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JP analyzes four workhorse running backs to target in fantasy football. His top bell cow and high-volume RBs for 2025 fantasy football leagues, including Bijan Robinson.
The "workhorse" running back has been a staple of the NFL since its inception. However, especially over the past decade, this type of player has become a dying breed.
But "dying" doesn't mean "dead." In 2024, six NFL running backs carried the ball over 300 times. While the number of true workhorses in the NFL has certainly declined, if you're willing to pay the draft price or take a chance on one of these sleepers, you could put yourself in a wonderful position to take home the trophy in 2025.
In this piece, we will look at four of my top workhorse running backs to draft this season. My top four “workhorse” running backs for the 2025 fantasy season, in the order I would draft them, are Bijan Robinson, Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry, and Ashton Jeanty.
Editor's Note: Discover RotoBaller’s top Fantasy Football Sleepers to gain an edge in your drafts. Our free who to draft tool and expert picks spotlight undervalued players, breakout candidates, and late-round gems for all league formats.
Bijan Robinson's Dominant Sophomore Season
The Atlanta Falcons finally unleashed Robinson in 2024, and he certainly did not disappoint. Living up to the immense hype surrounding his potential, Robinson carried the ball 304 times for 1,456 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns, solidifying his place as a premier rusher in the league.
Beyond his ground game, the Falcons strategically featured Robinson in the passing game as well, where he proved to be an equally dangerous weapon. He impressively caught 61 passes for 431 yards and an additional score, showcasing his versatility as a dual-threat back. By the end of his sophomore season, Robinson had established himself among the NFL's elite, finishing fourth overall among all players in 2024 with 1,887 total scrimmage yards.
His nose for the end zone was undeniable, as he ranked sixth in touchdowns with 15, and his elusive running style was evident in his second-place finish in missed tackles forced with an astounding 99. These remarkable statistics underscore a breakout year in which Robinson fulfilled the high expectations placed upon him.
The Falcons' Strategy: More Space, More Explosive Plays
Heading into the 2025 season, the Atlanta Falcons have made their intentions clear: they will continue to prominently feature their workhorse running back. However, their strategy extends beyond just high volume; the coaching staff is actively seeking ways to create more space for him in the run game.
This emphasis on opening up lanes is crucial, as more space will allow Robinson to fully leverage his 4.46 speed, turning routine carries into game-changing explosive plays for the Falcons' offense. This strategic shift was highlighted in an article by Will McFadden, senior editor for the Atlanta Falcons, who quoted Falcons offensive coordinator Zac Robinson. "He is so talented," Robinson affirmed. "His vision, the way he can see and feel in tight quarters, is unlike anything I have ever seen. We just hope for that uptick with the explosives."
This statement signals a clear intent to maximize Robinson's unique blend of vision, agility, and breakaway speed, promising an even more dynamic role for him in the upcoming season.
The Path to RB1: Why Robinson Could Overtake the Competition in 2025
With the emergence of rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. in 2024, providing a new dimension to the Falcons' passing attack, and Tyler Allgeier's continued ability to spell Robinson and keep him fresh, I envision a scenario where Robinson leaps to become the 2025 RB1 in PPR formats. While Barkley (355.3 PPR points) and Jahmyr Gibbs (316.9 PPR points) both had stellar 2024 campaigns, Robinson's trajectory and the Falcons' renewed commitment to optimizing his usage suggest he is poised for an even bigger year.
In my opinion, his 341.7 PPR points in 2024 demonstrate his high floor. With a whole offseason and a clearer offensive identity under Penix, a focused effort to generate more explosive plays, and a reliable change-of-pace back to manage his workload, all the pieces are in place for Robinson to finish as RB1.
His talent, combined with a scheme designed to fully unlock it, makes him a prime candidate to once again finish in the top 5 in touches but also to convert those touches into elite-level fantasy production, ultimately securing the top spot among fantasy running backs in 2025.
Saquon Barkley: A No-Brainer?
