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Dave's dynasty fantasy football running back rankings for Saquon Barkley, De'Von Achane, and Breece Hall. Where do these RBs rank among all dynasty running backs?
Dynasty startup drafts are in full swing. There’s nothing that quite matches the dopamine hit and adrenaline rush of beginning a new dynasty draft.
As any good dynasty manager knows, running backs are critical elements when it comes to building a perennial contender. Some of the top backs available in startup drafts this year are Saquon Barkley, De'Von Achane, and Breece Hall. All three are worthy of a spot on any dynasty roster, but how do they each stack up in the pantheon of dynasty running backs? Let’s take a few minutes today and talk about each player.
Make sure you’re following RotoBaller on X, and check out RotoBaller.com for all your fantasy football needs. Let’s discuss and rank Barkley, Achane, and Hall.
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Saquon Barkley Dynasty Ranking Analysis
Wow. What else can you say about Barkley’s 2024? He led the NFL with 2,005 rushing yards and became the ninth player in NFL history to break the 2,000-yard mark.
SAQUON ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!
📺: #WASvsPHI on FOX
📱: Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/26534Ls9Mx— NFL (@NFL) January 26, 2025
THE 180 HURDLE??? DID SAQUON JUST INVENT THIS?!
📺: #JAXvsPHI on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqG pic.twitter.com/tYThjnbdgG— NFL (@NFL) November 3, 2024
Some of his advanced metrics were also very strong. Barkley finished second in Next Gen Stats rush yards over expected (RYOE), second in rush yards over expected per attempt (RYOE/ATT), and was PFF’s 11th-highest-graded rusher. It was truly a career year for Barkley, topped off with a Super Bowl victory.
Normally after a season like this, Barkley’s dynasty value would be very secure. However, Barkley enters his age-28 season in 2025. This complicates matters a bit. 28 is an older age for a running back and Barkley had some injury issues in the past.
Luckily, he plays behind one of the league’s top offensive lines and is surrounded by an abundance of talent. Philadelphia also recently handed him a contract extension that makes him the highest-paid running back in NFL history, so the team doesn’t appear to be worried about Barkley’s game falling off a cliff.
He is currently seen as a nearly unanimous top-five dynasty running back. However, his status in the top five is thinner than most backs, given his age and the abundance of young, talented running backs available in the 2025 NFL Draft. Barkley’s dynasty value is secure for now, but at his age, he is just one major injury away from potentially tumbling down rankings. Short of that, Barkley is a talented enough player that he may continue playing at a high level well into his 30s.
De'Von Achane Dynasty Ranking Analysis
Achane regressed a bit as a rusher in his sophomore season. Some regression from his rookie year was inevitable, as Achane averaged an insane 7.8 yards per carry in 2023. However, his yards per carry dropped slightly more than expected, and some of his advanced metrics were not great.
Achane was near the top of almost every advanced rushing metric in 2023, but 2024 was a different story. Among 46 backs with 100+ carries, he only finished 44th in RYOE and 36th in PFF's elusive rating. Miami’s offensive line was a mess in 2024, and bad offensive line play has a way of skewing running back metrics. Achane still looked to have plenty of burst and still displayed that same game-breaking speed we all fell in love with in 2023.
🎥 De'Von Achane calls game with the biggest touchdown run of the season 💨 (@NFL) #GoFins https://t.co/z1QEhfhURe pic.twitter.com/oP9oHKuVu0
— FinsXtra (@FinsXtra) December 23, 2024
While his rushing totals weren’t quite what gamers wanted, his work as a receiver really helped him stand out. Achane set career highs in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns. This would help him finish 2024 as the PPR RB5.
Like Barkley, Achane is currently locked in as a top-five dynasty running back. Miami cut ties with veteran Raheem Mostert this offseason, and that leaves Achane as the team’s clear-cut RB1. They will likely add another back in the NFL Draft, but this should be of little concern to his fantasy value. His receiving role gives him a very safe floor.
If his efficiency numbers bounce back in 2025, then Achane has a realistic chance to finish as the overall RB1. Gamers should select him as one of the first backs off the board in startup drafts and reap the rewards.
Breece Hall Dynasty Ranking Analysis
The 2024 season was an extremely disappointing one for Hall. Seen as a consensus top-3 dynasty back entering the year, Hall was expected to have a strong season as he was two years removed from the ACL injury he suffered as a rookie. Sadly, things didn’t exactly pan out.
Hall only ran for 876 rushing yards and posted a career-low 4.2 yards per carry. Some of his advanced metrics weren’t much better. Among 46 backs with 100+ carries, Hall finished 36th in Fantasy Points Data Suite’s missed tackles forced per attempt (MTF/ATT), 28th in RYOE, and 28th in RYOE/ATT. Perhaps most disappointing, Hall’s receiving work also took a step back. His targets, receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns were all down from his 2023 numbers.
It’s hard to say exactly what went wrong for Hall last year. Perhaps it was the team’s poor offensive line or the general dysfunction of the Jets' offense. Maybe he just had a bad year. 2024 wasn’t great, but Hall is still a talented player.
Breece Hall 🤝 snow game
🔥36 Carries
🔥174 Yards
🔥Touchdown
pic.twitter.com/PX4qGNaFR5— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) January 7, 2024
He enters the final year of his rookie deal in 2025, and it’s been reported the new Jets regime does not intend to offer Hall an early extension. That means he will be playing for a new contract this year. This should be plenty of motivation for him to have a career season.
Hall still has a lot of potential, but we’ve yet to see him reach his ceiling. It’s also unknown what kind of usage Hall will have with a new coaching staff in town. The regime that drafted him is gone, and there is a talented back in Braelon Allen behind him on the depth chart. The new coaching staff could choose to fully split carries between the two. Maybe they even prefer Allen.
There are some question marks surrounding Hall, but his talent still justifies taking him as a top-six back in startups. One thing is for certain: Hall needs a big 2025 season to solidify his place as a top dynasty running back. If he disappoints again, there are a plethora of incoming rookie backs who could leapfrog him in dynasty rankings.
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