2025 NFL Running Back Rankings, All 32 Teams

As a feature in the 2025 Sharp Football Preview Book, the Sharp Football Analysis team ranked positional units across the league for the 2025 season.

The ranking guidelines were specific to the voter, with the only requirement that the focus be on the upcoming season only, not the future outlook.

With a combination of numbers, film, and projections, the rankings were averaged for quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers/tight ends, offensive line, defensive front seven, defensive secondary, and head coach.

Next up: 2025 NFL running back rankings.

2025 NFL Running Back Rankings

Score based on average ranks of positional unit (on a 100-point scale) for all 32 teams, from Sharp Football staff voters. If all voters had a team at #1, that score would be 100. 

What team has the best running backs in the NFL?

32. Dallas Cowboys

Despite some new faces, the Dallas running backs finished last for the second straight year, the only unit to do so in our rankings. Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders were added in free agency after down years in Denver and Carolina, and fifth-round pick Jaydon Blue could shoot up the depth chart quickly if the veterans falter. 

31. Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs believe they can overcome a lack of talent at running back 一 and mostly they’ve been correct. But the lack of explosive ability in the backfield is concerning. Kansas City running backs gained 10 or more yards at a league worst 4.7% clip in 2024. 

30. Denver Broncos

Votes for Denver’s backfield ranged from 26th to 30th. The Broncos appear to be putting a lot of faith in rookie RJ Harvey making an immediate transition from UCF’s friendly rushing scheme to the NFL, though the late signing of J.K. Dobbins could suggest some concerns about the rookie.

29. Washington Commanders

The Commanders fell nine spots in our rankings to 29th. Brian Robinson Jr. and Austin Ekeler combined for 87 rushing yards per game and averaged less than four yards per carry in the postseason.

28. Cleveland Browns

When Jerome Ford was not hit in the backfield, he gained 7.3 yards per carry 一 only Derrick Henry was better. So, Cleveland might give him another chance behind a healthier offensive line. But if he falters, rookies Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson are waiting in the wings. 

27. Chicago Bears

The Bears are keeping things status quo at running back, rolling with D’Andre Swift and Roschon Johnson as their top backs. Neither is coming off a great season. As a result, the Chicago running backs fell 15 spots in this year’s rankings, tumbling down to 27th. 

26. Jacksonville Jaguars

Time is running out on Travis Etienne to live up to the hype. Even if we remove the plays where Etienne was hit in the backfield, he still ranked 43rd out of 46 running backs in yards per carry. Bet on Tank Bigsby and/or Bhayshul Tuten taking his job soon. 

25. New York Giants

Tyrone Tracy and Devin Singletary were the lead backs in 2024, but New York also added Cam Skattebo in the fourth round of this year’s draft. As a team, the Giants ranked 18th in yards per carry last year and moved up six spots in our rankings from 31st to 25th.

24. Pittsburgh Steelers

Jaylen Warren gained 10 or more yards on just 3.3% of his carries last year, ranked 39th out of 46 running backs. If Warren doesn’t show some explosive production, rookie Kaleb Johnson will likely take over the backfield at some point. 

23. Tennessee Titans

Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears ranked 19th and 26th, respectively, out of 54 running backs in the rate of gaining 10 or more yards. But their production was boom or bust, as they also ranked 29th and 41st in the rate of gaining zero or negative yards. 

22. Carolina Panthers

The Panthers will roll with Chuba Hubbard again and added Rico Dowdle in free agency. Hubbard posted his first 1,000-yard season in 2024.

21. New England Patriots

Votes for the Patriots ranged from 10th to 31st. They can reach the high end of that spectrum if TreVeyon Henderson lives up to expectations as an explosive threat, especially considering his potential contributions to the passing attack.

20. Cincinnati Bengals

Chase Brown proved to be a capable starter, so the Bengals running back room jumped eight spots in our rankings from last offseason. However, there’s still a lack of explosive talent in the backfield. Cincinnati running backs gained 10 or more yards on 10.5% of carries, ranked 24th. 

19. New Orleans Saints

Running back was the only bright spot for the Saints in our rankings…if you consider 19 bright. Alvin Kamara set a career high in rushing yards in 2024, but he enters 2025 as a 30-year-old running back with over 2,100 career touches. 

17. Minnesota Vikings

Running back was one of two Viking units to rank outside the top 10, finishing 17th in our voting. Aaron Jones carried the ball a career high 255 times in 2024, averaging 4.5 yards per carry. Minnesota added Jordan Mason to spell Jones this year.

