With the 2025 NFL Draft in the rearview mirror, it’s time to take one last look at the 2025 RB class. A lot has changed since the last iteration of my rankings. The NFL Combine gave us some standardized metrics to compare players. The NFL Draft gave us the landing spots and draft capital for each prospect. This article will focus on the running back position and the notable changes from version 3.0 until now. Notably, the surprise risers (RJ Harvey) and fallers (Devin Neal), and where they all shake out. So, let’s get to the rookie RB rankings.
2025 Post-NFL Draft Rookie RB Rankings
TIER 1 | Rookie RB Rankings
RB1 | Ashton Jeanty | Raiders
Drafted R1 – 6th Overall | 5’9” | 215 lbs
Previously Ranked 1
The easiest ranking in recent memory is Ashton Jeanty as the No. 1 RB position and the No. 1 overall player in all formats. I’m a proponent of taking highly-drafted QBs at the beginning of SuperFlex drafts, but this year is the exception. You can get Cam Ward later, you can’t get Ashton Jeanty after the top selection. The real question is where does Jeanty land in overall RB rankings? I have him slotted in around the RB 3-5 range. It will likely move up as we see him take an NFL field and produce in Pete Carroll’s run-heavy offense.
TIER 2 | Rookie RB Rankings
What’s important to know here is my Tier 2 running backs are all closely ranked. While I have them listed in the order that I would take them in rookie drafts, I have them extremely close. I’d be happy to take any of these players in the middle of the 1st round of rookie drafts.
RB2 | Omarion Hampton | Chargers
Drafted R1 – 22nd Overall | 6’0” | 220 lbs
Previously Ranked 3
After securing 1st Round draft capital and one of the best landing spots and fits with the offensive scheme, Omarion Hampton has jumped up to the top spot in my Tier 2 of running backs. The Chargers should lean heavily on Hampton’s physical style of running, turning him into a consistent low-end RB1 in fantasy—at worst. He might split time to begin his career, but Hampton lands around the RB10 spot in my overall rankings.
RB3 | Quinshon Judkins | Browns
Drafted R2 – 36th Overall | 6’1” | 219 lbs
Previously Ranked 4
Another fantastic running back fit for style and offensive scheme, Quinshon Judkins is staying in Ohio to start his NFL career. It’s hard to say that Judkins can duplicate the career success that former Brown Nick Chubb had, but the role in the offense should look similar. His physical running style fits in well in the AFC North on a team that will likely need to lean heavily on the running game. I have Judkins slightly below Hampton, but would be similarly happy to add him to my dynasty rosters.
RB4 | TreVeyon Henderson | Patriots
Drafted R2 – 38th Overall | 5’10” | 212 lbs
Previously Ranked 2
While TreVeyon Henderson dropped a couple spots in my Rookie RB Rankings, my outlook on him as a player hasn’t changed since prior to the NFL Combine. The reason for the slight knock is the landing spot. Of the RBs in Tier 2, his landing spot is unquestionably the weakest. It’s not to say that the Patriots can’t improve, but they have a longer way to go. If Henderson can usurp Rhamondre Stevenson early in the year, he could crack RB1 status in my overall rankings.
TIER 3 | Rookie RB Rankings
The backs in this range are the last players that I feel confident in their likelihood of becoming valuable fantasy assets. They each have notable concerns compared to the players in Tier 2, but I like their individual chances to gain fantasy relevance and beyond.
RB5 | Kaleb Johnson | Steelers
Drafted R3 – 83rd Overall | 6’0” | 225 lbs
Previously Ranked 5
After his lackluster NFL Combine performance, the chatter about a Draft Day slide for Kaleb Johnson got louder. However, with his 3rd Round draft capital, the Steelers seem unfazed. He fits in similarly to what Najee Harris was as a runner and should have plenty of opportunities to carry the ball for this offense. If Pittsburgh adds Aaron Rodgers, Kaleb Johnson could have slightly lower production numbers early on in his career, but he has the potential to become a consistent RB2 with occasional RB1 upside.
RB6 | RJ Harvey | Broncos
Drafted R2 – 60th Overall | 5’9” | 208 lbs
Previously Ranked 19
One of the biggest surprises of the 2025 NFL Draft was seeing RJ Harvey get drafted in the 2nd Round by the Denver Broncos after a series of trades. My hesitation with Harvey prior to the NFL Combine was his injury history. He answered all of those questions and more after running a 4.40s 40-yard dash and posting impressive testing numbers. However, the 60th overall pick was still a surprise to many—myself included. The Broncos seem to be thrilled with their selection of Harvey, and with the thin RB room, Harvey can become an instant contributor. He jumps up my rankings here and with Sean Payton’s history of productive RBs, RB6 might be too low.
