Week 15 Updated Running Back Rankings: Devin Neal Rises, Kyren Williams Falls

Get ready for the fantasy playoffs with our updated Week 15 running back rankings, highlighted by Devin Neal’s rise and Kyren Williams’ untimely slide.

New Orleans Saints running back Devin Neal (24) looks on after the game against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

It’s Week 15 and the fantasy football postseason is about to kick off! If you are reading this, you are likely competing for your league’s first-place prize. The next three weeks will determine the champion in your league so every single lineup decision is magnified. 

In 2025, the NFL has evolved into an incredibly pass-heavy league, yet running backs remain some of the most valuable assets in the world of fantasy football. The only player who has more points than Josh Allen this season is a running back: Christian McCaffrey. In PPR formats, pass-catching backs often are the superstars we ride into the postseason. CMC, Jonathan Taylor, and Jahmyr Gibbs all have more points than this year’s WR1, Jaxon Smith-Ngigba. Plus, De’Von Achane and Bijan Robinson have more points than QB2 Drake Maye and WR2 Puka Nacua. Clearly, 2025 is still the year of the running back. 

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Week 14 delivered a ton of shocking performances that changed the landscape of your league’s playoff race. While it was no surprise to see Jahmyr Gibbs march to a week-high 37.0 fantasy points, nobody was expecting Tony Pollard, Blake Corum, RJ Harvey, and Travis Etienne to round out the top five. We also witnessed two more waiver wire gems – Jaylen Wright and Kenneth Gainwell – finish as RB1s in 12-team leagues. And we saw Saquon Barkley’s first touchdown and 100-yard performance since his Week 8 revenge contest against the New York Giants.

The fantasy football regular season showed us that it’s not just about stars. More often that not, it’s the decision at the RB2 spot that can make or break your week. If you started David Montgomery over Kareem Hunt, you were rewarded with five extra fantasy points, which could have been the difference in your Week 14 matchup. On the flip side, fantasy managers who trusted Ashton Jeanty over RJ Harvey saw just under 17 points evaporate in front of their eyes. Last week’s chaos is a good reminder that while fantasy managers always want to ride their studs, the difference between winning and losing often comes from unexpected bench heroes ready to explode any given Sunday. 

In Week 15, all NFL teams will be in action. Bye weeks are now a thing of the past. With the fantasy postseason primed to kick off on Thursday as the Atlanta Falcons take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, let’s take a look at the best and worst running backs of the week.

Devin Neal Rises In Alvin Kamara’s Absence

With Alvin Kamara injured, Neal continued to serve as New Orleans’ workhorse, turning 19 carries into 70 yards and a touchdown during the Saints’ surprising Week 14 upset over the Buccaneers. He even chipped in a 14-yard reception on his lone target, wrapping the day as the RB15 with 15.4 PPR points. Neal has now hit double digits in two of his last three outings—and even his “down game” was a near-miss at 9.9 points.

Now he gets the Carolina Panthers, a defense giving up the eighth-most fantasy points to running backs this season. The last time we saw this Panthers defense, the tandem of Kyren Williams and Blake Corum ran wild, combining for 153 yards on 20 carries and punching in two scores.

Neal isn’t suddenly morphing into an RB1, but he’s trending upward, he’s locked into volume, and he draws a highly beatable matchup at home in a game where New Orleans is only a 2.5-point underdog. If Kamara remains out, Neal is a strong start in every league except the shallowest formats.

Kyren Williams Can’t Be Trusted After Blake Corum’s Breakout

Los Angeles Rams running back Kyren Williams (23) warms up before the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Williams has been a steady fantasy contributor all season, but as we head into the playoffs—especially Week 15—he’s a player you may want to think twice about. Over the last couple of weeks, Blake Corum has outshined the veteran. In Week 13, Corum ripped off 81 yards and a touchdown on just seven carries (an absurd 11.1 yards per carry), while Williams posted a respectable 72 yards and a score on 13 attempts. The trend continued in Week 14, when Corum erupted for 128 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries, leaving Williams’ 84 yards and a touchdown looking modest by comparison.

Williams is still productive—no one’s disputing that—but the context is shifting. Sean McVay has already said he wants to manage Williams’ workload to keep him fresh for a potential Super Bowl run, and the usage splits back that up. This is officially a committee, and even though Williams technically leads it, he’s not a uniquely explosive runner. Much of his fantasy value hinges on red-zone opportunities within a high-powered Rams offense.

And that’s where Week 15 gets messy. The Rams travel to Detroit to face the Lions, who have been a nightmare matchup for running backs. No team gives up fewer fantasy points to the position—just 16.6 per game. If you roster Williams, this is not the matchup you were hoping for during the fantasy postseason.

Given the opponent, Los Angeles is likely to lean on Matthew Stafford and the passing game to keep pace. Williams isn’t a major receiving threat, which only adds to the concern. He’s still playable—most managers won’t have the luxury of benching him—but expectations absolutely need to be tempered. Between Corum’s surge and Detroit’s elite run defense, Williams is more floor play than ceiling swing in Week 15. He's just inside the top 20 this week.

Omarion Hampton Cracks RB2 Territory

Hampton made his return from a broken ankle under the bright lights of Monday Night Football, and the Chargers understandably eased him back into the mix. He split work almost evenly with Kimani Vidal — 13 carries to 14 — but that balance isn’t here to stay. Even in a limited role, Hampton outperformed Vidal, turning his touches into 56 yards at 4.3 yards per carry, while Vidal managed 44 yards at just 3.1 per attempt. The rookie also caught his only two targets for 11 yards and a trip to the end zone, finishing with 14.7 fantasy points. In six games this year, he’s now averaging 15.3 fantasy points per game.

The matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs isn’t easy as they have allowed the sixth-fewest fantasy points to running backs this season. But Hampton is trending toward a bigger workload in Week 15.

Coming off an emotional win over the Eagles, the Chargers have momentum — but if they plan on knocking off their division rivals at Arrowhead, they can’t lean on Justin Herbert to do everything. Herbert leading the team in rushing yards simply isn’t sustainable. Expect the offensive line to be challenged all week in practice and Hampton to be the primary beneficiary. Vidal will still mix in, but Hampton’s talent edge should push him past 20 touches as long as the game stays competitive.

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Let’s take a look at where the rest of the league’s running backs stack up in our Week 15 rankings.

Week 15 Fantasy Football Running Back Rankings