2025 Fantasy Football RB Rankings & Tiers: Draft Targets, Sleepers & Risky Picks

While rankings are very important for determining who to pick in your fantasy drafts, a lot of fantasy owners also prefer to use tiers. Many fantasy options are so close that it makes more sense to group them into tiers because they are interchangeable. It also allows fantasy owners to see how many players are available in the same positional group when drafting to decide who they need to be targeting on any given pick. These are our running back tiers for 2025.

Tier 1

Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons

Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles

Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions

These are your absolute studs. They are three most likely players to finish as the RB1 thanks to both their high floor and massive upside. Robinson and Barkley are the more prototypical workhorse backs, while Gibbs is more of the playmaker who could break fantasy football if he gets the volume he saw last season after Montgomery got injured.

Tier 2

Derrick Henry, Baltimore Ravens

Ashton Jeanty, Las Vegas Raiders

De'Von Achane, Miami Dolphins

Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts

Chase Brown, Cincinnati Bengals

These guys should all finish as fantasy RB1s and all have the upside to finish as the RB1 overall. They are just below Tier 1 guys for one reason or another, whether it be age, size, experience, or concerns with their offense.

Tier 3

Bucky Irving, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Josh Jacobs, Green Bay Packers

Omarion Hampton, Los Angeles Chargers

Kyren Williams, Los Angeles Rams

Everyone in this group has the potential to be an RB1, but we don't view them as likely to finish as a top-five back overall this season. Rookie Omarion Hampton could be the exception if we learn that the eye injury that Najee Harris suffered is more serious than currently expected.

Tier 4

Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers

Chuba Hubbard, Carolina Panthers

Breece Hall, New York Jets

James Cook, Buffalo Bills

James Conner, Arizona Cardinals

Kaleb Johnson, Pittsburgh Steelers

The guy that probably pops out here is CMC. If healthy, he would obviously be much higher. However, he is outside of my top-12 running backs in my rankings and is the RB13. These are all guys I'd feel good about as my RB2, but not so great if they were my RB1. McCaffrey's injury concern pushes him down to this tier for me.

Tier 5

Kenneth Walker III, Seattle Seahawks

Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints

Joe Mixon, Houston Texans

These are three guys who could continue to be valuable fantasy options, but guys who I'm also very concerned about having a steep decline. Walker III, because of his injury concerns and potential for losing volume, Kamara, because of the new coaching staff in New Orleans potentially not wanting to center their game plan for a rebuilding young team's passing attack around an aging running back, and Mixon, because he's getting up there in both age and touches.

Tier 6

David Montgomery, Detroit Lions

Isiah Pacheco, Kansas City Chiefs

D'Andre Swift, Chicago Bears

TreVeyon Henderson, New England Patriots

Quinshon Judkins, Cleveland Browns

All of these backs have concerns that push them down to Tier 6, but also have the upside to be high-end RB2s if things break right for them. Montgomery probably has the least upside in this group, but is also the most consistent. Both rookies have superstar potential while Pacheco and Swift have shown us both their impressive upside and scary floor.

Tier 7

RJ Harvey, Denver Broncos

Aaron Jones Sr, Minnesota Vikings

Tony Pollard, Tennessee Titans

Brian Robinson Jr, Washington Commanders

These are backs who have the upside to be RB2s without needing any kind of injury or change on their offense, but I still wouldn't love having them as my RB2. Harvey was a mid-level prospect who was hurt by the signing of JK Dobbins. Jones Sr is aging and may not be the best back on his team anymore with Mason there. Robinson Jr and Pollard are both fine, but also aren't bringing anything special to the table.

Tier 8

Jordan Mason, Minnesota Vikings

Najee Harris, Los Angeles Chargers

Jaylen Warren, Pittsburgh Steelers

Rhamondre Stevenson, New England Patriots

Jaydon Blue, Dallas Cowboys

Tyrone Tracy Jr, New York Giants

Tier 8 is an eclectic group of guys. Mason could rip the early-down work away from Jones in Minnesota and potentially even lead them in carries. Harris is expected to get a split of the work in Los Angeles, which should be a valuable role in a run-heavy offense. Blue is far from a lock to be the primary back in Dallas, but he is the only back there with any upside. Stevenson and Tracy Jr both have question marks surrounding their roles because of incoming rookies. Warren is the only running back in this group with a defined role, even if it is as a change-of-pace back, we know what we're getting.

Tier 9

JK Dobbins, Denver Broncos

Zach Charbonnet, Seattle Seahawks

Rachaad White, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

These guys are all viewed as backups, but shouldn't be ignored. They all have value in their own right, even when the perceived starter is fully healthy.

Tier 10

Bhaysul Tuten, Jacksonville Jaguars

Travis Etienne, Jacksonville Jaguars

Cam Skattebo, New York Giants

Javonte Williams, Dallas Cowboys

Dylan Sampson, Cleveland Browns

Jerome Ford, Cleveland Browns

Tajae Spears, Tennessee Titans

This is, for all intents and purposes, the last tier of potentially useful fantasy options. The guys you can take fliers on late in your drafts and hope they end up being flex options for you this season.

Tier 11

Isaac Guerendo, San Francisco 49ers

Trey Benson, Arizona Cardinals

Tyler Allgeier, Atlanta Falcons

Ray Davis, Buffalo Bills

MarShawn Lloyd, Green Bay Packers

Keaton Mitchell, Baltimore Ravens

These are the high-end handcuffs. In many cases, you may be drafting these guys ahead of some of the players in higher tiers, but they likely won't have much, if any, value if their team's starter doesn't get injured. However, they could be league-winners if the starter does end up going down.