RB7 | Trevor Etienne | Panthers
Drafted R4 – 114th Overall | 5’9” | 202 lbs
Previously Ranked 7
As predicted, Trevor Etienne fell into an early-Day 3 draft selection. I have consistently been higher on Etienne than the consensus, and continue to be so. His landing spot in Carolina is favorable with the uncertainty of Jonathan Brooks‘ health and Chuba Hubbard‘s consistency. I like Etienne’s overall game as he does everything well, despite not having any particularly elite traits. I’ll likely end up with several Trevor Etienne shares in the late portion of the 2nd round of rookie drafts.
TIER 4 | Rookie RB Rankings
My Tier 4 RBs profile more as role players to start their careers. It’s possible that any one of them could blossom into a bigger role and fantasy relevance, so I’ll be taking some swings in the mid-to-late rounds of rookie drafts on these players.
RB8 | Jaydon Blue | Cowboys
Drafted R5 – 149th Overall | 6’0” | 200 lbs
Previously Ranked 11
As I previously noted, Jaydon Blue is one of the best receiving backs in this entire draft class. My hope was that he would land on a team that covets his pass catching skills with the potential to become a PPR beast. That’s exactly what happened. The Dallas Cowboys didn’t have the deepest RB room heading into the draft, but they were missing a pass catching back. The addition of Blue gives them a weapon out of the backfield and for your dynasty rosters.
RB9 | Woody Marks | Texans
Drafted R4 – 116th Overall | 5’10” | 208 lbs
Previously Ranked 18
Another surprising pick in the NFL Draft was Houston’s 4th Round selection of Woody Marks. He, like the aforementioned Jaydon Blue, is not known much for his skills as a rusher, but rather as a receiving weapon out of the backfield. With Joe Mixon on the roster for at least the 2025 season, Marks should see some passing down work, but his touches will likely be limited. If the Texans decide to take a two-back approach, Marks could become a valuable PPR back. I will take my chances on him in the late 3rd or 4th rounds.
RB10 | Cam Skattebo | Giants
Drafted R4 – 105th Overall | 5’11” | 215 lbs
Previously Ranked 15
While my Day 3 prediction for Cam Skattebo technically was right, he nearly crept into the end of Day 2, being taken 3 picks into the 4th Round. My concerns related to his NFL-level athleticism still remain and his landing spot is neither good, nor bad. The 4th Round draft capital is enough to bump him up in my rankings, but it’s not enough to inherently challenge Tyrone Tracy for the starting job in New York. I’ll never root against a prospect realizing their NFL dream, but I do wonder if Skattebo’s fantasy football upside is a bit overinflated. At the RB10 in my Rookie RB Rankings, I’ll likely miss out on the opportunity to draft him in rookie drafts.
RB11 | Dylan Sampson | Browns
Drafted R4 – 126th Overall | 5’11” | 201 lbs
Previously Ranked 9
One of the most disappointing landing spots for a running back was Dylan Sampson going to the Cleveland Browns just 90 picks after Quinshon Judkins. This could be an opportunity for the Browns to reset their RB room, seeing Sampson as a receiving complement to Judkins’ power. While not a particularly prolific pass catcher, Sampson displayed enough ability to warrant some passing down work. He would have been higher in my rookie RB rankings if he had a clear path to a lead-back workload.
RB12 | Devin Neal | Saints
Drafted R6 – 184th Overall | 5’11” | 220 lbs
Previously Ranked 6
I was surprised to see Devin Neal drop into the 6th Round of the 2025 NFL Draft. However, his landing spot has kept my interest just high enough to keep Neal in Tier 4 of my RBs. After the aging Alvin Kamara, there isn’t much for Devin Neal to overcome. Kendre Miller hasn’t shown the ability to be a difference maker at the NFL level and Clyde Edwards-Helaire is mostly an afterthought. If the age cliff comes this year for Kamara, Neal could be a steal in rookie drafts.
RB13 | Bhayshul Tuten | Jaguars
Drafted R4 – 104th Overall | 5’9” | 206 lbs
Previously Not Ranked
Admittedly, I was too low on Bhayshul Tuten heading into the NFL Draft. Selected one slot before Skattebo, Tuten also almost snuck into Day 2. However, he landed in one of the least-favorable RB spots in the NFL. Whether you like Travis Etienne or not, he’s still on the Jacksonville roster, as is Tank Bigsby, who showed flashes of talent last season. Tuten will have to overcome at least one—if not both—players to gain consistent fantasy relevance.
RB14 | Jordan James | 49ers
Drafted R5 – 147th Overall | 5’10” | 210 lbs
Previously Ranked 10
I have consistently been lower on Jordan James than many people, but I am somewhat intrigued by this landing spot. James has never “wowed” me on the football field, but the San Francisco 49ers are a team that gets the most out of their RBs. With the uncertainty around Christian McCaffrey’s health and future, Jordan James is tempting as a late-round flyer.
