8 Must-Draft Fantasy Football Running Backs: Dynasty Studs, Sleepers, and Value Picks (2025)

Dennis Clausen's running backs to target and draft in fantasy football dynasty leagues. His top NFL sleepers and draft values for 2025 dynasty leagues.

Training Camp is here, so it’s time to really start thinking about fantasy football. Although redraft leagues have typically been the most common, dynasty formats have surged in popularity. While both formats are enjoyable, dynasty leagues are more in-depth, requiring managers to think years in advance.  

Heading into the season, there are a few running backs from the rookie class who should command attention in drafts, specifically Ashton Jeanty, Omarion Hampton, and TreVeyon Henderson, to name a few. Some of these players will also be coveted redraft options.  

Alternatively, there are more than a few players who are already playing that should draw consideration from fantasy managers. That’s not to say Jeanty, Hampton, or Henderson should be ignored. But it’s important for fantasy managers to know that there are other options available.  

Editor's Note: Identify fantasy football draft busts, overvalued ADPs, and key players to avoid so you can draft with confidence this season.

Bijan Robinson – Atlanta Falcons 

Robinson began his career by scoring eight times (four rushing, four receiving). While his efforts weren’t enough to claim the Rookie of the Year award, fantasy managers were satisfied with the result. Naturally, the expectations were even higher for Robinson in his second season.

The only players in @NFL history to record 2,400 rushing yards and 100 receptions in their first two seasons:

Edgerrin James
LaDainian Tomlinson
Bijan Robinson 😤 pic.twitter.com/5StMFwEMaI

— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) July 7, 2025

The former Texas Longhorn got off to a relatively slow start. He had only five touchdowns in the initial nine contests while surpassing 100 rushing yards once. Yet, Robinson turned it around in the Falcons’ last eight contests by accumulating 10 rushing touchdowns, with six occurring in the last three games.

Additionally, he had four games in that span where he ran for over 100 yards, which included a career-high 170 in the finale versus the Carolina Panthers.  With two seasons in the books, Robinson will begin his third season in the National Football League. Without question, he’s a unanimous first-round draft choice in any fantasy format, particularly since he can make noise on the run and as a receiver.

The 23-year-old also had his share of Red Zone opportunities last season. That is expected to continue. It’s scary to think of how much better he’ll get in the years ahead, making him arguably the top fantasy back going.  

Chase Brown – Cincinnati Bengals 

The Cincinnati Bengals had one of the most dominant offenses last season. The unit, led by signal-caller Joe Burrow, an MVP candidate, averaged 27.8 points per game, the seventh-best in the National Football League. Cincinnati didn’t rely on the run very much, amassing only 22.4 attempts per contest. But with Burrow under center, the Bengals’ offense led the way through the air by logging 272.9 yards per game.  

It is obvious that wideouts Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, who both received new contracts this offseason, were pivotal to the club’s success from a receiving standpoint. Mike Gesicki, who also re-signed, and Andrei Iosivas each had intermittent flashes of production. However, running back Chase Brown played a significant role in the Bengals’ excellence on the offensive side of the ball.  

Chuba Hubbard joined Rueben Mayes as the only two Canadians to hit 1k rushing yards in a single season. Will Chase Brown be the next? 🇨🇦 pic.twitter.com/WccPA0lOXM

— NFL Canada (@NFLCanada) July 5, 2025

The 2023 No. 163 overall pick had a quiet rookie year behind Joe Mixon. But with Mixon getting traded to the Houston Texans ahead of last season, there was an opening atop the depth chart. Brown was overshadowed by Zack Moss to begin the 2024-25 campaign.

Yet, the situation changed as the year progressed, with Brown eventually claiming the No. 1 spot in the backfield. In the end, he finished the season by falling 10 yards shy of 1,000 while gathering 54 receptions for 360 yards. Even better, Brown found the end zone 11 times. 

Moving into the season, Moss is off the roster. The team brought back Samaje Perine, a capable pass-catcher, and added Texas Tech’s Tahj Brooks via the 2025 NFL Draft. Still, it appears Brown will remain the featured option at the running back position for one of the NFL's most explosive offenses, making him an ideal addition to any dynasty roster. 

