Christian McCaffrey & Bijan Robinson Lead Week 1 Fantasy Football Running Back Rankings
It’s 2025 but one could argue that running backs still reign supreme in fantasy football. There aren’t nearly as many workhorses as there were in previous years and running backs are probably the thinnest position outside of tight ends. However, the top-tier running backs have arguably the most upside (even in PPR formats), led by Bijan Robinson, Saquon Barkley, and Jahmyrr Gibbs.
With Week 1 underway after the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Dallas Cowboys, 24-20, it's time to take a look at our updated Week 1 Running Back Rankings heading into Friday Night Football and the weekend slate. Javonte Williams exceeded expectations with two touchdowns en route to 20+ points. Saquon Barkley, while more than servicebale, didn't quite live up to his high draft ranking. Though he found the end zone, he only managed 18.4 PPR points. Let's take a look at the rest of Week 1's running backs.
Christian McCaffrey Leapfrogs The Top Tier
In just about every fantasy draft this summer, Bijan Robinson, Saquon Barkley, and Jahmyr Gibbs flew off the board as the first three running backs selected. Yet when the dust settles in our Week 1 PPR rankings, it’s Christian McCaffrey who tops the list heading into opening weekend. The 49ers brought in Brian Robinson Jr. to lighten the load, but make no mistake—CMC remains the engine of this offense. With Brandon Aiyuk sidelined, McCaffrey should once again be the centerpiece, gashing defenses between the tackles while racking up receptions in space. He’s set up for a monster debut against the Seahawks.
That being said, while he's our RB1 in PPR formats, Bijan Robinson passes him in Half-PPR and Non-PPR formats.
Ashton Jeanty Cracks The Top 5
Jeanty enters his rookie NFL season ranked as the fifth running back, boasting a three-down skill set that projects for heavy usage. At just $6,400 on FanDuel, he’s severely underpriced, making him an appealing value option In Week 1. The Raiders face a New England Patriots defense that doesn’t inspire much fear, setting up a game where Las Vegas can keep the ground attack in play. Even if the Raiders fall behind, Jeanty’s receiving ability ensures he remains a fantasy-relevant option in any game script.
James Conner A Top-10 Running Back Against The Saints
Conner is set up for a strong Week 1 showing against the New Orleans Saints. While I expect him to find the end zone, his overall yardage ceiling could be capped if Arizona jumps out to an early lead. Trey Benson may be a late-season breakout candidate, but for now, Conner firmly controls this backfield and should see plenty of touches—even in garbage time as the Cardinals look to chew the clock.
Austin Ekeler Is A Fringe RB2 In Week 1
After the Brian Robinson Jr. trade, fantasy managers were salivating over rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt. However, the Commanders’ depth chart clarifies the pecking order: the veteran takes the RB1 role, Chris Rodriguez slots in as RB2, and JCM settles in at RB3. While Washington should handle the New York Giants without issue in Week 1, Ekeler is poised to find the end zone and chip in with a handful of receptions, making him a sneaky fantasy contributor early in the season.
Final Week 1 Running Back Rankings Update (9/7):
- Chase Brown has climbed to RB6 due to a potential shootout against the Cleveland Browns.
- Despite being on one of the worst teams in the league, we expect Alvin Kamara to perform as he always does, catching tons of check-downs en route to an RB13 finish, just outside the RB1 territory.
- TreVeyon Henderson has catapuled to RB21, the third-highest ranking for a rookie RB behind Ashton Jeanty and Omarion Hampton.
- We don't expect RJ Harvey to come running out of the gate. J.K. Dobbins is the RB29 while the rookie comes in as the RB34.
- Kaleb Johnson has dropped to RB45 following a poor preseason and Jaylen Warren's contract extension.
- With Tyjae Spears out, Julius Chestnut moves up a ton, but he's still only the RB69. Tony Pollard will eat most of the carries as a top-20 running back in Week 1.
Week 1 Fantasy Football Running Back Rankings (PPR, Half-PPR, Non-PPR)
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-93d081519425a2ac5afbaba6a5df6de3.jpg "Matt Brandon")
Matt Brandon has worked in the Fantasy Sports / Sports Media industry for over a decade including stints at Scout Media, CBS Sports, Sports Illustrated, DrRoto.com, Fantasy SP, FullTime Fantasy, and more. Brandon produced Top-10 rankings in FantasyPros’ nationwide contest three years in a row. He has taken down a few big DFS tournaments on FanDuel and DraftKings but his bread and butter is season-long fantasy football, fantasy basketball, and sports betting. Brandon bleeds blue for his New York sports teams: the New York Giants, New York Knicks, New York Rangers, and New York Mets.
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