could lose some work. And the addition of Justin Fields could mean less receptions and rushing touchdowns for Hall, which is a problem. That said, Hall still has immense upside, and he scored at least 18.3 PPR points in six of his first 11 games in 2024.
Hubbard was one of the best surprises in 2024, and he will look to build off that performance this season. In 2024, Hubbard had minimal competition for touches and finished with 250 carries for 1,195 yards, 10 touchdowns, and 43 catches for 171 yards and a touchdown on 54 targets. It was an amazing year, and he scored at least 17.5 PPR points seven times. We’ll see if he can repeat that level of dominance, but the Panthers added two running backs who could take touches away from Hubbard in Rico Dowdle and Trevor Etienne. Keep an eye on what happens in training camp and if Hubbard is going to have a reduced role, but we still expect Hubbard to be the lead rusher and is worth drafting in Round 4.
Kamara should continue to have a strong role in the passing game, and he has at least 68 receptions in each of the past two seasons and at least 57 catches in all but one year of his career. He also has at least 1,300 total yards in all but one season. The negatives for Kamara are his age, since he turns 30 in July, and the offense in New Orleans could be terrible now that Derek Carr retired. We’ll also see if Devin Neal, Kendre Miller, or Cam Akers take Kamara off the field at all, although that’s hard to believe. He should be a solid draft pick in Round 4, especially in PPR.
Conner will likely be one of the best values since you can draft him in Round 5. He’s been in Arizona for four seasons, and he has averaged at least 15.4 PPR points in every year. His age and potential injury risk are a concern (he’s missed at least three games and parts of others in two of the past three seasons), but he should continue to dominate touches for the Cardinals as a solid No. 2 running back in all leagues.
Last year, Mixon averaged 17.2 PPR points per game, which was the second-best mark of his career. Houston added Nick Chubb and rookie Woody Marks for depth, but Mixon should still dominate touches for the Texans (he averaged 20.1 touches per game in 2024, which was No. 7 in the NFL). As long as he stays healthy (he missed three games early in 2024 with an ankle injury), then Mixon is a quality No. 2 running back worth drafting in Round 5.
Tier 6
TreVeyon Henderson
D’Andre Swift
David Montgomery
Omarion Hampton
For now, Henderson is my second-favorite rookie running back behind Jeanty, but that could change. Henderson should have an immediate impact in the passing game, and he should prove to be more explosive than Rhamondre Stevenson as the season goes on. At Ohio State in 2024, Henderson had 144 carries for 1,016 yards and 10 touchdowns and 27 catches for 284 yards and a touchdown while sharing playing time with Quinshon Judkins. I plan to draft Henderson as a No. 2 running back as early as Round 6.
Hampton could eventually overtake Henderson, but I’m worried about Najee Harris having too big of a role for the Chargers, especially since Harris never misses time due to injury and rarely fumbles. The hope is Hampton is the lead running back, and Harris is left in a backup role. In his past two seasons at North Carolina, Hampton combined for 534 carries for 3,164 yards and 30 touchdowns, and 67 catches for 595 yards and three touchdowns. For now, I would only draft Hampton in Round 6, but I would consider him in Round 4 if he looks like a featured back in training camp.
Putting Swift in this tier makes me nervous, but for now, Swift is in a great spot as the lead running back for the Bears, especially following the additions this offseason of coach Ben Johnson and offensive line upgrades in Drew Dalman, Joe Thuney, and Jonah Jackson. Swift has been a good Fantasy option in his career — he’s averaged at least 12.5 PPR points in five seasons in a row — but this could be one of his best seasons to date. Johnson was the passing game coordinator in Detroit in 2021, and Swift had 62 catches on 78 targets that season. Johnson took over as offensive coordinator for the Lions in 2022, and Swift averaged 13.7 PPR points that season. Don’t expect Swift to perform like Jahmyr Gibbs, and Swift could potentially lose goal-line work to Roschon Johnson. But this is a tremendous opportunity for Swift, and he’s worth drafting as early as Round 6 in all leagues.
Montgomery remains one of the safer running backs to draft, and Round 6 is a good spot to target him. He missed the final three games of the regular season in 2024 after getting hurt in Week 15, but prior to that, he scored at least 15 PPR points in 10 of his first 13 games, with only one game below 12.6 PPR points. And in 28 career games with Detroit, Montgomery has scored 25 rushing touchdowns.
Tier 7
R.J. Harvey
Quinshon Judkins
Kaleb Johnson
I put these three rookies in this tier because all three can be No. 2 running backs with huge upside, but they also could share touches in crowded backfields. The earliest I would draft this trio is Round 6.