Have you come across a recent article advising you to avoid Barkley in 2025? Yeah, so have I. My first thought is, "Why?" Why would you pass on last year's RB1 in fantasy points per game? He touched the ball 378 times for 2,283 total yards and 15 total touchdowns. Make it make sense. While I don't think he'll replicate the exact volume he had in 2024, with little competition from A.J. Dillon and Will Shipley, I'm happy to draft one of the NFL's best athletes.
Running behind arguably the NFL's best offensive line, Barkley is poised to have another monster season. To put it simply, in 2024, Barkley averaged 3.55 yards before being touched by a defender, which was the highest yards before contact in the NFL.
Addressing the Naysayers: Workload and Historical Trends
The naysayers are pointing not just to a potential decrease in workload, but also to historical trends for players who lead the league in rushing.
SI's Michael Fabiano noted in a June article that there have been 93 instances in the Super Bowl era where a running back carried the ball over 370 times. Out of those 93 times, only once has a running back scored more fantasy football points the following year. Ray Rice did it in 2011.
Fabiano added that out of the 35 running backs to carry the ball over 400 times in a season in the Super Bowl era, "only Eddie George (2000), Thurman Thomas (1994), Emmitt Smith (1992) and Walter Payton (1985) scored more fantasy points the following year" and that "the 2,000-yard rusher curse" states that "every single running back to hit the 2,000-yard rushing mark has seen a drop of no less than 99.4 points in the next season."
Those numbers certainly support the Barkley "bust" trend.
Why the Reward Outweighs the Risk for Barkley in 2025
Fabiano, one of the all-time great sports writers whom I thoroughly admire, is absolutely correct. You need to understand the risks when drafting at the top of your fantasy football drafts. However, I can't see myself passing on Barkley in 2025. The reward is worth the risk. Barkley isn't the type of player who's going to take the season off after putting up some of the best numbers we've ever seen from a running back while helping lead his team to a Super Bowl victory.
It's not in his DNA. As a long-time Giants fan, I know firsthand what kind of competitor Barkley is. He's going to try to prove the "haters" wrong. Are the concerns with workload valid? Absolutely. Will his numbers drop? Probably.
I can see the Eagles pounding the short-yardage run game with the newly acquired Dillon, thus lowering Barkley's workload. Red zone work really doesn't concern me, though. If we know anything from Nick Sirianni's offense at the goal line, it's that they will run Jalen Hurts and the tush push.
For those wondering, the NFL did, in fact, vote on banning the tush push, but lost the vote, keeping the tush push alive and well in 2025. Given the talent Barkley possesses and the offensive line he runs behind, outside of health, I do not see Barkley finishing less than RB4 in 2025.
King Henry's Enduring Reign in Baltimore
In 2024, the then-30-year-old Derrick Henry showed absolutely no signs of slowing down in his inaugural season with the Baltimore Ravens. While not fitting the "traditional workhorse" mold in today's NFL due to his more specialized role in the running game, King Henry unequivocally remains a dominant force. In fact, his 2024 campaign saw him carry the ball an astounding 325 times, which marked the third-highest workload of his illustrious career.
He capitalized on these opportunities by rushing for an impressive 1,921 yards, a total surpassed only by his monumental 2,027-yard season in 2020. As he enters his tenth professional season in 2025, the soon-to-be 31-year-old is poised to continue dominating carries for the Baltimore Ravens, with his sights firmly set on bringing home his first coveted Super Bowl trophy.
His exceptional performance demonstrated that age is merely a number for this generational talent when placed in the right system.
The Lamar Jackson Effect: Unlocking Henry's Potential
While Henry may not offer extensive contributions in the passing game, his 2024 performance provided clear evidence that this limitation is largely inconsequential within the Ravens' offensive scheme. He still managed to finish fourth in PPR scoring with 305.8 points, catching 19 passes for 193 yards and two touchdowns – a testament to his overall impact.
His move from Tennessee to Baltimore, playing alongside reigning NFL MVP Lamar Jackson, ushered in a completely new dynamic for Henry. Due to the unparalleled dual-threat nature of Jackson's game, opposing defenses are constantly forced to account for the possibility of the quarterback pulling the ball and scrambling himself.
