MIAMI, Sept. 11 (UPI) -- Saquon Barkley is among my five fantasy football running backs to avoid in lineups in Week 2 of the 2025 NFL season.
I know, I know. This headline might make some spit coffee on computer screens, but hear me out. Barkley likely isn't leaving your starting lineup in most cases, but if you play daily fantasy football, or happen to have a loaded roster and are in a smaller league with several solid running back options, you should consider alternatives.
Read below for my reasoning on -- potentially -- benching the Philadelphia Eagles' star running back. Aaron Jones, Alvin Kamara, Jerome Ford and Austin Ekeler are among my other running backs to avoid for Week 2.
My full Top 50 running back rankings for Week 2 are listed below. Jahmyr Gibbs tops this week's list. Christian McCaffrey, Derrick Henry, James Conner and Kyren Williams join Gibbs in my Top 5. Bijan Robinson, De'Von Achane, Jonathan Taylor, Chase Brown and Bucky Irving are my other Top 10 options.
Read about my four must-start wide receivers and find those Top-50 rankings here. My favorite adds and drops from this week's waiver wire/free agency pool can be found here.
My position rankings will be updated until Week 2 kickoffs. Players will be removed or adjusted from within my rankings based on injuries. Ok, here we go with my five running backs to avoid:
Saquon Barkley
Do you have the gall to slide THE Saquon Barkley to your bench? The Philadelphia Eagles' running back was among the top picks in many fantasy football drafts. He even went with the No. 1 overall pick in some, and deservedly so.
But I would consider my options this week, especially if you are picking a daily fantasy football lineup. But for this article's sake, we will only talk weekly leagues. Barkley falls at No. 16 in my Week 2 rankings, which makes him a borderline RB2. If you roster Barkley and are in a very small league, you likely have other solid options for your starting lineup who might have better matchups.
Barkley started the season with 84 yards from scrimmage on 22 touches in the Eagles' Week 1 win over the Dallas Cowboys. A touchdown enabled Barkley to finish as the seventh-best running back in fantasy football for the opening week, behind only Derrick Henry, Bijan Robinson, Javonte Williams, James Cook, Christian McCaffrey and Travis Etienne.
Without the score, he would've finished outside the Top 25 for the week. Barkley is typically a threat to score on any given play, but he enters the second week of the season set to face the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Chiefs bottled up Barkley on the ground in their last meeting -- Super Bowl LIX -- when he totaled just 57 yards on 25 carries (2.3 yards per tote). He gained 37 of those yards after the Eagles already held a three-possession advantage.
The Chiefs, who allowed the third-fewest rushing yards to running backs last season, allowed just 41 yards to Los Angeles Chargers running backs in Week 1. They also haven't allowed more than 88 rushing yards to an opposing running back over their last 28 games, including the playoffs.
Barkley provided elite value more often than not last season, but did have three performances when he failed to eclipse 66 rushing yards. He also failed to reach the end zone in each of those outings. This could be a similar showing.
The Eagles' star could make up for a slow day on the ground as a pass catcher, but I think he must find the end zone to finish the week with elite fantasy football value.
Alvin Kamara
Benching Kamara is a bit more of a palatable decision than taking Barkley out of your starting lineup, but I have similar reasoning. The New Orleans Saints' veteran was in the RB18 neighborhood in Week 1, when he totaled 67 yards from scrimmage, but found the end zone in a loss to the Arizona Cardinals.
This week, Kamara and the Saints will host the San Francisco 49ers. The 49ers were a favorable matchup for opposing running backs last season, but held Seattle Seahawks running backs Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnett to a combined 67 yards on 22 carries in Week 1.
Charbonnet scored a touchdown to salvage his fantasy football value, but Walker, who was drafted as a Top 20 running back in most leagues, placed outside the Top 40 producers at the position in his first game of 2025.
Kamara should be involved enough as a pass catcher to provide decent value, but start another option if they have a better matchup and game script. The Saints veteran sits at No. 25 in my weekly rankings.
Aaron Jones
Jones is my No. 34 running back for Week 2. The Minnesota Vikings veteran provided RB1 value in Week 1, when he totaled 67 yards and found the end zone, but his lack of efficiency scares me.
Jones totaled just 23 yards on eight carries in the Vikings' Week 1 win over the Chicago Bears, who allowed the second-most rushing yards to running backs last season. Meanwhile, second-string running back Jordan Mason, who joined the Vikings in an off-season trade, ran for 68 yards on 15 carries.
Mason totaled 16 touches, compared to Jones' 11. He also out-snapped the Vikings starter 30-28 and was utilized for the majority of early-down work. Jones can't be trusted as a fantasy football starter, especially this week against an Atlanta Falcons defense that just bottled up Bucky Irving for just 37 yards on 14 carries during a loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They also allowed the 10th-fewest rushing yards to the position last season.
