Best RB in NFL – Ranking the Best Running Backs in the NFL
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Franchises continue to adjust their valuation of the running back position in 2025, with some choosing not to pay for a top-tier option, and some going out of their way to find a true difference maker. There are clearly some difference-makers in the backfield this season, but the shelf life is always short for the most impacted position in football, so check back weekly to see where we rank each back. If you are looking for our fantasy rankings, you can find them here.
Top 50 Running Backs
| RANK | PLAYER | TEAM |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bijan Robinson | ATL |
| 2 | Christian McCaffrey | SF |
| 3 | Jahmyr Gibbs | DET |
| 4 | Jonathan Taylor | IND |
| 5 | Saquon Barkley | PHI |
| 6 | Derrick Henry | BAL |
| 7 | James Cook | BUF |
| 8 | Bucky Irving | TB |
| 9 | De'Von Achane | MIA |
| 10 | Josh Jacobs | GB |
| 11 | Kyren Williams | LAR |
| 12 | Breece Hall | NYJ |
| 13 | Javonte Williams | DAL |
| 14 | Travis Etienne | JAX |
| 15 | Quinshon Judkins | CLE |
| 16 | Ashton Jeanty | LV |
| 17 | TreVeyon Henderson | NE |
| 18 | Kenneth Walker | SEA |
| 19 | D'Andre Swift | CHI |
| 20 | Rico Dowdle | CAR |
| 21 | Jaylen Warren | PIT |
| 22 | Chase Brown | CIN |
| 23 | Kyle Monangai | CHI |
| 24 | Omarion Hampton | LAC |
| 25 | Zach Charbonnet | SEA |
| 26 | Aaron Jones | MIN |
| 27 | David Montgomery | DET |
| 28 | Blake Corum | LAR |
| 29 | Woody Marks | HOU |
| 30 | Tyler Allgeier | ATL |
| 31 | Tony Pollard | TEN |
| 32 | RJ Harvey | DEN |
| 33 | Kareem Hunt | KC |
| 34 | Tyrone Tracy Jr. | NYG |
| 35 | Chuba Hubbard | CAR |
| 36 | Isiah Pacheco | KC |
| 37 | Rhamondre Stevenson | NE |
| 38 | Rachaad White | TB |
| 39 | Devin Singletary | NYG |
| 40 | Chris Rodriguez | WAS |
| 41 | Alvin Kamara | NO |
| 42 | Kenneth Gainwell | PIT |
| 43 | Jordan Mason | MIN |
| 44 | Jacory Croskey-Merritt | WAS |
| 45 | Kimani Vidal | LAC |
| 46 | Devin Neal | NO |
| 47 | Emanuel Wilson | GB |
| 48 | Ray Davis | BUF |
| 49 | Sean Tucker | TB |
| 50 | Keaton Mitchell | BAL |
RB Rankings
Bijan Robinson regains the crown in our rankings after making good on a high-volume game (22 touches) in a win at Tampa Bay. He leads the NFL in scrimmage yards and yards created (1,207).
Christian McCaffrey might not have the game-breaking ability of the other athletic backs in the top tier, but he’s the best receiver out of the backfield in the game right now and an absolute rock of reliability in the red zone.
Jahymr Gibbs is getting extra defensive focus after a couple of huge games, forcing the Lions to take to the air more often.
Jonathan Taylor is in a tough position now that the Colts have lost Daniel Jones (Achilles) and have 44-year-old Philip Rivers under center with limited downfield passing ability.
Derrick Henry is starting to pick up steam with Lamar Jackson working back to his form, averaging 5.4 YPC over his last two outings.
Saquon Barkley was fantastic during a Super Bowl run for the Eagles in 2024-25 but has been largely ineffective this season with weaker blocking and play-calling, but some of that falls on his shoulders.
James Cook benefits from elite run-blocking on high volume in a Bills offense that is built to run. Cook is averaging 101.1 YPG on 19.3 carries.
Bucky Irving is flashing his all-around ability and elusiveness behind a weak Bucs offensive line as he returns from injury.
De’Von Achane continues to serve as the focal point of a Dolphins offense that is based on creative run calls and short passes.
Josh Jacobs isn’t known for his receiving prowess but he made a highlight TD catch in Week 15 at Denver. Jacobs is an elite runner near the goal line.
11-20
Kyren Williams and Blake Corum are both producing behind a Rams line that leads the NFL in run-blocker rating per Pro Football Focus.
Breece Hall is one of the only weapons available for the Jets offense. Isaiah Davis has seen more work with Braelon Allen (knee) on I.R.
D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai are flashing their different skill sets and thriving in a run-heavy offense with Ben Johnson drawing up the scheme.
Javonte Williams gets the yards that are blocked and doesn’t make many mistakes as the unquestioned lead back in the Cowboys offense.
TreVeyon Henderson broke a fourth TD of 50-plus yards in a huge game against the Bills and might have finally surpassed Rhamondre Stevenson as the preferred back for the Patriots.
21-30
Rico Dowdle is the hammer in a run-heavy Panthers offense and Chuba Hubbard has worked his way back into consistent playing with 162 scrimmage yards over his last two games.
