Week 2 Fantasy Football Running Back Rankings: Travis Etienne Enters RB1 Conversation
It’s 2025, and while the league may be more pass-happy than ever, you could still make the case that running backs remain the crown jewels of fantasy football. True workhorses are harder to find than they once were, and the position is almost as thin as tight end. But when you land an elite back, the upside is massive—even in PPR formats. There’s a reason that Bijan Robinson, Saquon Barkley, and Jahmyr Gibbs were all selected in the first round of fantasy drafts this season.
The Top Running Back In Week 2: Christian McCaffrey
In Week 1, Christian McCaffrey sat atop our running back rankings, and after watching his massive workload power the 49ers to a nail-biting win over the Seahawks, he isn’t going anywhere—CMC remains the clear RB1 heading into Week 2. San Francisco now gets a juicy matchup against a Saints team that might just be the NFL’s weakest link. Kyle Shanahan has zero hesitation feeding his superstar in both the run and pass game, and when the Niners inevitably build a lead, you can bet the offense will lean on McCaffrey to bleed the clock.
Even without a touchdown in Week 1, CMC still racked up 142 total yards on 22 carries and a whopping nine receptions on 10 targets, reminding us just how unstoppable he is. James Conner managed to score on New Orleans last week despite middling efficiency—so imagine what McCaffrey can do. Pencil him in for a touchdown (or two) and another week as fantasy’s undisputed RB1.
King Henry Remains A Top-3 Running Back In Week 2
Bijan Robinson slots in as our RB2 this week, while Derrick Henry rounds out the top three with a mouthwatering Week 2 matchup against the Cleveland Browns. Cleveland’s defense did a solid job stifling Joe Burrow in Week 1, but Chase Brown managed to break through and find the end zone. With Baltimore entering as heavy favorites (-10.5), game script sets up perfectly for King Henry to rack up carries, especially in the second half once the Ravens are nursing a lead.
Henry reminded everyone why he’s still a fantasy cheat code in Week 1, exploding for 169 rushing yards and two touchdowns to finish as the RB1 overall (29.6 PPR points)—though his costly fumble cracked the door open for Josh Allen’s epic comeback on Sunday Night Football. While Henry’s lack of heavy receiving work dings him a bit in PPR formats, his home-run ability and sheer workload keep him locked into elite RB1 territory. Expect Henry to run wild in Week 2.
Kyren Williams Cracks The Top 10
Kyren Williams remains locked in as a true workhorse, contributing both on the ground and through the air. In Week 1, Blake Corum only siphoned off two touches, leaving Williams poised for another big outing in Week 2 against the Tennessee Titans. If the Rams grab an early lead as expected, game script should tilt heavily in Williams’ favor, setting him up for a hefty workload.
Last week against Houston, Williams punched in a touchdown and wrapped up the week as the RB18 with 13.9 PPR points. While his efficiency (3.7 YPC) leaves a lot to be desired, the volume was—18 carries and two targets is exactly what fantasy managers want to see. As long as the Rams’ offense keeps moving the chains behind Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, Williams has every chance to cash in again and find the end zone in Week 2.
Kyren Williams is BACK 👀
— NFL+ (@NFLPlus) September 7, 2025
He led the NFL with 70.2 pct of team carries, 73.6 pct of team rush yards and 93.3 pct of team rush TD in 2024
Watch live local games on #NFLPlus
Blackout restrictions may applypic.twitter.com/Ar8jdB6RIQ
Travis Etienne Enters RB1 Conversation
Travis Etienne reminded fantasy managers just how dangerous he can be in Week 1, racking up 156 total yards on 19 touches, including a career-long 71-yard burst. After a frustrating 2024 season, Etienne looks poised for a full-on bounceback under new head coach Liam Coen, who has a proven track record of maximizing running backs in the passing game. With added receiving upside, contract-year motivation, and the Jaguars clearly leaning on his explosiveness, Etienne has the profile of a locked-in RB1 for Week 2 and beyond.
Let’s take a look at where the rest of the running backs around the NFL stack up heading into Week 2.
Week 2 Fantasy Football Running Back Rankings
More Week 2 Fantasy Football Rankings:
More Fantasy Sports On SI News:
-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.
Follow MattFantasyFF