Harvey will hopefully be the lead running back in Denver, but the addition of JK Dobbins is potentially problematic. I still like Harvey the best in this backfield, but we have to see how Sean Payton uses both running backs. In his past two seasons at UCF, Harvey combined for 458 carries for 2,993 yards and 38 touchdowns, and 39 catches for 505 yards and four touchdowns. Harvey ran a 4.40-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, and Payton is excited to use Harvey in the passing game. It could be messy early until we see the Harvey-Dobbins split, but Harvey is worth the risk in Round 6 as a borderline starter in all leagues.
The competition for Judkins could be an issue with Jerome Ford and fellow rookie Dylan Sampson, or Judkins might completely dominate touches. We’ll have to see what happens in training camp, but I like Judkins as a borderline starter in all leagues. The Browns will hopefully use Judkins as a Nick Chubb replacement, and Judkins could have the chance for 300-plus touches. In three seasons at Ole Miss and Ohio State, Judkins had 739 carries for 3,785 yards and 45 touchdowns, and 59 catches for 442 yards and five scores. He could be a steal in Round 6.
Johnson will hopefully be the next star running back for the Steelers, following in the footsteps of Franco Harris, Jerome Bettis, Willie Parker, Rashard Mendenhall, Le’Veon Bell, Conner, and Najee Harris. But the problem could be Jaylen Warren, who will definitely have a role in the passing game, and could cut into Johnson’s carries as well. I’m hopeful Johnson takes on the 263 vacated carries from Najee Harris, and Johnson just had a dominant season at Iowa in 2024 with 240 carries for 1,537 yards and 21 touchdowns, and 22 catches for 188 yards and two touchdowns. He’s worth drafting as early as Round 6 in all formats.
Tier 8
Isiah Pacheo
Tony Pollard
Aaron Jones
There’s a lot to like about the running backs in this tier, but they also have their flaws. The earliest you should look for these guys is Round 7.
Pacheco struggled in his return from last year’s broken leg suffered in Week 2, but Andy Reid said Pacheco should be back to form this season. But the Chiefs added Elijah Mitchell and rookie Brashard Smith, and Kareem Hunt was brought back as a free agent. Pacheco still offers the most upside of this backfield, but he might be part of a committee, which could be frustrating.
Pollard will continue to share touches with Tyjae Spears, and we’ll see if Pollard can play at a high level when Spears is healthy. For the season, Pollard averaged 12.5 PPR points per game, but his numbers popped when Spears was injured. Pollard had seven games last season where he played at least 73 percent of the snaps, and he scored at least 14.7 PPR points in four of those outings. Hopefully, we get a better offense in Tennessee with new quarterback Cam Ward, and then both running backs can perform at a high level. Just be careful not to overvalue Pollard since he’s more of a low-end No. 2 running back/flex when Spears plays.
I’m going to be lower on Jones than most analysts, but I’m concerned about his age (30) and the addition of Jordan Mason. Coach Kevin O’Connell said he wants to give Jones less work this year, and that puts him in flex territory for me. Jones set career highs in touches (306), carries (255), and offensive snaps (700) in his first season with the Vikings and had the most rushing yards (1,138) and second-most yards from scrimmage (1,546) in his career. It was great, but I’m skeptical of him repeating that performance in 2025.
Tier 9
Jaylen Warren
Brian Robinson Jr.
Travis Etienne
Javonte Williams
Rhamondre Stevenson
This is a fascinating tier of running backs because we have some potential starters on their own NFL teams, but also guys who could be phased out. You might be getting some good value on these running backs in Round 8 or later.
Warren could be the best Fantasy running back in Pittsburgh, especially in PPR. He should play more than Johnson in passing situations, and Warren could be close to Johnson in total touches. In 2023, Warren averaged 11.6 PPR points per game, and he makes for a solid flex heading into Week 1.
Robinson will again share touches with Austin Ekeler, and that limits Robinson’s value in PPR. Robinson got off to a good start last season with at least 13.1 PPR points in five of his first six games, but he only reached that total twice from Week 8 on in the regular season. The Commanders did little to enhance their backfield this offseason, so Robinson remains a solid flex option this year.
Etienne is a wild card this season under new coach Liam Coen, and he could be a steal in this range. In 2023, he averaged 16.1 PPR points per game, but he was a huge bust last season when his production fell off at 8.7 PPR points. He’ll continue to share touches with Tank Bigsby and potentially rookie Bhayshul Tuten, which is a problem, but Etienne could also be the leader of this backfield in an improved offense. There’s high reward and little risk to target Etienne in this range.