Travis Etienne flashed his versatility with three receiving scores in Week 15 and he has pushed Bhayshul Tuten back to a reserve role with excellent production over his last three outings.
Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet continue to rotate in the Seahawks backfield. Walker ranks second in overall PFF grade and Charbonnet ranks fourth in rushing grade, so Seattle has good options to consider.
Chase Brown has flashed more ability as a receiver this year with the Bengals unable to sustain a traditional run game. Samaje Perine is eating into his massive workload.
Quinshon Judkins has run into a rookie wall as the Browns lead back behind an injured offensive line and Omarion Hampton (ankle) is struggling to get going after returning from injury to run behind a weak Chargers line. The Raiders are trying to feature Ashton Jeanty as a receiver to offset their anemic run-blocking scheme.
31-40
Jaylen Warren is handling most of the rushing and Kenneth Gainwell is excelling as a receiver for the struggling Steelers offense.
Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason are getting back on track along with the rest of the Vikings offense. RJ Harvey has played on 68% of the snaps in consecutive weeks as he tries to separate from a committee and run with the lead role in Denver’s backfield.
Tony Pollard followed a surprising 181-yard performance against Cleveland’s league-leading rush defense with a 100-yard game at San Francisco as the Titans lean further into their rushing attack.
Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt have been rather ineffective behind an injured Chiefs offensive line.
Woody Marks is a workhorse for the Texans with a good skill set. Marks injured his ankle and Jawhar Jordan stepped into a lead role in Week 15. Saints rookie Devin Neal has also looked sharp in an everydown role but also injured his ankle this past week.
41-50
Tyrone Tracy Jr. fully separated from Devin Singletary with 70 yards and a TD this past week and Jacory Croskey-Merritt made the most of his opportunity with Chris Rodriguez out and Jeremy McNichols unable to produce on the ground against the Giants.
Keaton Mitchell is an intriguing talent for the Ravens. The speedster set a record in YPC average (6.6) over his first 100 NFL carries.
Trey Benson (knee) and Bam Knight (ankle) are both out for the Cardinals, leaving third-down back Michael Carter as the de facto lead rusher.
FAQ
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Who Was The Best RB In 2019?
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Who Is The Best RB Of All-Time?
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Who Is The Best RB Ever On The Dallas Cowboys?
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Who Is The Best RB In The 1980s?
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Who Is The Best RB In The 1990s?
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Who Is The Best RB In The 2000s?
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Who Has The Most Rushing Touchdowns Ever By A Running Back?
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Who Has The Most Rushing Yards Ever By A Running Back?
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Who has The Most Receptions Ever By A Running Back?
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Who Has The Most Receiving Yards Ever By A Running Back?
Frequently Asked Questions
Christian McCaffrey of the Carolina Panthers was the best running back in 2019. He rushed for over 1,300 yards and had 15 rushing touchdowns. McCaffrey also hauled in 116 receptions and had four receiving touchdowns. He had nearly 2,400 yards from scrimmage.
Barry Sanders played just nine years in the NFL and had over 1,000 yards in every season. He also had 99 touchdowns on the ground alone. Overall he had over 18,000 yards from scrimmage and 109 total touchdowns. Sanders is a six-time All-Pro and the best running back of all-time.
Emmitt Smith is the best running back to ever play for the Dallas Cowboys. Smith played 13 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, rushing for over 150 touchdowns and had over 17,000 rushing yards. Smith also has over 20,000 all-purpose yards and 175 total touchdowns.
Walter Payton played his entire career with the Chicago Bears from 1975 to 1987. He rushed for over 16,000 yards on the ground and had 110 rushing touchdowns. He also had over 4,500 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns. Payton was one of the best in this era.
Being the best running back of all-time, Barry Sanders is the best back of the 1990s. He was elusive and remarkably consistent in production as he never had a season under 1,000 rushing yards. Sanders dominated the 90s in a time where there were plenty of elite Hall of Fame running backs.
LaDainian Tomlinson was a menace in the 2000s, playing from 2001 to 2011. He had a career year in 2006 where he had 1,815 rushing yards and 28 rushing touchdowns. In Tomlinson’s career, he has over 18,000 all-purpose yards and over 160 rushing and receiving touchdowns.
Emmitt Smith has 164 rushing touchdowns, which is the most of any running back in NFL history. The next closest is LaDainian Tomlinson, with 145 touchdowns. Smith dominated the NFL for 13 years with the Dallas Cowboys and played a year with the Arizona Cardinals.
Emmitt Smith has the most rushing yards in NFL history, and it will be a tough record for anyone to break. Smith has 18,355 rushing yards, and the next closest is Walter Payton, who has 16,726 yards. The closest active player is Frank Gore, with 15,347 rushing yards.
Marshall Faulk was a significant threat in the passing game, and he finished his career with 767 receptions, which is the most ever by a running back. Faulk played mostly with those talented Rams offense and also did damage on the ground as well.
No surprise here as Mashall Faulk also has the most receiving yards ever by a running back. Faulk had 6,875 rushing yards and dominated in both the ground and passing game. Faulk was a part of the Greatest Show on Turf teams while in St. Louis.