TIER 5 | Rookie RB Rankings
The last tier of RBs is large and composed of players that have more questions than answers regarding their profile and likelihood for NFL success. It’s not to say that we couldn’t see one or two players from this tier gain fantasy relevance, but the chances are low. I would consider these players in the last round of rookie drafts.
RB15 | Jarquez Hunter | Rams
Drafted R4 – 117th Overall | 5’9” | 204 lbs
Previously Not Ranked
The Los Angeles Rams seem to select a running back every single year. Unfortunately for Jarquez Hunter, he’s falling behind Kyren Williams and Blake Corum in the depth chart. As such, I likely won’t take Hunter unless it’s the end of a rookie draft.
RB16 | DJ Giddens | Colts
Drafted R5 – 151st Overall | 6’1” | 212 lbs
Previously Ranked 13
One of the themes of this tier is poor landing spots. For DJ Giddens, it means falling in line behind at least Jonathan Taylor. There’s no certainty that Giddens can overcome Khalil Herbert or Tyler Goodson. While I like Giddens’ talent, the landing spot is a major knock to his fantasy value.
RB17 | Ollie Gordon II | Dolphins
Drafted R6 – 179th Overall | 6’1” | 233 lbs
Previously Ranked 8
Once again, the landing spot for Ollie Gordon II is less than ideal. Combined with his draft capital (late Day 3), Gordon has a mountain to climb to fantasy relevance. However, he offers a big frame that the Dolphins don’t really have at the RB position. He could take on a similar role to that of Raheem Mostert.
RB18 | LeQuint Allen | Jaguars
Drafted R7 – 236th Overall | 6’0” | 201 lbs
Previously Ranked 14
If the other landing spots are bad, this one takes the cake. I was a fan of LeQuint Allen’s game heading into the NFL Draft, but he now sits behind Travis Etienne, Tank Bigsby, and Bhayshul Tuten for playing time. He does possess great receiving ability, but at this point Allen is nothing more than a late-round flyer.
RB19 | Kyle Monangai | Bears
Drafted R7 – 233rd Overall | 5’9” | 209 lbs
Previously Ranked 12
The landing spot for Kyle Monangai to the Chicago Bears is interesting. D’Andre Swift and Roschon Johnson are a solid 1-2 punch, but neither would preclude Monangai from getting on the field. However, the mid-7th Round draft capital doesn’t inspire hope.
RB20 | Brashard Smith | Chiefs
Drafted R7 – 228th Overall | 5’10” | 194 lbs
Previously Not Ranked
Similarly, Brashard Smith landed with an interesting team—the Chiefs. Any RB, particularly one with the receiving skill set of Brashard Smith (a former wide receiver), is enticing. However, the draft capital limits the likelihood of regular playing time. I’d take a shot on Smith anywhere in the last couple rounds of my rookie drafts.
RB21 | Tahj Brooks | Bengals
Drafted R6 – 193rd Overall | 5’10” | 230 lbs
Previously Ranked 17
As a player that profiles somewhat the same as what the Bengals already have in their RB room, it’s hard to see Tahj Brooks developing into a large role early in his career. It’s not to say that Samaje Perine and Zack Moss are top-tier talents, but Brooks could end up playing the waiting game for a while.
RB22 | Damien Martinez | Seahawks
Drafted R7 – 223rd Overall | 6’0” | 232 lbs
Previously Ranked 20
The Seattle Seahawks may be the worst situation for a rookie RB. With two young RBs on the roster in Ken Walker III and Zach Charbonnet, Damien Martinez has a long way to go to see the field on offense. Thus, Martinez is only an option in the deepest of leagues.
RB23 | Phil Mafah | Cowboys
Drafted R7 – 239th Overall | 6’1” | 230 lbs
Previously Not Ranked
As previously noted, the Cowboys don’t have the deepest (or most-reliable) RB room, so Phil Mafah has a tiny bit of appeal. However, the last 7th Round running back to sustain fantasy relevance was Chris Carson for the Seattle Seahawks. So, it’s quite the longshot.
RB24 | Kalel Mullings | Titans
Drafted R6 – 188th Overall | 6’2” | 233 lbs
Previously Not Ranked
As a former linebacker turned running back, Kalel Mullings fits the mold of “better for the NFL team than for fantasy.” He will almost certainly start his career on special teams. With Tony Pollard under contract for a few more years and the recent draft pick of Tyjae Spears, Mullings is off my board in all formats.
More Rankings Coming Soon!
The wide receiver and tight end rankings are coming out this weekend, so stay tuned! In case you missed the them, here are Tristan’s QB Rankings:
