PPR Rankings: RB

Robinson was a rock in 2024 and demonstrated league-leading fantasy upside, crossing the rare combined threshold of 300 carries and 60 receptions, with plus efficiency both as a runner and receiver. That he accomplished this even in a somewhat dysfunctional Atlanta offense makes it worth pondering what Robinson might do if the Falcons were to improve. Even if things don't get better with Michael Penix at quarterback, Robinson already demonstrated in 2024 that he doesn't need good luck to compete for the RB1 distinction in fantasy. Robinson has produced with uncommon efficiency and elusiveness despite facing crowded boxes, pushing for 5.0 YPC even while having just five carries of more than 20 yards. Robinson has yet to log a 40-yard carry in the NFL — a trend that seems unlikely to persist given the abundance of other explosive indicators. He has the speed to split safeties (4.46 40) and the size (5-foot-11, 215 pounds) to run them over, and he's already shown a volume ceiling that few backs can match. Adding a few more big plays on similar volume might be enough to make Robinson the top scorer for fantasy in any given year.

Gibbs' rookie season was already excellent and set him up for even higher expectations in 2024, yet it's safe to say Gibbs exceeded those expectations. He held up for all 17 weeks, including a three-game span in the fantasy playoffs when Gibbs took on a workhorse role while David Montgomery (knee) sat out. It's true that Gibbs wouldn't have had quite as many touches in 2024 if not for Montgomery's injury -- and in general the Lions prefer dividing touches between the two RBs -- but Gibbs was so dominant in Montgomery's absence that it may impact the workload split for 2025 under new offensive coordinator John Morton. As much as Gibbs' carry count might decline if Montgomery stays healthy, it's worth remembering that (A) Gibbs will likely always be among the league leaders in yards and touchdowns per carry, slightly offsetting any volume limitations, and (B) Gibbs showed a new level of pass-catching upside in 2024 and might push for 60-plus catches after logging 52 in both of his NFL seasons.

Much like Christian McCaffrey going from Carolina to San Francisco or Derrick Henry swapping Tennessee for Baltimore, the switch from the Giants to the Eagles last season made a huge difference in Barkley's output. He's always been a high-volume RB, but efficiency was an impossible task at times in New York while dealing with lousy blocking and poor QBs. It turns out Barkley is a lot harder to tackle when he has an elite offensive line and competent passing game giving the defense something additional to worry about. He improved from 3.9 YPC in his last year with the Giants to 5.8 in 2024, propelled by a sharp increase in big plays. Barkley's carries of 20-plus and 40-plus yards, respectively, rose from seven and zero in 2023 to 17 and seven last year. It's likely not sustainable for Barkley to average a 40-plus carry every two or three weeks the way he did in his first season with Philadelphia, but the conditions that made him so productive remain intact, as it will always be profoundly difficult for defenses to show a proper amount of respect to Barkley, QB Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia wide receivers at the same time.

Even in a league well-stocked with running back talent, Jeanty is likely the position's best prospect in many years. That doesn't mean he'll be the best in the NFL -- Trent Richardson showed how things can go wrong even for seemingly infallible prospects -- but Jeanty nonetheless ranks on that level. At 5-foot-9, 211 pounds, he's naturally anchored and densely built, seemingly nailed to the floor and floating at the same time. He breaks tackle attempts with minimal effort, and his top on-field speed last season (21.7 mph) was the best of any RB from the incoming draft class, allowing him to skip pre-draft testing without hurting his stock. Jeanty dominated in two different roles at Boise State, thriving as a dual threat in 2023 (18.3 carries, 3.6 catches per game) before serving as more of a pure rushing workhorse in 2024 (26.7 carries, 1.7 catches). This means Jeanty likely can thrive as a Bijan Robinson-style workhorse or as more of an in-space specialist like early career Alvin Kamara. Large workloads won't take long to materialize in Las Vegas, where the No. 6 overall pick joins a backfield that was arguably the league's worst last season. The other new addition, 33-year-old Raheem Mostert, is unlikely to stand in Jeanty's way. Concerns about team context will be justified until the Raiders prove otherwise, but there is real hope for a competent offense under the guidance of new coordinator Chip Kelly and starting QB Geno Smith. For all of Kelly's other shortcomings, his four years as an NFL head coach produced offenses ranked first, ninth, 14th and fourth in rushing yards. Jeanty figures to step right in as the engine of the offense, with him and TE Brock Bowers being centerpieces of the Raiders' latest rebrand.

Everything went wrong for McCaffrey in 2024, as what was called a calf strain in early August ended up being Achilles tendinitis in both legs and delayed his season debut until Week 10. The 49ers had suggested he was on track to play Week 1, right up until gameday, yet they denied any setbacks had occurred even after he went on injured reserve. Whatever the case, McCaffrey was not quite himself upon his Week 10 return, immediately handling snap shares above 80 percent but averaging just 3.5 YPC over his first three games. He got off to a hot start in his fourth game, Week 14 at Buffalo, only to suffer a season-ending PCL sprain in the second quarter. He once again was all-or-nothing in terms of durability/injury luck, playing fewer than eight games for a third time in the past five years (whereas his other five NFL seasons all featured 16 or 17 regular-season appearances). He said in early January that he was almost back to full strength, having avoided surgery, and it's reassuring that the 49ers later traded Jordan Mason to Minnesota, leaving 2024 fourth-round pick Isaac Guerendo as the likely No. 2 back. The offensive line is a slight concern with guard Aaron Banks off to Green Bay and left tackle Trent Williams turning 37 in July, but it's generally a poor bet to fade a Kyle Shanahan offense, and McCaffrey is still (barely) on the right side of 30 and just two years removed from his 2023 career highs for rushing yards (1,459) and YPC (5.4).