We’re just days from the trade deadline, and almost halfway through the 2025 NFL Season! We have a few newcomers to the list this week, as a few backs have run their way onto the list. There’s been a bit of shakeup in the middle, but we’re still waiting for someone to come shake up the upper echelon of the list.
These rankings are meant to be a snapshot in time, so we’re looking at the first eight weeks of performance as our main criteria (along with some judgment calls that factor in injuries and bye weeks).
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10. Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles (Previous Ranking: N/A)
Oct 19, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) runs the ball during the second half against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
Welcome back to the list, Saquon Barkley. This is the first time Barkley has appeared here in weeks, as he’s been having a disappointing season by his standards. Coming off a huge game against the Giants, he’s now in the top-10 in rushing yards and has added 159 receiving yards to go with six total touchdowns.
9. Breece Hall, New York Jets (Previous Ranking: N/A)
Breece Hall has had a strange year as he’s mired through the Jets 1-7 start, but he’s coming on right before the trade deadline as he plays out his rookie contract. Hall is now sixth in the NFL in rushing yards and has added 178 rushing yards. He could help his cause on this list with a few more touchdowns, but those are tough to come by on a 1-7 team.
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8. Javonte Williams, Dallas Cowboys (Previous Ranking: 7)
Javonte Williams has been one of the best comeback stories in the NFL this season, but we’re going to drop him after a subpar week against the Broncos. Nevertheless, Williams is still fourth in the NFL in rushing yards and has nine touchdowns on the year. We’d like him to do a bit more in the passing game as he only has 93 receiving yards on the year, but he definitely belongs in the top-10 on this list.
7. Josh Jacobs, Green Bay Packers (Previous Ranking: 5)
Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) hands the ball off to running back Josh Jacobs (8) during the first half against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA on October 26, 2025.
This feels a little high for Josh Jacobs, but I’m not sure where else to put him right now. He hasn’t rushed for more than 93 yards in a game all season, but he’s also run for 447 yards and scored nine touchdowns – including seven over his last four games. While Jacobs may not ever be a weekly supernova, he’s one of the most dependable backs in the league.
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6. De’Vone Achane, Miami Dolphins (Previous Ranking: 6)
De’Vone Achane has been hovering around this spot all season, and that’s a great thing considering who starts coming next. The third-year player has rushed for 539 yards and added 235 receiving yards to go along with seven total touchdowns. Achane has been remarkably consistent all year and is one of the better all-around backs in the NFL.
5. James Cook, Buffalo Bills (Previous Ranking: 8)
James Cook could arguably be higher after a monster week with 216 rushing yards and two touchdowns, but we’ll stop the climb at 5 for now. The Buffalo’s win/loss record correlates pretty well with how well Cook is running, so he’s become an increasingly important piece of the Bills’ success. We’ll see if he can maintain his spot after facing a tough Chiefs defense.
4. Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions (Previous Ranking: 4)
Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (0) celebrates a touchdown against Chicago Bears during the first half at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025.
Jahmyr Gibbs had a bye week during Week 8, so we’re going to keep him here for now. Gibbs hasn’t caught the ball this year quite as much as we’re used to seeing, but he’s been rushing more, so we can’t complain too much. He’s on pace for 1,000 rushing yards and already has six rushing touchdowns.
3. Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons (Previous Ranking: 3)
Bijan Robinson only had 25 rushing yards in Week 8, but we won’t drop him for one bad week. Robinson has a chance to surpass both 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards this season, and could push for 10 total touchdowns as he does it. It doesn’t get much better in terms of all-purpose running backs. Except for…
2. Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers (Previous Ranking: 2)
Christian McCaffrey is on pace for over 1,000 rushing yards, around 1,200 rushing yards, and ~13 touchdowns. He’s easily the best all-purpose back in the game, and is likely going to finish in the top-10 in the NFL in receptions. Christian McCaffrey had a lackluster Week 8, but no one did enough to jump him for the second overall spot.
1. Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts (Previous Ranking: 1)
7. Jonathan Taylor
Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor (28) celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the third quarter against the Tennessee Titans at Lucas Oil Stadium. Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images
Another week, another monster game for Jonathan Taylor. Yawn… It’s hard to even think about putting anyone up here while Taylor is consistently putting up 100-yard-plus games with multiple touchdowns. Taylor already has 850 rushing yards and 12 rushing touchdowns, and has built himself a bit of a cushion for the top spot in our rankings.
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