Kyren Williams – Los Angeles Rams 

Williams is coming off another quality year. Yes, it could have been better, especially since he averaged nearly one yard less per attempt. Even so, he did a lot of good things, including combining for 16 touchdowns (14 rushing, two receiving) while accumulating a career-high 1,299 rushing yards.  

Entering the 2024 campaign, there were rumblings about a one-two punch out of the backfield, which would have featured Williams and rookie Blake Corum. However, that never happened as intended. In fact, Corum got only 58 carries compared to the 316 that Williams received, with only Derrick Henry and Saquon Barkley finishing with more. 

Corum should be more involved in his sophomore season, and there is certainly a good chance that Williams won’t have more than 300 carries. But Williams should remain LA’s go-to choice in the Red Zone, particularly since he led the league with 14 touchdowns inside the 20-yard line last season. He’s also still young enough to round out any dynasty roster.  

James Cook – Buffalo Bills 

Cook had an uneventful rookie year. He followed that up by exceeding the 1,000-yard rushing mark in his sophomore campaign. However, the 25-year-old was a nightmare for opposing defenses in 2024-25, finishing the season by garnering 1,009 yards off 207 touches and catching 32 passes for 258 yards.

He also scored 18 times, doubling his total from his first two years in the National Football League. The Bills are desperately hoping to win a championship. The first step the franchise made to possibly make that a reality was by signing quarterback Josh Allen to a record-breaking six-year, $330 million contract.

Obviously, the team’s success is mostly dependent on Allen. Even so, Cook’s role in the offense can’t be understated, even more so since Allen doesn’t have any consistently productive wideouts on the roster.  He’s looking for a new deal. With that said, it’s hard to imagine him not getting one, keeping him in Buffalo for years to come while possibly giving dynasty managers plenty of productive seasons moving forward.  

Tyrone Tracy Jr. - New York Giants 

Saquon Barkley left for the Philadelphia Eagles, leaving the team without a No. 1 running back. As such, Devin Singletary signed a three-year contract with the New York Giants in March 2024. The franchise then bolstered the position even more by selecting Tracy in the fifth round of that year’s NFL Draft. Through the first four weeks of the 2024-25 season, Singletary led the way, accumulating 190 snaps compared to the rookie’s 66.

Unfortunately, Singletary suffered a groin strain, keeping him off the field for the Week 5 and Week 6 matchups versus the Seahawks and Bengals. After that point, there was no looking back, with Tracy doing enough to solidify his place atop the depth chart. Although Singletary was back in the equation upon his return, it was clear who the top option was at the position. After 17 games, Tracy would go on to finish with 839 rushing yards and add 284 yards on the receiving end. He also scored six times.  

I'm team Tyrone Tracy > Cam Skattebo

— Frank Ammirante (@FAmmiranteTFJ) June 19, 2025

With a quality season behind Tracy, he’ll enter the 2025-26 campaign as the team’s starting running back, at least for now. Singletary shouldn’t pose much of a threat to unseat him from his position. On the other hand, Cam Skattebo, the 2025 No. 105 overall pick, is worth watching. Skattebo could easily find himself surpassing Singletary for reps. It may not be during training camp, but it might happen as the season progresses.

With that said, it’s Tracy’s job to lose, and he should remain the G-Men's bell cow until he shows signs that he can’t be, although it still wouldn’t be a bad idea to add Skattebo for insurance purposes.  

Breece Hall – New York Jets 

Hall had a ton of hype entering the National Football League. He began his career by finding the end zone five times in 2022. Sadly, his inaugural year ended abruptly after he tore his ACL in Week 7. Despite the injury, Hall came back with a vengeance in 2023, falling only six yards shy of the 1,000-yard mark while collecting 76 receptions for 591 yards. Additionally, he totaled nine touchdowns.  

As a result, the ceiling was higher for the former Iowa State Cyclone heading into 2024, so much so that he was considered a first-round draft pick within the fantasy community. However, Hall fell somewhat short of expectations by regressing from a statistical standpoint, specifically, rushing yards (876), receiving yards (483), catches (57), and yards per carry (4.2). Granted, he had nearly as many touchdowns as the year before. Still, Hall wasn’t even a top-15 fantasy running back in standard or PPR formats. 

