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Joey's fantasy football running back breakout candidates and first-time 1,000-yard rushers for 2025, including De'Von Achane, Alvin Kamara, and more.
Rushing for 1,000 yards is a goal for many running backs entering the season. In 2024, 16 different running backs crossed the 1,000-yard threshold, and some of those running backs achieved this for the first time in their careers. Rico Dowdle, Bucky Irving, and Chuba Hubbard were some first-time 1,000 rushers last year.
With another season right around the corner, we could expect several more running backs to join the 1,000-yard rushing club. This article will feature a rookie, a few younger backs entering the prime of their careers, and a veteran who will finally obtain 1,000 rushing yards in a season.
So, which running backs will rush for 1,000 yards for the first time in their careers? Should fantasy managers target these players in drafts? Let's dive in and find out.
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Ashton Jeanty, Las Vegas Raiders
There have been plenty of rookie running backs who have rushed for 1,000 yards over the past few years. Irving (2024), Kenneth Walker III (2022), Tyler Allgeier (2022), Najee Harris (2021), Jonathan Taylor (2020), and James Robinson (2020) are the six most recent rookies to rush for 1,000 yards in their first NFL season.
Las Vegas Raiders running back Jeanty has a great chance to join that club in 2025. The Raiders selected him with the sixth overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, and Jeanty should lead this backfield throughout the year. Both backup Raheem Mostert and RB3 Sincere McCormick don't pose much of a threat to the rookie's workload this season.
FEED ASHTON JEANTY 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/AIW5ToZ3xq
— PFF Fantasy & Betting (@PFF_Fantasy) July 9, 2025
Therefore, Jeanty could absolutely rush for 1,000 yards in Year 1. He could see upward of 250 carries out of Las Vegas' backfield and has the skill set to be an effective runner right away in the NFL. The Boise State product rushed for 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns in his final season, almost passing Barry Sanders' 2,628 rushing yards college record.
With a high draft capital and limited competition for carries, it would be a major disappointment if Jeanty didn't cross the 1,000-yard mark in 2025. That also makes him a nice target early in 2025 fantasy football drafts. There hasn't been a running back hyped up this much entering their rookie season since Saquon Barkley was taken second overall in the 2018 NFL Draft.
De'Von Achane, Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins running back Achane just missed out on totaling 1,000 rush yards in each of his first two seasons. He rushed for 800 yards in 11 games as a rookie and 907 yards across 17 contests last year. If Achane didn't miss six games during his 2023 rookie campaign, he would have definitely crossed the 1,000-yard threshold.
However, this will be the year Achane finally hits 1,000 rush yards in a season. He will remain the focal point in Miami's offense and should see most of the carries out of the backfield. Although backup running back Jaylen Wright should be involved in some capacity, Achane only needs around 225 carries to surpass this mark.
He averaged a whopping 7.77 yards per carry in 2023 and then averaged 4.47 yards per carry last year. Assuming the 23-year-old finishes with around 4.5 yards per carry again in 2025, he would only need 222 carries to rush for 1,000 yards. That feels quite possible for Achane, considering he saw double-digit carries in 15 of 17 games in 2024.
As a result, Achane has a fantastic shot at reaching 1,000 rush yards for the first time in his career this season. He is the clear RB1 in this Miami backfield and has become one of the shiftiest runners in the game. Given his massive receiving upside as well, the Dolphins running back could be a strong late first-round pick in fantasy football drafts.
Chase Brown, Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals running back Brown was so close to topping the 1,000-yard threshold last season. He rushed for 990 yards across 16 games and would have totaled over 1,000 rush yards if he had played in a meaningless Week 18 game. With Brown entering his third NFL season, there's a strong possibility he reaches that mark in 2025.
Once Zack Moss went down with a season-ending injury in Week 8, it was all Brown for the remainder of the season. The 25-year-old averaged 78.9 rush yards per game from Week 9 to Week 17 while averaging 18.9 carries per game during this span. He was a true workhorse for the Bengals, and not much should change this year.
Chase Brown weekly finishes after Zack Moss went down in Week 8:
RB4
RB3
RB9
RB10
RB5
RB5
RB23
RB13No player had more top 10 finishes than Brown in Weeks 9-17
— Chris O'Brien (@17gamepace) July 9, 2025
Although Moss is returning from that neck injury and the team selected Tahj Brooks in the 2025 NFL Draft, it would be quite shocking to see Brown not dominate this backfield in carries. Moss only averaged 3.27 yards per carry in his eight games last year, and Brooks was taken in the sixth round of this year's draft. Therefore, neither poses a real threat to Brown's workload.
That should help him finish with over 1,000 rush yards for the first time in his career. He averaged 4.32 yards per carry last season and ranked in the top 20 in evaded tackles (64), juke rate (22.6%), and breakaway runs (15) among all running backs. So, it's hard to imagine Brown not reaching that threshold this year. That also makes him a solid draft pick in the third round of 2025 fantasy football drafts.
Breece Hall, New York Jets
It was a season to forget for New York Jets running back Hall in 2024. He rushed for just 876 yards and averaged a career-low 4.19 yards per carry across 16 games. Hall struggled as a runner last year, ranking outside the top 20 in true yards per carry (4.0), juke rate (20.3%), and red zone touches (30) among all running backs.
However, his situation in New York didn't help him in any way. The Jets ranked 32nd in run plays per game (21.3) and 29th in run block win rate. With the departure of Aaron Rodgers and the addition of head coach Aaron Glenn, things could look different for Hall in 2025. Glenn has reiterated several times this offseason that the Jets running back will be a significant part of the offense.
As a result, Hall could have his best season as a pro. He will remain the clear RB1 in this backfield and has the talent to rush for 1,000 yards for the first time in his career this year. Don't forget, the 24-year-old is just two years removed from rushing for 994 yards while being limited in the first games of that 2023 season.
Given his talent and the fact that New York selected Armand Membou with the seventh overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Hall is primed for a bounce-back season in 2025. That should help the 24-year-old total over 1,000 rush yards for the first time in his career. He's also worth grabbing in the third round of fantasy drafts.
Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints running back Kamara will enter his ninth NFL season in 2025. However, he has never rushed for 1,000 yards in his career. The closest he has come was last year, when he totaled 950 rushing yards on 228 carries.
It is somewhat surprising that Kamara has never rushed for 1,000 yards in a single season. He is a five-time Pro Bowler and has averaged over 4.5 yards per carry in four of his eight NFL campaigns. The biggest reason why the veteran hasn't achieved this so far in his career is likely due to his limited carries. He has totaled under 230 carries in all but one season (2021).
Seems wild that Alvin Kamara has NEVER rushed for 1,000 yards.
— Mikey - Basement Brewed FF (@BBFFMikey) July 10, 2025
Nevertheless, this is the year that Kamara finally reaches that 1,000-yard mark. He would have hit this threshold last season if he hadn't missed the final three games of the season due to a groin injury. The good news for the 29-year-old is that the team could be looking to lean on him in the run game even more.
Derek Carr retired, and the Saints will be rolling with rookie Tyler Shough or Spencer Rattler at quarterback to start the season. Additionally, backups Kendre Miller, Devin Neal, and Cam Akers pose no real threat to Kamara's workload. Therefore, the 29-year-old has a great chance to see over 250 carries while totaling over 1,000 yards this season.
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