With Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty expected to be a Top 10 pick in this month’s NFL Draft, let’s take an early look at my Top 12 RBs for the 2025 fantasy football season.
Philadelphia’s Saquon Barkley had a monster 2024, culminating in the Eagles winning the Super Bowl. However, can he return to the top of the fantasy RBs chart?
Well, let’s jump into my first six RBs for fantasy football.
No. 1: Bijan Robinson, Atlanta
I know a lot of people will think not having Barkley as the top pick is a mistake, but I will get into that in his ranking later in this story. However, Robinson has the credentials (and a viable quarterback) to take the top spot in my Top 12 RBs.
Robinson was muddling in the bottom half of the 2024 Top 12 RBs until Michael Penix Jr. took over as the Falcons’ QB1. Robinson had averaged 14.81 fantasy points a game before Penix Jr.’s first start. In Penix Jr.’s three starts, Robinson averaged 24.47 fantasy points a game and 24.7 touches a game. This doesn’t include his targets, where he saw 12.
But the most important item was his TDs he scored. He scored 6 of his 14 rushing TDs (43 percent) in Penix Jr.’s starts. Penix Jr. provided the Falcons more scoring opportunities as Atlanta averaged 32 points in those final three games.
No. 2: Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia
Barkley has a magical season in 2024. He rushed for more than 2,000 yards, racked up 33 receptions for another 278 yards receiving, and finished with 15 total touchdowns.
However, Barkley did surpass the 370-touch magic number in 2024. Since 2019, five RBs have surpassed 370 touches, but only one has returned to the fantasy football Top 12 RBs. Baltimore’s Derrick Henry did the feat in 2023, finishing 8th, after the 370-touch season in 2023 to finish 4th.
History is against Barkley, but with the possibility of the Brotherly Shove (Tush Push) being banned, Saquon could see more goal-line opportunities in the 2025 fantasy football season.
No. 3: De’Von Achane, Miami
Achane became more of a focal point of the Dolphins’ offense when Tua Tagovailoa returned from injury, as Achane saw 59 targets out of the backfield. And this should not change in the 2025 fantasy football season. No longer will Achane share carries with Raheem Mostert, as Mostert signed with the Las Vegas Raiders during free agency.
But one area Achane should see some positive regression is in the TD column. He only rushed for 6 touchdowns last season on 203 carries. Top NFL running backs average a touchdown in 15-20 rush attempts, and Achane was on the low end last season. He was 4-6 TDs short based on his rush attempts alone. He also had 6 receiving TDs last season.
And if Miami trades star WR Tyreek Hill, Achane could become more involved in the Dolphins’ weekly game plans.
No. 4: Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit
It amazes me how much the Lions refused to give Gibbs more touches during the season with a healthy David Montgomery in the backfield. Gibbs production without Montgomery in the lineup is uber elite. Gibbs touched the ball 25.7 times in the final three games of last season.
In those three games, Gibbs crushed as he averaged 28.2 fantasy points a game — that is more than 1.1 points per touch during that span. But the problem is can Gibbs last the whole season as the Lions’ RB1? As long as Montgomery is there in their Sonic and Knuckles roles, Gibbs will struggle to remain in the Top 6 without another massive TD season. Gibbs finished with 20 total TDs in 2024.
No. 5 Derrick Henry, Baltimore
New team and same old Henry.
If it wasn’t for Barkley’s 2,000 season, Henry would have received more talk for his 1,921 rushing yards and 18 total TDs on 2024. This was even with Lamar Jackson running the Ravens’ offense and rushing for more than 900 yards himself.
But Father Time will catch Henry eventually (even NFL defense still can’t). He will be 31 years old when the 2025 season begins.
No. 6 Chase Brown, Cincinnati
I think the Bengals figured out how to use Brown’s efficiency in the second half of the season. In his last eight games, he finished as a Top 12 RB in six games before missing the last game of the season because of injury.
He became more involved in the passing game, boosting his viability as the Top 12 back in those eight games. He saw 44 of his 65 targets during that stretch as he finished with the season with 54 receptions for 360 yards and four TDs. He just fell short of a 1,000-yard rushing season as he finished with 990 yards rushing and seven TDs.
Check out the rest of the Top 12 in my Monday story!
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[…] over the Kansas City Chiefs. With this stretch of dominance, Barkley has placed himself as the unanimous best running back in the […]