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Fantasy football rankings - running backs (RB) Week 17 rankings early edition for 2025. Read the top-accuracy fantasy football RB rankings.
Having a pair of productive running backs can carry your team to the championship victory, and knowing who to start is key. We're here to guide your start-sit calls with our Week 17 fantasy football running back rankings for 2025. Below, find out where ball carriers such as Rhamondre Stevenson, Tony Pollard, Michael Carter, Tyrone Tracy Jr., Kenneth Gainwell, Aaron Jones Sr., Kyle Monangai, and more stand among all other RB options.
Our running back fantasy football rankings for Week 17 are put together by Nick Mariano. Below the rankings, you will also find a summary of the important RB fantasy football news for this week. There are always key injuries and developments to keep track of, so check back throughout the week for updates.
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Editor's Note: Stay on top of your draft prep with RotoBaller’s fantasy football rankings, featuring expert analysis, ADPs, and draft insights for both PPR and non-PPR leagues.
Week 17 Running Back Rankings for Fantasy Football
Bookmark our PPR rankings, Half-PPR rankings, and standard (non-PPR) rankings
| RB Tier |
RB Rank |
Player Name |
Pos. | Overall Rank |
| 1 | 1 | Christian McCaffrey | RB | 1 |
| 1 | 2 | Jahmyr Gibbs | RB | 3 |
| 1 | 3 | Bijan Robinson | RB | 4 |
| 1 | 4 | De'Von Achane | RB | 5 |
| 1 | 5 | James Cook III | RB | 8 |
| 1 | 6 | Saquon Barkley | RB | 10 |
| 2 | 7 | Chase Brown | RB | 11 |
| 2 | 8 | Ashton Jeanty | RB | 12 |
| 2 | 9 | Travis Etienne Jr. | RB | 14 |
| 3 | 10 | Jonathan Taylor | RB | 18 |
| 3 | 11 | Derrick Henry | RB | 19 |
| 3 | 12 | Kyren Williams | RB | 20 |
| 3 | 13 | Javonte Williams | RB | 22 |
| 3 | 14 | RJ Harvey | RB | 23 |
| 3 | 15 | Bucky Irving | RB | 25 |
| 3 | 16 | Kenneth Walker III | RB | 28 |
| 3 | 17 | Rhamondre Stevenson | RB | 29 |
| 4 | 18 | Tony Pollard | RB | 31 |
| 4 | 19 | Tyrone Tracy Jr. | RB | 37 |
| 4 | 20 | Michael Carter | RB | 39 |
| 4 | 21 | D'Andre Swift | RB | 40 |
| 4 | 22 | Jaylen Warren | RB | 41 |
| 5 | 23 | Kenneth Gainwell | RB | 42 |
| 5 | 24 | Omarion Hampton | RB | 44 |
| 5 | 25 | Josh Jacobs | RB | 51 |
| 5 | 26 | Aaron Jones Sr. | RB | 54 |
| 5 | 27 | Kyle Monangai | RB | 58 |
| 5 | 28 | Breece Hall | RB | 59 |
| 5 | 29 | Rico Dowdle | RB | 63 |
| 5 | 30 | Blake Corum | RB | 65 |
| 5 | 31 | Chris Rodriguez Jr. | RB | 69 |
| 5 | 32 | Zach Charbonnet | RB | 74 |
| 5 | 33 | Emanuel Wilson | RB | 75 |
| 5 | 34 | Woody Marks | RB | 81 |
| 5 | 35 | David Montgomery | RB | 86 |
| 6 | 36 | Tyjae Spears | RB | 88 |
| 6 | 37 | Isiah Pacheco | RB | 89 |
| 6 | 38 | Chuba Hubbard | RB | 100 |
| 6 | 39 | Samaje Perine | RB | 101 |
| 6 | 40 | Emari Demercado | RB | 102 |
| 6 | 41 | Devin Singletary | RB | 104 |
| 6 | 42 | Tyler Allgeier | RB | 115 |
| 6 | 43 | Sean Tucker | RB | 120 |
| 6 | 44 | Audric Estime | RB | 122 |
| 6 | 45 | Raheim Sanders | RB | 123 |
| 7 | 46 | Jawhar Jordan | RB | 124 |
| 7 | 47 | Jaleel McLaughlin | RB | 129 |
| 7 | 48 | Jacory Croskey-Merritt | RB | 132 |
| 7 | 49 | Dylan Sampson | RB | 134 |
| 7 | 50 | Kareem Hunt | RB | 139 |
| 7 | 51 | Keaton Mitchell | RB | 140 |
| 7 | 52 | Nick Chubb | RB | 146 |
| 7 | 53 | Rachaad White | RB | 157 |
| 7 | 54 | Ty Johnson | RB | 158 |
| 7 | 55 | Brian Robinson Jr. | RB | 163 |
| 7 | 56 | Isaiah Davis | RB | 164 |
| 7 | 57 | Malik Davis | RB | 165 |
| 7 | 58 | LeQuint Allen Jr. | RB | 166 |
| 7 | 59 | Jeremy McNichols | RB | 172 |
| 7 | 60 | Jaylen Wright | RB | 175 |
| 8 | 61 | Kyle Juszczyk | RB | 176 |
| 8 | 62 | Tank Bigsby | RB | 178 |
| 8 | 63 | Trayveon Williams | RB | 182 |
| 8 | 64 | Ollie Gordon II | RB | 200 |
| 8 | 65 | Zavier Scott | RB | 205 |
| 8 | 66 | Rasheen Ali | RB | 219 |
| 8 | 67 | Evan Hull | RB | 221 |
| 8 | 68 | D'Ernest Johnson | RB | 230 |
| 8 | 69 | Hassan Haskins | RB | 232 |
| 8 | 70 | Tyler Badie | RB | 235 |
| 8 | 71 | Raheem Mostert | RB | 238 |
| 8 | 72 | Will Shipley | RB | 240 |
| 8 | 73 | Ray Davis | RB | 242 |
| 8 | 74 | Chris Brooks | RB | 243 |
| 8 | 75 | Brashard Smith | RB | 244 |
Week 17 Running Back Rankings Outlooks
Isiah Pacheco, Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco took back over as the lead back for the Chiefs this week, stepping in ahead of veteran Kareem Hunt and taking eight carries for 34 yards while adding six catches for 41 yards in the team's loss to the Titans last week. Pacheco could be in for a heavy workload moving forward, since the team could phase out Hunt now that the playoffs are no longer a possibility.
