Week 12 Running Back Projections & Rankings: Jahmyr Gibbs Leads the Way

Week 12 fantasy football running back projections are here, and with Jahmyr Gibbs leading the charge after another electric performance, it’s time to break down which RBs are poised for monster outings—and who could bust when it matters most.

Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (0) looks on during warmup ahead of the Philadelphia Eagles game at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Sunday, November 16, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The running back position delivered five impact games in Week 11, with four other players scoring over 20.00 fantasy points in PPR formats. Christian McCaffrey led the way in fantasy points (35.10), highlighted by scoring three touchdowns.

• Sean Tucker (34.00)
• TreVeyon Henderson (32.30)
• Bijan Robinson (30.30)
• Kenneth Gainwell (29.50)
• De’Von Achane (21.50)
• James Cook (20.40)
• Derrick Henry (20.20)
• Kenneth Walker (20.10)

Best Fantasy Football Running Backs in 2025

Here are the top 12 running backs ranked by scoring average in PPR leagues after 11 weeks:

• Jonathan Taylor (27.39)
• Christian McCaffrey (25.81)
• De’Von Achane (21.36)
• Bijan Robinson (21.09)
• Jahmyr Gibbs (20.36)
• James Cook (18.38)
• Josh Jacobs (18.15)
• Javonte Williams (16.82)
• Kyren Williams (16.82)
• Saquon Barkley (15.11)
• Rico Dowdle (14.75)
• Travis Etienne (14.29)

Week 11 Fantasy Football Running Back Bust

Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs (8) runs the ball against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the fourth quarter against at Acrisure Stadium. | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Josh Jacobs, Green Bay Packers

In Week 11, Jacobs was the top-tier rated running back, thanks to his favorable matchup against the Giants. Unfortunately, he left the game after 12 plays (22%) with a knee issue, leading to a bust fantasy day (7/40 – 4.00 fantasy points).

Runner Up: With the Jaguars controlling the clock (37:55) in Week 11, Kimani Vidal only had seven touches, leading to 12 combined yards with two catches. The Chargers had him on the field for 52% of their plays, with Trayveon Williams earning RB2 snaps (38%).

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Each week, I’ll release my depth charts and projections on Wednesday, with a neutral eye informed by hints from previous results or in-season injuries. These statistics represent baseline outlooks, with their potential already factored in. Touchdowns create impact scores and winning fantasy days, especially in non-PPR formats. Who scores them each week is the Holy Grail that the fantasy market searches for weekly.

My projections will be ranked, and they won’t resemble the weekly consensus in any way. My man, Matt Brandon, is in charge of finding a balance between my player outlooks and the public view of each week's rankings.

Week 12 Fantasy Football Running Back Projections Preview

Here’s a look at our opening Week 12 top 12 running back projections:

Shawn Childs

Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions

Three times over the past four weeks, Gibbs gained over 100 combined yards in a game. The Lions have done a much better job getting him in space over this span, leading to two long scoring runs (78 and 43 yards) and more distance on six catches (42, 33, 30, 28, 24, and 17 yards). His two impact showings came in Week 7 (36.80) and Week 11 (38.20).

The Giants have the second-worst defense (303.40 fantasy points) vs. running backs. They allow 5.8 yards per carry to backs with 14 touchdowns.

• Javonte Williams (130 combined yards with a touchdown and six catches)
• Omarion Hampton (165 combined yards with a touchdown and five catches)
• Saquon Barkley (174 combined yards with two touchdowns and four catches)
• Christian McCaffrey (173 combined yards with two touchdowns and five catches)

Gibbs is the top projected running back in Week 12, but David Montgomery could be more active if Detroit opens up a big early lead.

Week 12 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Running Back

Green Bay Packers running back Emanuel Wilson (23) during the game against the Detroit Lions at Lambeau Field. | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Emanuel Wilson, Green Bay Packers

If Josh Jacobs can’t go on Sunday, Wilson is poised to see impact touches against the Vikings. Over his last seven games with limited touches (57), he gained 260 combined yards with one touchdown and 11 catches. Wilson had never scored over 16.50 fantasy points (PPR) in a game or had more than 15 touches in a game.

Running backs average 30.7 touches per game against the Vikings, but they gain only 4.0 yards per rush and 5.9 yards per catch with seven touchdowns. Minnesota ranks 13th in running back defense (207.50 fantasy points).

• Bijan Robinson (168 combined yards with three catches)
• Kenneth Gainwell (134 combined yards with two touchdowns and six catches)
• Quinshon Judkins (23/110 with one catch for 18 yards)
• Kimina Vidal (23/117/1 with one catch for 10 yards)
• Derrick Henry (20/75 with three catches for nine yards)
• D’Andre Swift (21/90)

Wilson should have a reasonable start window if the Packers don’t rush Jacobs back this week. More news is needed, but he does have a chance at touching the ball close to 20 times vs. the Vikings in Week 12.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW OUR FULL WEEK 12 FANTASY FOOTBALL RUNNING BACK PROJECTIONS!

Here are the late Week 12 projection update notes:

Bucky Irving, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Irving will miss his seventh game with a lingering foot issue. The Buccaneers hinted that he would play in Week 13.

Trey Benson, Arizona Cardinals

After practicing in some fashion this week, the Cardinals pushed Benson’s return another week. He will assume their RB1 role once Arizona clears him to play.

Justice Hill, Baltimore Ravens

Hill has been cleared to play this week. I upgraded his projections at the expense of Keaton Mitchell.

Josh Jacobs, Green Bay Packers

I sense that Jacobs will play in some fashion on Sunday after turning in a couple of limited snaps. I upgraded him to a 60% role on early downs for now, thus making Emanuel Wilson only a rotational flex option in PPR format if Jacob does suit up.

Bhayshul Tuten, Jacksonville Jaguars

On Tuesday, I left Tuten unprojected due to an ankle issue. He has been removed from the injury report, prompting me to revamp the Jaguars’ running back outlook for Week 12.

Rhamondre Stevenson, New England Patriots

After turning in a full practice on Friday, Stevenson will play against the Bengals. His presence steals some of the momentum away from the rising TreVeyon Henderson. I expect him to play earlier in the week.

Jaylen Warren, Pittsburgh Steelers

Warren has been cleared to play on Sunday, pushing Kenneth Gainwell back into an RB2 rotational role.