Fantasy football is a confusing game, as the running backs you draft don’t always earn a high spot in the weekly rankings, and this is especially true in Week 1. While young talents like Omarion Hampton, TreVeyon Henderson, and Jacory Croskey-Merritt all have the potential to be league-winning forces, they’re currently not at the top of their respective depth charts. Should we take this seriously in Week 1, or would it be better to play it safe with a veteran?
Note: The fantasy football running back rankings are for PPR scoring. Slight changes should be made if your league has a different scoring system.
Week 1 Fantasy Football Running Back Rankings
Tier 1: Week-Winning Potential
1. Saquon Barkley
2. Christian McCaffrey
3. Bijan Robinson
4. Jahmyr Gibbs
5. Chase Brown
6. Jonathan Taylor
7. Derrick Henry
Saquon Barkley was the runaway RB1 last year and is returning to essentially the same situation in 2025. Until someone dethrones him, he’s the unquestioned top option in the fantasy football running back rankings. A healthy Christian McCaffrey has been the most unstoppable force in fantasy over the past six or seven years, and he’ll receive a full workload in Week 1.
The Detroit Lions might endure some growing pains without Ben Johnson, but Jahmyr Gibbs should still be an elite fantasy option. Cincinnati didn’t add any notable talent to their running back room, so Chase Brown shall retain his role as a three-down workhorse in one of the game’s best offenses.
Jonathan Taylor dominated on the ground last year, and he should see more targets and scoring opportunities with Daniel Jones replacing Anthony Richardson. Derrick Henry may not do much in the passing game, but he’s unstoppable on the ground and remains a must-start despite his advanced age.
Tier 2: Confident RB1’s
8. Ashton Jeanty
9. Omarion Hampton
10. De’Von Achane (assuming health)
11. Josh Jacobs
12. Bucky Irving
Ashton Jeanty is the only rookie officially atop his depth chart, has top-10 draft capital, and looked like a demigod in college. Nobody should overreact to a few preseason carries.
Omarion Hampton is the first tough decision on this list. While Najee Harris is listed above him on the depth chart, it’s hard to envision a world where head coach Jim Harbaugh features Harris after missing most of the offseason recovering from an eye injury. Hampton may be untested, but he was a great prospect and spent most of the offseason practicing with the first-team offense.
If De’Von Achane is healthy, he’s a top-10 back. He’s expected to play as of this posting, but you might want to stash Ollie Gordon in case that changes as we get closer to game day. Josh Jacobs has one of the safest roles in the league, while Bucky Irving carries more risk but a higher ceiling.
Tier 3: High-End RB2
13. Kyren Williams
14. James Cook
15. Chuba Hubbard
16. Alvin Kamara
17. James Conner
18. Breece Hall
Kyren Williams and James Cook received massive extensions this offseason and will lead their backfields, but they lack the same game-breaking ceilings as their peers. Chuba Hubbard will be Carolina’s lead back for the season and could be a great value if this offense picks up where they left off last year.
The Saints offense will probably be terrible in 2025, but volume alone earns Alvin Kamara an RB2 spot in these fantasy football running back rankings. James Conner returns to Arizona, but offseason reports indicate Trey Benson could earn a larger role. Breece Hall has the talent to be a top-10 back, but literally everyone says the Jets will use a running back by committee.
Tier 4: Solid Starts
19. Isiah Pacheco
20. Kenneth Walker
21. TreVeyon Henderson
22. J.K. Dobbins
23. D’Andre Swift
24. Tyrone Tracy
Isiah Pacheco is healthy again, but the former seventh-round pick wasn’t any better than the aging corpse of Kareem Hunt. Kenneth Walker struggles to stay on the field, and his extended absence could lead to Zach Charbonnet playing a bigger role on offense.
Unlike with the Chargers and Omarion Hampton, TreVeyon Henderson’s spot on the depth chart is probably accurate. While he impressed in the preseason, he played behind Rhamondre Stevenson when healthy and split time with Antonio Gibson in Week 2. Mike Vrabel is an old-school head coach, and Henderson will need his opportunities as the season progresses. This line of thinking also puts J.K. Dobbins ahead of RJ Harvey in the fantasy football running back rankings.
Tier 5: Streams
25. David Montgomery
26. RJ Harvey
27. Rhamondre Stevenson
28. Aaron Jones
29. Jaylen Warren
30. Javonte Williams
31. Austin Ekeler
32. Travis Etienne
33. Jacory Croskey-Merritt
34. Zach Charbonnet
35. Tank Bigsby
36. Nick Chubb
Rhamondre Stevenson will play more snaps than Henderson, but he won’t catch many passes, and the Patriots offense probably won’t score too many points. The recently-extended Jaylen Warren will likely be Pittsburgh’s starter, but he’s better off as a role player.
Javonte Williams is the only running back of note in Dallas, but he has a terrible matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles, and the Cowboys will probably throw the ball throughout the contest. Austin Ekeler earns a higher spot than Jacory Croskey-Merritt in these fantasy football running back rankings, as the veteran is a proven pass-catcher and will likely see more carries than the seventh-round pick.
Travis Etienne and Tank Bigsby both made the Week 1 roster and will probably receive just enough work to make the other worthless in fantasy football. Nick Chubb may have a clear path to touches, but he was a shell of himself last year and is playing behind the NFL’s worst offensive line.
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