Jones is a fringe flex play.
Austin Ekeler
Ekeler was once a viable RB1 in fantasy football circles, but is once again in a timeshare with the Washington Commanders. The veteran running back is listed as the starter on the Commanders depth chart, but should no longer have that designation on any fantasy team.
Ekeler's 57 yards from scrimmage resulted in low-end RB2 or flex value in Week 1. Meanwhile, fellow Commanders running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt provided low-end RB1 value with 82 rushing yards and a score on 10 carries in Week 1.
Croskey-Merritt is the Commanders running back you want to own stock in. This week, the Commanders also will face the Green Bay Packers, who allowed the eight-fewest rushing yards to running backs last season. The Packers also just suffocated the Detroit Lions' running game, holding Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery to a combined 44 rushing yards on 20 carries.
Don't expect much from either Commanders ball carrier in this matchup. Ekeler is the No. 45 player in my Top 50 running back rankings.
Jerome Ford
Ford isn't in my Top 50 rankings for Week 2. The Cleveland Browns veteran is still listed as the starter on the depth chart, but was out-touched 20-7 by second-string running back Dylan Sampson in Week 1. Ford out-snapped Sampson 41-33 in Week 1, but can no longer be trusted for fantasy football production.
The Browns also are set to face the Baltimore Ravens, who allowed the fewest rushing yards to running backs last season. They also surrendered a total of 103 rushing yards to Browns running backs over two meetings in 2024.
Sampson, my No. 27 play, could still provide value as a runner and pass catcher, but stay away from Ford until further notice.
Week 2 running back rankings
1. Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions vs. CHI
2. Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers at NO
3. Derrick Henry, Baltimore Ravens vs. CLE
4. James Conner, Arizona Cardinals vs. CAR
5. Kyren Williams, Los Angeles Rams at TEN
6. Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons at MIN
7. De'Von Achane, Miami Dolphins vs. NE
8. Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts vs. DEN
9. Chase Brown, Cincinnati Bengals vs. JAX
10. Bucky Irving, Tampa Bay Buccaneers at HOU
11. Josh Jacobs, Green Bay Packers vs. WAS
12. James Cook, Buffalo Bills at NYJ
13. Ashton Jeanty, Las Vegas Raiders vs. LAC
14. Omarion Hampton, Los Angeles Chargers at LV
15. Tyrone Tracy Jr., New York Giants at DAL
16. Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles at KC
17. Breece Hall, New York Jets vs. BUF
18. Chuba Hubbard, Carolina Panthers at ARI
19. Tony Pollard, Tennessee Titans vs. LAR
20. Jaylen Warren, Pittsburgh Steelers vs. SEA
21. Javonte Williams, Dallas Cowboys vs. NYG
22. D'Andre Swift, Chicago Bears at DET
23. TreVeyon Henderson, New England Patriots at MIA
24. Kenneth Walker III, Seattle Seahawks at PIT
25. Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints vs. SF
26. Isiah Pacheco, Kansas City Chiefs vs. PHI
27. Dylan Sampson, Cleveland Browns at BAL
28. Travis Etienne, Jacksonville Jaguars at CIN
29. J.K. Dobbins, Denver Broncos at IND
30. David Montgomery, Detroit Lions vs. CHI
31. Jordan Mason, Minnesota Vikings vs. ATL
32. Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Washington Commanders at GB
33. Nick Chubb, Houston Texans vs. TB
34. Aaron Jones, Minnesota Vikings vs. ATL
35. Zach Charbonnet, Seattle Seahawks at PIT
36. Kareem Hunt, Kansas City Chiefs vs. PHI
37. R.J. Harvey, Denver Broncos at IND
38. Ollie Gordon II, Miami Dolphins vs. NE
39. Rhamondre Stevenson, New England Patriots at MIA
40. Trey Benson, Arizona Cardinals vs. CAR
41. Braelon Allen, New York Jets vs. BUF
42. Rachaad White, Tampa Bay Buccaneers at HOU
43. Brian Robinson Jr., San Francisco 49ers at NO
44. Bhayshul Tuten, Jacksonville Jaguars at CIN
45. Austin Ekeler, Washington Commanders at GB
46. Dameon Pierce, Houston Texans vs. TB
47. Justice Hill, Baltimore Ravens vs. CLE
48. Tank Bigsby, Philadelphia Eagles at KC
49. Ray Davis, Buffalo Bills at NYJ
50. Najee Harris, Los Angeles Chargers at LV
Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones Sr. celebrates his fourth quarter touchdown against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field in Chicago on September 8, 2025. The Vikings defeated the Bears 27-24. Photo by Mark Black/UPI | License Photo