Heading into training camp, Williams looks like the No. 1 running back in Dallas, and hopefully, a fresh start and great opportunity can help Williams have a career season. But he also could get outplayed by Miles Sanders, Jaydon Blue, or Phil Mafah, and there’s no guarantee Williams will thrive with his new team. His best season was 12.1 PPR points in Denver as a rookie in 2021, and he never got back to that level after suffering a torn ACL in 2022. This is a good spot to take a chance on Williams, and he could prove to be a solid flex in 2025.
Stevenson could lead the Patriots in carries this season, but his role in the passing game should be minimized with the addition of Henderson. And if Henderson gets a significant amount of carries, then Stevenson could get phased out. It would be a surprise if that happened early in the season, but Stevenson did have six fumbles in 2024. He actually had eight games last year with at least 12.3 PPR points, and Henderson wasn’t a workhorse at Ohio State. There’s room for both running backs to play well this season, and Stevenson is worth drafting as a flex this year.
Tier 10
Tyrone Tracy Jr.
Cam Skattebo
Najee Harris
J.K. Dobbins
The Giants running back battle in training camp is worth monitoring, and the winner should be a borderline No. 2 Fantasy option in all leagues. But both guys could be flex options if the division of labor is shared all year.
Last season, Tracy scored at least 14.5 PPR points in three of his final six games, and he should be the starter heading into Week 1. But it wouldn’t be a surprise if Skattebo takes over for the Giants, and he had 1,711 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns on 293 carries with 45 catches for 605 yards and three touchdowns last year at Arizona State. Both Giants running backs should be drafted in Round 9 or later.
Harris and Dobbins should play prominent roles on their respective teams, but both will hopefully be secondary options behind the rookies on their rosters. For Harris, the Chargers spent a first-round pick in the NFL Draft on Hampton, and we want him to lead Los Angeles in touches. That said, Harris will likely get enough touches to be a potential flex option in deeper leagues, and he could be a lottery ticket if Hampton were to ever miss time.
Dobbins could open the season as the starter for the Broncos, and he had a great 2024 with the Chargers when he averaged 14.8 PPR points per game. We’d rather see Harvey be the main running back in Denver, but Dobbins should have a prominent role. Like Harris, Dobbins will likely get enough touches to be a potential flex option in deeper leagues, and he could be a lottery ticket if Harvey were to ever miss time.
Tier 11
Jordan Mason
Rachaad White
Austin Ekeler
Isaac Guerendo
Zach Charbonnet
Tyjae Spears
This might be my favorite tier of running backs, and these are all guys who should be drafted in Round 9 or later. These are the lottery tickets, and all of these running backs could be league winners if they ever get the chance for increased touches.
But most of them are going to play a lot, even in a secondary role. Mason — who had six games with at least 14 carries last season with the 49ers, and he averaged 15.4 PPR points in those outings — is expected to play in tandem with Aaron Jones.
White, even with Irving taking over the Buccaneers backfield, can still be useful. White has at least 50 receptions in three years in a row, and he averaged a career-best 4.3 yards per carry last season and matched his career-high with nine total touchdowns.
Ekeler, 30, was limited to 12 games last season due to injuries, but he should still have a big role in the passing game. He was on pace for 50 catches last season, and he could be a flex in deeper PPR leagues while playing in tandem with Brian Robinson Jr.
Guerendo and Charbonnet will likely need an injury to be a Fantasy starter, but both showed their potential in 2024. Guerendo had five games as a rookie in 2024 with the 49ers with double digits in touches, and he scored at least 11.5 PPR points in four of them. And Charbonnet has seven games in his two-year career with Seattle with at least 15 total touches, and he averages 18.9 PPR points in those outings.
Spears should work in tandem with Pollard, but Spears has to stay healthy after he missed five games last season due to hamstring and concussion injuries. But Spears had five games with double digits in touches, and he scored at least 11.9 PPR points in four of those outings, including two games with at least 21.6 PPR points. Spears also played one game last season without Pollard, and Spears had 20 carries for 95 yards and three catches for 8 yards on four targets in Week 17 against Jacksonville.
Tier 12
Bhayshul Tuten
Jaydon Blue
Trey Benson
Ray Davis
Tank Bigsby
Roschon Johnson
Braelon Allen
Tyler Allgeier
Jaylen Wright
Will Shipley
We’re into the handcuff tier, and most of these running backs are going to sit on your bench until an injury occurs. These are guys that you’re not drafting until the double-digit rounds in all leagues.
