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Joey's 2025 NFL season predictions for running backs. His projections for every 1,000-yard rusher for fantasy football, including Jahmyr Gibbs, Ashton Jeanty, and more.
A 17-game season has made it easier to achieve, but rushing for 1,000 yards is still an important goal for running backs. With many NFL teams opting to go running back by committee, three-down backs are few and far between in today's NFL. But not all hope is lost: 16 running backs ran for over 1,000 yards in 2024, and there could be even more this coming year.
Workhorses like Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry will reach 1,000 rushing yards again if they can avoid injury. But players stepping into starting roles (Javonte Williams), coming off injuries (Kenneth Walker III), or just entering the NFL (Ashton Jeanty) have a chance to hit the mark as well.
So, which running backs will rush for 1,000 yards in 2025? Should fantasy managers target these players in drafts? Let's dive in and find out.
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Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles
The reigning NFL rushing champ, Barkley, became just the ninth running back in league history to rush for over 2,000 yards in a season. In his first season behind the Eagles' exceptional offensive line, the former Penn State RB stayed healthy and averaged a career-best 5.8 yards per carry on 345 carries, a jaw-dropping rate of efficiency.
In 2025, not much has changed. The Eagles offensive line remains strong, and Barkley's backups, AJ Dillon and Will Shipley, are not major threats to his workload. Expect Barkley to easily clear 1,000 yards again, even if 2,000 is probably off the table.
Derrick Henry, Baltimore Ravens
Like Barkley, Henry was a veteran back on a new team in 2024. And also like Barkley, that new situation proved ideal for the running back, who had a massive year. Henry gained 1,921 yards on 325 carries, thriving behind the Ravens' strong run-blocking and the presence of Lamar Jackson.
Henry may be 31 years old, but he doesn't appear to have lost a step at all, and he's been taking great care of his body. Although Jackson is also a big part of the Ravens' running game, Henry will be a workhorse again in 2025 and hit 1,000 yards easily.
Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons
Following a rookie year in which he shared carries with Tyler Allgeier, Robinson was given the keys in 2024 and enjoyed a breakout second season. He rushed for 1,456 yards on 304 carries, becoming a reliable anchor for an inconsistent Falcons offense.
Bijan Robinson already has an elite highlight reel pic.twitter.com/QGxWnItSex
— Rise Up Walker (@RiseUpReader) July 3, 2025
With Michael Penix Jr. now starting at quarterback for the Falcons, the offense as a whole should improve, which is great news for Robinson. With defenses potentially unable to load the box against Atlanta, Robinson could run wild in 2025. He has the potential to hit a career-high in rushing yards and possibly even lead the league.
Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions
Gibbs spent most of 2024 as part of a two-man backfield with David Montgomery, and both were incredibly productive. However, in Week 15, Montgomery suffered an MCL injury that kept him out until the playoffs. Gibbs took the opportunity and ran with it, showing that he could still produce with a heavier workload.
For the year, Gibbs ran for 1,412 yards on just 250 carries, averaging an exceptional 5.6 yards per carry. While Montgomery remains in Detroit, so does run-first head coach Dan Campbell and arguably the league's best offensive line. Barring injury, Gibbs is hitting 1,000 yards again.
Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts
While he struggled with inconsistency at times, Taylor ended the year with a bang. He topped 100 yards in his last four games, including 177- and 208-yard performances, while rushing for six touchdowns in that stretch. For the year, Taylor gained 1,431 rushing yards on 303 carries.
With the Colts' quarterback situation looking more and more unstable, Taylor appears to be in line for a giant workload. The team's offensive line lost two starters to free agency, but remains a good unit on paper. Taylor is another contender to lead the league in rushing in 2025.
Josh Jacobs, Green Bay Packers
In his first season in Green Bay, Jacobs immediately established himself as an important part of Matt LaFleur's offense. Jacobs rushed for 1,329 yards on 301 carries, helping the Packers make the playoffs despite the passing game struggling at times. While the selection of wideout Matthew Golden in the first round means that might not be the case this year, Jacobs will continue to produce at an RB1 level.
With Jacobs' former backup, AJ Dillon, off to Philadelphia, incumbents Emanuel Wilson and MarShawn Lloyd are minimal threats to vulture touches. Pencil in the former Alabama back for another 1,000-yard season.
Bucky Irving, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
A fourth-round rookie out of Oregon, Irving unseated starter Rachaad White and emerged as one of the league's most effective running backs. As 2024 went on, Irving got the ball more and more and continued to impress. He gained 1,122 yards on just 207 carries, which was the fewest of any 1,000-yard rusher last season.
His vision and wiggle were both outstanding -- Irving ranked sixth in the NFL with 57 missed tackles forced. Although White is still around, Irving has supplanted him, and his superior rushing ability should help him to clear 1,000 yards again.