This defensive preoccupation with Jackson has inherently opened up running lanes for Henry that he simply never consistently saw during his tenure with the Titans.
As a result, Henry ran for an astonishing 5.9 yards per carry in 2024, marking the most efficient rushing season of his entire nine-year career. This synergy between Henry's punishing ground attack and Jackson's electrifying mobility creates a nightmare scenario for defensive coordinators.
2025 Outlook: Consistency and Calculated Risk
The 2025 season should be no different for King Henry and the Baltimore Ravens. As long as Jackson is under center, defenses cannot afford to consistently load the box in an attempt to stop Henry. Defenders are compelled to maintain outside containment to prevent Jackson from breaking free and taking off on a run, which plays directly into Henry's signature downfield, full-throttle running style.
Unlike other elite runners such as Barkley or Robinson, who are known for their intricate cuts and elusive moves in the hole, Henry's approach is more direct: he plants his back foot and drives downhill, relentlessly punishing defenders along the way.
Given his age entering 2025, it's reasonable to expect the Ravens might aim to manage his workload slightly more effectively to ensure he remains fresh for a potential playoff push. Therefore, while still expecting a high volume, I do see his overall rushing numbers dipping slightly in comparison to his exceptional 2024 campaign.
However, even with a slight decrease in volume, I project his floor in PPR formats to be at RB6, with a ceiling as high as RB3 due to his consistent ground production and the sheer efficiency his new offensive environment provides. I will, without any hesitation, prioritize drafting him after the top backs like Barkley, Gibbs, and Robinson.
King Henry is as consistent as they come.
The Rise of Ashton Jeanty
While some in the fantasy football community might argue that rookie Ashton Jeanty could potentially finish as the RB1 in 2025, I believe a slightly more cautious, yet incredibly optimistic, projection is warranted. A top-tier rookie season is certainly on the table for Jeanty, and I'm calling for a PPR finish as RB4, placing him just behind the established talents of Barkley, Robinson, and Gibbs.
However, given this article's sole focus on true "workhorse" running backs – those who dominate touches and are the focal point of their team's ground attack – I must differentiate. While Gibbs is undeniably elite, his shared backfield responsibility with David Montgomery prevents him from being a pure "workhorse."
Therefore, within the context of this discussion, Jeanty earns my designation as the Workhorse RB3, and with some hesitation, I'm even placing him ahead of Henry. Here's why this bold prediction holds significant weight.
A Generational Talent: Vision, Power, and Elusiveness
Hailing from Boise State, Jeanty embodies what many scouts and analysts are calling a generational talent at the running back position. If you haven't yet witnessed this dynamic player run the rock, I highly recommend watching the video below; the tape speaks for itself. Jeanty notably did not participate in the NFL Combine prior to the draft, so official athletic metrics, such as his 40-yard dash time, are unavailable.
However, consensus among scouts places his 40-yard dash in the impressive 4.4 to 4.5-second range. But as you'll quickly discern when watching him play, his game is about speed. It's his exceptional vision, brute power, and uncanny elusiveness that truly set him apart and make him such a special prospect.
He consistently demonstrates an innate ability to read blocks, shed tackles, and maintain balance, making him incredibly difficult for defenders to bring down.
Collegiate Dominance and Three-Down Potential
Jeanty's collegiate production at Boise State was nothing short of historic. In 2024, he concluded his season with an astonishing 2,497 rushing yards (2,601 including his bowl game performance), a figure that ranks second all-time in collegiate rushing yards, trailing only the legendary Barry Sanders (2,628 yards) of Oklahoma State.
Finishing as the Heisman Trophy runner-up, Jeanty not only accumulated an incredible yardage total but also found the end zone a remarkable 28 times on the ground. Some skeptics, doubting Jeanty's capacity to be a true three-down back in the NFL, point to his relatively modest 23 receptions in 2024. However, a deeper dive into his 2023 statistics quickly dispels this notion, as he caught 43 balls for 569 yards and five touchdowns.
