2025 Fantasy Football RB1: Bijan Robinson, Saquon Barkley or Jahmyr Gibbs?

Who is the RB1 in Fantasy Football? Bijan Robinson, Saquon Barkley, and Jahmyr Gibbs all make a case, but I am confident in one of them as the certified number one.

Jan 5, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson (7) runs the ball for a touchdown against the Carolina Panthers in the second quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The NFL season is now just weeks away and with the top pick up for grabs, we must decide who is deserving of the title: RB1. Some say that it should be Bijan Robinson while others lay claim for Saquon Barkley and Jahmyr Gibbs. All three guys are prime candidates for the honor, but there can only be one pick. As you weigh your number one overall selection, I will help you make the final decision.

Bijan Robinson

Fantasy owners had high hopes for Bijan Robinson in 2023, but those hopes fell flat. Arthur Smith became highly criticized in his usage of Robinson and that partly lead to his firing after the 2023 season.

Bijan's talent is undeniable and it showed in the first year of Raheem Morris and Zac Robinson. 2024 landed Bijan Robinson as the RB4 in fantasy, and that is just the beginning of what he has to bring.

This new Atlanta staff saw promise in Bijan and quickly knew that he must be leveraged within the offense. His sophomore season saw an increase of 214->304 carries, as well as a touchdown increase of 4->14 and rushing yards of 976->1,456. In total, Bijan Robinson touched the football 365 times — 2nd among NFL players — and there is no reason for a decline.

Bijan has been noted to have been spending extra time with the wide receivers during training camp. He hauled in 61 balls last season and so it would not be irrational to get him even more involved in the passing game. Do not start drooling, but this does very much increase his PPR value if he sees even just 15 more catches this season.

The workload is not to be decreased and considering the talent that Bijan brings, he will be fully capable of earning RB1 status. Look for great upside in a selection of Bijan at RB1.

Saquon Barkley

NFL History — that is what we are working with here. Saquon rushed for a rare 2,000 yard season a year ago, and that was with him sitting out week 18. Despite losing goal line work to Jalen Hurts, Barkley still accomplished RB1 status in fantasy. As this gameplan won a Super Bowl, it will be hard to argue against Barkley in 2025, but perhaps I can do it anyway.

Reports have suggested that Saquon may be having a decreased workload in 2025. Given his success, I find it hard to believe that will happen.

The Eagles now have another big-bodied back in AJ Dillon. They also have Clemson star, Will Shipley in the backfield. At third and short, they may be comfortable giving Barkley a couple plays off while Dillon lays bodies on the floor for a movement of chains.

The Eagles are also working with a new OC as Kellen Moore heads down to New Orleans. This is former pass game coordinator, Kevin Patullo. Given the teams success, and Patullo's experience in the offense, I would expect the offense to remain much of the same.

My consensus on Saquon Barkley: I expect a lot of the same. 2,000 yards are very much back in play given his ability and recent health. 13 touchdowns were a low mark considering his skill. This is a result of the tush push but, another year later, it can only lose its magic. I am not saying that it will begin to fail, but Saquon can only benefit from the aging of the tush push. Look to Saquon Barkley to be your safe pick as RB1.

Jahmyr Gibbs

Jahmyr Gibbs pulled away from David Montgomery in his 2nd season. In 2023, Montgomery finished one spot ahead of Gibbs in the final running back standings. A year later, Gibbs surged ahead, finishing 3rd in PPG while Montgomery finished 11th.

The knock of Gibbs remains that he has not been a red zone threat that some other running backs are. The Lions had 43 touches in the red zone, but only 18 went to Gibbs.

Despite the lack of red zone work, Gibbs did still manage a RB3 finish, and RB2 in PPR. Jahmyr Gibbs was not quite a league-leader in pass-catching work, but he did haul in 63 balls in 17 games which included 4 receiving touchdowns, marking him T-3 for the most among RBs.

In the way of rushing attempts, Gibbs had 250 on the ground, outside the Top-10 in the league. He did go for 5.6 yards per carry, ranking 3rd among RBs (Min. 100 attempts). Gibbs also ran for 16 touchdowns, tied for most in the league. His red zone work may be lower than others, but he does score — a huge testament to this team and their offensive line.

There is a lot to breakdown in regards to Jahmyr Gibbs, but I will simplify it:

Jahmyr Gibbs is on the premier offense in the NFL. They lose Ben Johnson as well as his right-hand man, Taylor Engstrand. They do maintain the talented roster. Behind this offensive line, miracles can be achieved. Gibbs' success has been very impressive and his usage shall remain the same. I can definitely see a dip in touchdowns, but everywhere else may remain the same. My takeaway is that Gibbs is definitely not the RB1. He lacks to the upside and usage. Jahmyr should, however, remain a Top-5 running back. I would pass until at least pick five.

Jahmyr Gibbs is coming off 2️⃣0️⃣ TDs last season.

What should we expect in 2025? The @Lions star RB joined @StaceyDales and @cfrelund after practice! pic.twitter.com/p1fmLreoOj

— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) July 28, 2025

My RB1: Bijan Robinson - Atlanta Falcons

Bijan Robinson finished as a Top 12 RB in 83% of his most recent twelve games played…

Highest RB1 percentage among all RBs.

Others in that span…

2. Gibbs (69%)
3. Jacobs (58%)
4. Barkley (58%)
5. Achane (58%)
6. Irving (50%)
7. Taylor (40%)

Bijan’s elite floor is unmatched. pic.twitter.com/jBKux0BIH9

— Joe Orrico (@JoeOrricoFF) July 31, 2025