The team could take the next two weeks to evaluate Pacheco and rookie Brashard Smith for their future roles, but Pacheco is in a brutal matchup this week against the Broncos, who have been elite against the run. Pacheco does have touchdown-dependent upside and should get a good workload, but he's still a long-shot flex play to add off the waiver wire this week due to the matchup.
Aaron Jones Sr., Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones Sr. (ankle) was listed as a limited participant on Monday's practice report. The Vikings conducted a walk-through on Monday, so this designation is based on an estimation from the team. Jones and fellow running back Jordan Mason (ankle) both exited during the first quarter of Sunday's win over the New York Giants, but unlike Mason, Jones was able to return.
The veteran ball-carrier is trending in the right direction for Week 17 against the Detroit Lions, but fantasy managers should still monitor the Vikings' upcoming practice reports for additional updates. Jones could actually take on a slightly larger role this week if Mason, who was estimated as a non-participant on Monday, doesn't suit up. As it stands, he ranks as a mid-to-low RB2.
Omarion Hampton, Los Angeles Chargers
Los Angeles Chargers rookie running back Omarion Hampton delivered in the team's 34-17 win over the Dallas Cowboys, rushing 16 times for 85 yards and a touchdown while averaging an impressive 5.3 yards per carry. Hampton handled 62% of the team's rushing attempts, especially after Kimani Vidal exited with a neck injury, and consistently showed more burst and decisiveness than his backfield mates. He also contributed as a receiver, adding a 10-yard catch.
Heading into Week 17, Hampton could see an expanded role if Vidal misses time, though Houston presents a much stiffer challenge. The Texans rank among the top seven run defenses, allowing the fifth-fewest rushing yards this season. Still, with the Chargers leaning on the ground game and Hampton's explosiveness standing out, he profiles as a volume-based RB2 with RB1 upside.
Audric Estime, New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints running back Audric Estime had a season high in touches on Sunday against the New York Jets. The 22-year-old had five carries for 19 yards, along with three catches for 17 yards on four targets. Estime was projected to be the lead back for the Saints with Alvin Kamara and Devin Neal missing time due to injuries, but was out-touched by Taysom Hill in Week 16.
Hill led the team with 12 carries in the Saints' final home game. With Kamara's status unknown in Week 17, Estime will likely split carries with Hill and Evan Hull. With a lot of mouths to feed in the Saints' backfield, Estime should only be added off the waiver wire in deeper leagues to add bench depth heading into fantasy championships.
RJ Harvey, Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos rookie running back RJ Harvey turned in the most efficient game of his season in the Week 16 34-20 loss against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Harvey had a stellar day with several explosive plays, leading to seven rushes for 50 yards and a touchdown, adding four catches on five targets for 71 receiving yards.
Averaging 11 yards per touch is no easy task, but Harvey continues to impress and did this against a defense that was dominant against the run, with the lowest average rushing yards allowed per game coming into Week 16 at just 86.3. On a short week against the defeated Kansas City Chiefs, Harvey should be able to redeem himself from his Week 11 dud when he last faced them.
Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Washington Commanders
Washington Commanders running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt saw a decreased workload in Week 16 with the return of teammate Chris Rodriguez Jr., but was still productive, scoring his second touchdown in as many games. Croskey-Merritt toted the rock just eight times (25 yards) in Washington's 29-18 loss to the Eagles on Saturday -- ten fewer carries than he sported a week ago in Rodriguez's absence.
However, he still played clearly ahead of Jeremy McNichols in the rushing attack, despite the latter pacing him in snaps 15-11. The 24-year-old may not garner the same upside he did at the beginning of the campaign, but fantasy managers in a pinch can turn to him for low-end flex production when Washington squares off with the Dallas Cowboys in Week 17.
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