Week 11 Fantasy Football Running Back Rankings: Jaylen Warren, Rico Dowdle Rise

With stars like Jonathan Taylor, Christian McCaffrey, and Bijan Robinson continuing to dominate, new risers like Rico Dowdle and Jaylen Warren are shaking up the RB rankings ahead of Week 11.

Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle (5) runs with the ball during the second half against the Dallas Cowboys at Bank of America Stadium. | Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

In 2025, the NFL keeps trending toward a pass-first identity, but running backs still sit atop the fantasy football throne. Elite workhorses like Christian McCaffrey, Bijan Robinson, and Jonathan Taylor remain true difference-makers — racking up catches, yards, and touchdowns while making defenders look foolish along the way. JT is in the MVP conversation after accumulating a ridiculous 1,139 rushing yards, 260 receiving yards, and 17 touchdowns through 10 games.  He’s the only player in the league, including quarterbacks, who is averaging more than 25 fantasy points per game (27.4).

In Week 10, we witnessed five running backs soar past 20 fantasy points. Taylor ran wild against the Atlanta Falcons, finishing with a season-high 49.6 fantasy points. De’Von Achane (40.5), Jahmyr Gibbs (38.2), TreVeyon Henderson (28.0), and Kyren Williams (22.4) rounded out the top five.

Heading into Week 11, only two teams are on a bye, but that includes Taylor’s Indianapolis Colts, as well as the New Orleans Saints. Fantasy managers will need to navigate the waiver wire and trade block cleverly if they want to find solid replacements for JT and Alvin Kamara at the running back position.

Plus, if you own an injured running back like Bucky Irving or Omarion Hampton, the waiver wire will be even more pivotal to your Week 11 success. If you’re lucky, perhaps you can still get Tyler Allgeier or Arizona’s Emari Demercado. If you’re in a very deep league, D’Ernest Johnson could be a sneaky add given the injuries that New England has sustained in their backfield. 

But before we get to this week’s running back rankings, let’s explore the top running backs this season thus far. 

The Best Running Backs In 2025 Fantasy Football

After 10 weeks of the season, here are the top 12 running backs in PPR formats:

1. Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts
2. Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers
3. De’Von Achane, Miami Dolphins
4. Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions
5. Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons
6. Josh Jacobs, Green Bay Packers
7. James Cook, Buffalo Bills
8. Javonte Williams, Dallas Cowboys
9. Kyren Williams, Los Angeles Rams
10. Rico Dowdle, Carolina Panthers
11. Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles
12. Ashton Jeanty, Las Vegas Raiders

With Week 11 kicking off Thursday night as the New England Patriots attempt to stay on top of the AFC East as they face the 2-7 New York Jets, let’s take a look at where all the running backs in the league stack up in our rankings. 

Rico Dowdle Season Continues

Chuba Hubbard is a solid talent, but it’s become increasingly clear that the Panthers’ offense hits a different gear when it runs through Rico Dowdle. After erupting for 389 rushing yards, 84 receiving yards, and two touchdowns over a two-game stretch earlier this season, Dowdle cooled off for a bit, averaging just 8.0 fantasy points across the next two games. Since reclaiming the starting gig in Week 9, though, he’s been on fire—averaging more than 20 fantasy points per game and firmly pushing Hubbard into a backup role.

Now, Dowdle draws a juicy Week 11 matchup against an Atlanta Falcons defense that’s giving up the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing running backs. When these two teams met back in Week 3, Dowdle still managed to find the end zone, and Atlanta’s run defense has only gotten worse. Just last week, they were steamrolled by Jonathan Taylor for 244 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 32 carries.

In that first meeting, Hubbard and Dowdle combined for over 100 total yards—but this time, Dowdle is the clear focal point of the Panthers’ attack. With Bryce Young still searching for rhythm through the air, expect Carolina to lean heavily on their workhorse. Dowdle should be in for another monster workload—and fantasy managers should be licking their chops.

Rachaad White Tumbles Down The Rankings

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Rachaad White (1) runs with the ball against the New York Jets in the first quarter at Raymond James Stadium. | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

There’s a bit of a shake-up brewing in Tampa Bay’s backfield. Sean Tucker is starting to carve out a bigger piece of the early-down workload, while Rachaad White is gradually being nudged into more of a passing-down specialist role. In Week 10, Tucker made the most of his opportunities — nine carries for 53 yards — while White turned his 10 attempts into just 38 yards. 

White still contributed through the air with five targets for 16 yards, but the trend is hard to ignore. If Tucker continues to earn more touches on the ground, White’s fantasy value could take a serious hit. Without steady rushing volume, he shifts from a reliable starter to a risky, touchdown-dependent option.

Jaylen Warren Poised For Top-10 Production

Warren and the Steelers get a favorable matchup in Week 11 against a Cincinnati Bengals defense that has surrendered the most fantasy points per game to opposing running backs (33.2). Warren produced a season-high 19.8 fantasy points against the Bengals back in Week 7. It was the only time all year that eclipsed the century mark, finishing with 127 rushing yards on 16 carries while chipping in with four receptions for an additional 31 yards through the air. 

Warren has been the picture of consistency in Pittsburgh’s backfield this season, quietly churning out production week after week. He’s logged double-digit fantasy points in six of eight games in 2025, currently sitting as the RB20 in PPR formats while averaging a strong 13.7 points per game. While Kenneth Gainwell continues to mix in for a few touches here and there, make no mistake—Warren is the heartbeat of this Steelers offense. The last time Cincinnati took the field, rookie Kyle Monangai absolutely dismantled their defense for 176 rushing yards. If that’s any indication, Warren is set up for another big day. Don’t be surprised if he crosses the 100-yard mark and punches in a score in Week 11.

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Let’s take a look at where the rest of the NFL’s running backs stack up in our Week 11 rankings.

Week 11 Fantasy Football Running Back Rankings