This showcases his proven ability to contribute as a receiver, adding a crucial dimension to his "workhorse" profile and quelling concerns about his versatility at the professional level.
The Raiders' Commitment: Cornerstone of the Offense
Now, Jeanty finds himself in the Las Vegas Raiders' running back room, alongside newly acquired veteran journeyman Raheem Mostert, as well as Sincere McCormick and Zamir White. Mostert, at 33 years old, is entering his 11th NFL season and is coming off a challenging year in Miami, plagued by injuries and notably unproductive carries (averaging just 3.3 yards per carry on 85 attempts). This context makes Jeanty's arrival even more impactful.
The Las Vegas Raiders selected Jeanty with the sixth overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. In the last decade, only 14 running backs have been selected in the first round, with a mere six of them landing within the top 10. The Raiders did not invest such high draft capital in Jeanty to place him in a committee; they drafted him to be a foundational workhorse and the cornerstone of their offense for years to come.
This significant investment signals the team's unwavering commitment to making him the primary ball-carrier from day one, underlining his projected high volume and central role.
Optimistic outlook: Volume and Opportunity in Las Vegas
In terms of fantasy football, Jeanty could not have been selected by a better team regarding projected usage in his rookie season. Beyond the relatively unthreatening talent behind him on the running back depth chart, the Raiders currently lack numerous established receiving threats outside of arguably the league's best receiving tight end, Brock Bowers, and veteran wide receiver Jakobi Meyers.
The scarcity of other high-volume options within a Chip Kelly offense creates an undeniable vacuum that Jeanty is perfectly positioned to fill. There is absolutely no reason for Jeanty not to finish in the top three in touches among all running backs in 2025.
That is not to say that Jeanty will not face obstacles in his rookie season, as the Raiders struggled to move the ball on the ground last season.
However, this historical inefficiency can be attributed to the lack of dynamic playmaking from the running backs themselves last season, specifically their inability to consistently find and create open holes – holes that a talent like Jeanty could navigate with remarkable ease.
Ultimately, Jeanty will have a monumental opportunity as a rookie in 2025, and I fully expect him to be heavily involved as a runner and receiver in Chip Kelly's offense. For these reasons, I project him to finish as RB4 in PPR, recognizing that as a rookie, he could certainly experience some growing pains. While I see his ceiling as exceptionally high, his floor, given the transition to the NFL, carries some inherent shakiness.
Nevertheless, if my prediction holds true and Jeanty is consistently "peppered" with targets in the passing game alongside his rushing volume, there is no reason for him to fall out of the top five running backs in PPR leagues due to the sheer number of touches he is primed to receive in 2025.
Other Top-Tier Running Back Candidates with Workhorse Potential
Jahmyr Gibbs: While a dynamic and incredibly efficient playmaker, Gibbs operates in a shared backfield with David Montgomery for the Detroit Lions. His explosive receiving ability and red-zone opportunities make him a high-end option, even without a full "workhorse" workload.
I will be drafting Gibbs in every draft I can. I suggest you do the same.
De'Von Achane: The Miami Dolphins' speedster showcased his electrifying potential last season, particularly with his incredible yards per carry average. However, his injury history and the presence of Jaylen Wright suggest a committee approach, limiting his pure workhorse volume. He is a must-draft player.
Kyren Williams: Williams emerged as a reliable fantasy asset for the Los Angeles Rams, demonstrating impressive rushing and receiving skills. The Rams' willingness to lean on him heavily makes him valuable, but the potential for workload management or competition with Blake Corum could keep him just outside the true workhorse category.
Jonathan Taylor: As the undisputed lead back for the Indianapolis Colts, Taylor possesses the talent and the role to be a workhorse. His recent injury history and the team's offensive philosophy, which sometimes limits pure rushing volume, place him in a slightly different tier than the top four pure volume plays.
Josh Jacobs: Jacobs is expected to remain the lead back in Green Bay. While capable of workhorse volume (as seen with the Raiders), the Packers' offense under Jordan Love, coupled with the presence of MarShawn Lloyd and Emanuel Wilson, might lead to a slightly less dominant target share than he's had in the past.
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