17. Houston Texans

Joe Mixon still has some explosive ability 一 he gained 10 or more yards on 11% of his carries. However, his tendency to chase big plays comes at the expense of too many negative ones. Mixon was stuffed for zero or fewer yards at the league’s fifth highest rate (24%). 

16. Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals will roll with James Conner and Trey Benson as their top two guys again this season. Our committee was pretty split on the Arizona backfield, with votes ranging from 11 to 20. 

15. Los Angeles Chargers

It’s tough to rank rookies, which explains the backfield receiving votes ranging from 12th to 21st. Even if some are skeptical of Omarion Hampton’s ceiling as a rookie, the depth provided by Najee Harris sets a respectable floor for the unit’s production. 

14. New York Jets

Balancing the talent of Breece Hall with the lack of depth in the backfield was a struggle in the voting process. Backup Braelon Allen gained 10 or more yards on 5.4% of his carries, ranked 45th out of 47 qualified running backs. 

12. Los Angeles Rams

Kyren Williams stayed healthy in 2024 and ran for 14 touchdowns and 1,299 yards, pushing the Rams backfield up to 12th in our rankings. Depth and a long-term deal for Williams are the questions in this backfield.

12. Buffalo Bills

Votes for Buffalo’s backfield ranged from ninth to 20th. The large gap was likely the result of voters differing on how to weigh the consistent production of James Cook against the severe lack of depth. 

10. Seattle Seahawks

At running back, the duo of Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet was good enough to crack the top 10, albeit two spots lower than they ranked last year. Walker averaged just 3.7 yards per carry as he struggled with injuries, but Charbonnet rushed for a 47.4 percent success rate and added 8 touchdowns on 135 carries. 

10. Green Bay Packers

For the second straight year, the Green Bay backfield finished 10th in our rankings. Josh Jacobs had a bounce back year in his first season with the Packers, rushing for over 1,300 yards and breaking a career high 35 tackles in the regular season.

9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The emergence of Bucky Irving last year was good enough to push the Bucs backfield into our top 10 of this year’s voting. Irving took over a bulk of the work from Rachaad White, rushing 207 times and averaging 5.4 yards per carry while posting a 55.1 percent success rate.

8. Indianapolis Colts

Votes for the Colts ranged from sixth to 11th. Clearly, we still trust Jonathan Taylor as one of the league’s premier ball carriers, but he’s missed 16 games over the last three seasons. The depth (Khalil Herbert and rookie DJ Giddens) is, at best, unproven. 

7. Las Vegas Raiders

The addition of Ashton Jeanty bumped the Raiders up 21 spots in our backfield rankings from a season ago. Votes ranged from fifth to 11th, but it’s clear this unit will be an area of strength for the team this fall. 

6. San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers are hoping Christian McCaffrey can stay healthy after injuries robbed him of 13 games last season. San Francisco occupied the top spot in our running back rankings last year, but they tumbled to six this time around.

5. Miami Dolphins

Votes for the Dolphins' backfield ranged from second to 14th. There’s explosive talent with De’Von Achane and Jaylen Wright, but is there enough power? Miami running backs ranked ninth in yards per attempt when crossing the line of scrimmage without contact (6.9), but they ranked 31st when contacted at or behind the line of scrimmage (1.0). 

4. Baltimore Ravens

Derrick Henry is an ageless wonder leading the backfield. When contacted at or behind the line of scrimmage last year, he still gained 2.3 yards per carry, the league’s fifth best rate and his best mark since 2020. 

3. Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta backfield jumped to third in our rankings this year after Bijan Robinson had nearly 1,900 yards from scrimmage in 2024. The Falcons also featured a heavy dose of Tyler Allgeier, who averaged 4.7 yards per carry on 137 attempts. 

2. Philadelphia Eagles

The biggest addition the Eagles made in 2024 was Saquon Barkley, and his historic campaign was good enough for second in our rankings. The Eagles don’t offer much depth behind the 2024 Offensive Player of the Year, with AJ Dillon and Will Shipley listed as next up on the depth chart.

1. Detroit Lions

The duo of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery was a unanimous choice for the top spot among running backs after their stellar 2024. Gibbs finished the season with 1,929 yards from scrimmage and averaged 5.6 yards per carry. Montgomery topped 1,100 yards from scrimmage as well despite missing the final three games of the season due to a knee injury.