Chuba Hubbard, Carolina Panthers
Just a couple of seasons ago, Hubbard was an afterthought in a crowded Panthers backfield. Now, he's the unquestioned starter, having rushed for 1,000 yards for the first time and signed a four-year contract extension. His 1,195 yards came on 250 carries, meaning he averaged an impressive 4.8 yards per carry.
With Jonathon Brooks out for the year, free-agent signing Rico Dowdle is the only real competition Hubbard has, which means the backfield is practically all his. With the Panthers offense on the rise, expect Hubbard to have another 1,000-yard season in 2025 as the team's lead running back.
Chase Brown, Cincinnati Bengals
Initially expected to share the Bengals backfield with Zack Moss, Brown took over and became a workhorse when Moss suffered a season-ending injury in Week 8. Brown ran for 990 yards on 229 carries despite missing a game, and showed he could perform well as a three-down back.
CHASE BROWN TOUCHDOWN 😤
Potential dagger for the Bengals
(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/aNxco8lEIO
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 14, 2024
As a part of an amazing Bengals offense, Brown should continue to see a lot of work in what is one of the best situations in the NFL for a running back. For the first time in his NFL career, Brown is in a great position to rush for 1,000 yards in a season.
D'Andre Swift, Chicago Bears
Despite receiving 253 carries in 2024, Swift still failed to top 1,000 yards. And while some of that blame can be placed on him, a lot of it was due to the sheer ineptitude of the Bears offense. With Ben Johnson taking over as head coach, that will not be the case this season. If anyone can get the most out of Swift, it's him, and the Bears' improved offensive line will also be a big help.
Best of all, Swift remains the clear starter, as backup Roschon Johnson and rookie Kyle Monangai should not threaten his workload significantly. As a lead back in a great situation, expect Swift to return to form with a big season in 2025.
Ashton Jeanty, Las Vegas Raiders
Jeanty was a one-man army in his final season at Boise State. The Heisman runner-up ran for over 2,600 yards and helped the Broncos secure a top-4 seed in the College Football Playoff. His elusiveness, combined with incredible toughness and power, made him nearly impossible to tackle; his 163 forced missed tackles were easily the most of any incoming draft prospect.
Now joining the Raiders, who selected him sixth overall in the draft, Jeanty has little to no competition for backfield touches. And with Geno Smith now at QB, the offense should be much better than it was last season. The sky's the limit for the highly touted rookie.
Omarion Hampton, Los Angeles Chargers
Another first-round rookie, and another player I predict to start his career with a 1,000-yard season. Hampton is a freakish athlete -- at 221 pounds, he ran a 4.46 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. He was also incredibly productive at North Carolina, rushing for over 1,500 yards in both his sophomore and junior seasons.
His competition for carries, free-agent signing Najee Harris, appeared to be out of gas last year in Pittsburgh. That makes the backfield ripe for the taking, and Hampton can put his three-down skill set to use in Greg Roman's run-first offense.
De'Von Achane, Miami Dolphins
Achane was a big part of the Dolphins offense in 2024 as a runner and receiver. The second-year back totaled nearly 1,500 yards from scrimmage, but just missed out on 1,000 rushing yards. But there is reason to believe he'll reach that summit this season. Raheem Mostert is out of the picture, meaning Achane will have little competition for touches.
DEVON ACHANE 67-YARD TD
THE DOLPHINS HAVE 70 POINTS.
📺: #DENvsMIA on CBS
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/UQdQ05hqXN pic.twitter.com/bZOSLxVaoa— NFL (@NFL) September 24, 2023
The Dolphins also addressed the trenches in the NFL Draft, so the offensive line could improve in 2025. If Achane stays healthy and continues to earn a three-down workload, he will clear 1,000 yards for the first time.
James Conner, Arizona Cardinals
The annual tradition of overlooking Conner from both an NFL and fantasy football standpoint is genuinely baffling. The guy can play and has shown that every year he's been healthy. Conner racked up 1,094 rushing yards on 236 carries in 2024, averaging a very good 4.6 yards per carry, and the Cardinals missed him dearly when he got hurt in Week 16.
Conner holds a three-down role in the Arizona backfield despite his injury history and age -- he's going into his age-30 season in 2025. But the savvy vet has continued to produce as he's aged, and you can expect him to do so again this year.
Kenneth Walker III, Seattle Seahawks
Nobody is questioning Walker's ability on the football field, but the young running back has struggled to stay healthy in his NFL career. He has missed at least two games in every year of his career and missed six games last season. But he's entering a contract year, which means Walker has it all to play for. And new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak is the perfect man to get the most out of Walker.
Indeed, Zach Charbonnet is still around to be a vulture, but Walker has a three-down skill set. And if he stays healthy and is fully utilized, the fourth-year man from Michigan State could be looking at his second career 1,000-yard season.
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