In his defense, the entire team struggled, with head coach Robert Saleh getting the boot in October. Jeff Ulbrich took over with the interim tag, although he didn’t do much better steering the ship, winning only three of his 12 games at the helm. With a messy season in the rear-view mirror, Aaron Glenn, who was previously the Lions’ defensive coordinator, is now the new head coach. Veteran signal-caller Aaron Rodgers is also no longer under center after two uneventful seasons. Instead, Justin Fields will take over after stints with the Chicago Bears and Pittsburgh Steelers.  

Breece Hall’s redemption arc: Can the New York Jets star defy doubters after a turbulent season? https://t.co/iN91ZACTr6

— M Sports (@MSports_all) July 7, 2025

Naturally, Hall’s fantasy stock has fallen since this time last year, although there's reason to believe he’s due to get back on track in 2025. Glenn brought Lions’ passing game coordinator Tanner Engstrand with him to the Big Apple. While it’s unknown how Engstrand will run the offense, it’s possible he may utilize Hall the same way Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs has been used over the years.  

That may mean more pass-catching opportunities for Hall, which would elevate his PPR potential. It’s also reasonable to assume he will get his share of touches, especially with Fields having issues with accuracy throughout his career. All that considered, Hall is young, which is always a plus for dynasty purposes. Although there are many who aren’t convinced about his potential for a bounce-back year, a new (quality) coaching staff could be all that is needed for him to return to the elite category.  

As of now, Hall has one more season left on his contract before he’s due to hit free agency next offseason. A change of scenery could go in either direction. Yet, his biggest issue is his health, considering he’s battled knee issues. If Hall can stay on the field, he has all the potential in the world to do great things for dynasty managers regardless of what team he suits up for.  

Isiah Pacheco – Kansas City Chiefs 

Pacheco looked good in his first two seasons. He appeared in 31 regular-season contests, totaling 14 touchdowns. The former Scarlet Knight also narrowly missed the 1,000-yard rushing mark in his sophomore season.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t an ideal year for Pacheco in 2024, seeing as a fractured fibula limited him to only seven games. Undoubtedly, the injury took its toll, with Pacheco finishing 2024-25 with only one visit to the end zone. After the disastrous season, his fantasy value can’t get much lower. Still, Pacheco currently sits atop the depth chart and should be due for a better year.  

It may be difficult for him to match the level of production he had early in his career. He also has Kareem Hunt, Elijah Mitchell, and Brashard Smith breathing down his neck for snaps. Hunt should stay in the picture.

However, Pacheco is worth considering in dynasty drafts after guys like Robinson, Jeanty, and Gibbs are off the board. At only 26 years old, he should have at least a few more solid seasons on the horizon, assuming he stays healthy. It also may be beneficial for fantasy managers to add Smith, who may fit in well in Kansas City.  

Jahmyr Gibbs – Detroit Lions 

There weren’t many running backs more dominant than Gibbs last season. The dude did it all; he accumulated 1,412 yards on the run, adding 517 yards on the receiving end. He also had 20 touchdowns.

NFL executives, scouts, and coaches ranked Jahmyr Gibbs as the 3rd best RB in the NFL behind Derrick Henry and Saquon Barkley, per @espn

👀🔥 pic.twitter.com/k47TgsAArX

— 𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔇𝔢𝔱𝔯𝔬𝔦𝔱 𝔗𝔦𝔪𝔢𝔰 📰 (@the_det_times) July 7, 2025

With his third season on the horizon, will Gibbs be able to surpass his statistical contributions from last year? Amon-Ra St. Brown could command at least 150 targets. Jameson Williams will also need attention from Jared Goff after eclipsing the 1,000-yard receiving mark. Then, there’s Sam LaPorta, a player aiming to return to form. 

The Lions’ backfield is unchanged heading into September, with David Montgomery and Craig Reynolds still on the roster. But it’s logical to assume Montgomery could see fewer than the 185 carries he received last season, even if he stays off the injury report. Either way, Gibbs is in the running to be among the best fantasy backs going, and that isn’t expected to change anytime soon.  

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