The No. 2 battle in Jacksonville is worth monitoring because Tuten or Bigsby could have a prominent role and potentially start this year. Heading into training camp, I give a slight nod to Tuten, but that could easily change.
Blue could play in tandem with Javonte Williams, but Miles Sanders might have the inside track on the No. 2 job in Dallas. That’s something to monitor for the Cowboys in training camp, but Blue might have the most upside of any running back in that backfield.
Johnson or rookie Kyle Monangai could have a big role in Chicago in tandem with Swift, and that’s something to monitor in training camp. We know Ben Johnson has had plenty of success with multiple running backs, and one of these guys could be extremely valuable.
Benson, Davis, Allen, Allgeier, Wright, and Shipley aren’t expected to play much without an injury, but all of them could be league winners if given the chance to start. For example, Cook missed Buffalo’s Week 6 at the Jets last season, and Davis had 18.2 PPR points with 20 carries for 97 yards and three catches for 55 yards on three targets.
As of now, I expect Wright to be the No. 2 running back in Miami behind Achane, but keep an eye on Alexander Mattison. And in Philadelphia, Shipley should be the backup to Barkley, but A.J. Dillon could end up second on the depth chart coming out of training camp.
Tier 13
Dylan Sampson
Nick Chubb
MarShawn Lloyd
Rico Dowdle
Jerome Ford
Raheem Mostert
We have more handcuffs in this tier, and this group of running backs is a mix of veterans stepping into new roles (Chubb, Dowdle, Ford, and Mostert) and young players who could eventually make an impact. There are lottery tickets here as well, and these are guys worth drafting with late-round fliers.
The No. 2 running back battle in Cleveland is worth monitoring because Sampson or Ford could have a prominent role and potentially work in tandem with Judkins. Heading into training camp, I give a slight nod to Sampson, but that could easily change.
Chubb is 29 and coming off a broken foot in 2024 with Cleveland, one year after he suffered a major knee injury in 2023. We’ll see what he has to offer in Houston as the backup to Mixon, but he’s only worth a late-round flier at this point in his career.
Lloyd missed all but one game in his rookie season in 2024 due to injuries, but he’s healthy entering training camp and the favorite to be the No. 2 running back behind Jacobs. Lloyd isn’t expected to play much when Jacobs is healthy, but Lloyd is a potential lottery ticket being the backup in a prolific offense.
Dowdle was the lead running back in Dallas in 2024, and he closed the season with at least 14.9 PPR points in three of his past five games. But he’s the backup to Hubbard this year in Carolina, and rookie Trevor Etienne could also get touches. Dowdle is a good late-round flier if he’s the No. 2 running back behind Hubbard.
In 2023 with the Dolphins, Mostert led the NFL in touchdowns with 21, and he averaged 17.9 PPR points per game. He struggled with injuries in 2024, and he only averaged 5.5 PPR points. He’s in Las Vegas now as the backup to Jeanty, and Mostert, 33, could be a lottery ticket if Jeanty ever misses any time.
Tier 14
DJ Giddens
Jarquez Hunter
Devin Neal
Blake Corum
Elijah Mitchell
Trevor Etienne
Kendre Miller
Zack Moss
Kareem Hunt
Keaton Mitchell
Justice Hill
Miles Sanders
There’s a lot of ambiguous backup situations in this tier with the Rams, Saints, Chiefs, and Ravens, and these are training camp battles to monitor. We could see some lottery tickets emerge from this group, and right now, I favor Hunter, Neal, Elijah Mitchell, and Keaton Mitchell heading into training camp.
Giddens will hopefully be the No. 2 running back for the Colts, but he’ll compete with Khalil Herbert for that role behind Taylor. Etienne could play on passing downs for the Panthers, even when Hubbard and Dowdle are healthy.
Moss is back with the Bengals after dealing with a neck injury last season, and we’ll see if he can beat out Tahj Brooks and Samaje Perine for the No. 2 job behind Chase Brown. And Sanders could be the No. 2 running back in Dallas, but he’ll compete with Blue and Mafah for that role in training camp.
Tier 15
Kyle Monangai
Jordan James
Tahj Brooks
Woody Marks
Phil Mafah
Audric Estime
Jaleel McLaughlin
Antonio Gibson
Devin Singletary
Alexander Mattison
Samaje Perine
Khalil Herbert
There are several running backs here who could have big roles, but most of them will likely start the season buried on the depth chart. Just keep them in mind as waiver wire options during the year, should an injury occur.
