While Keanu Reeves did not make a celebrity appearance to announce Dontayvion as the new member of the John Wick series, the 1,780th episode of The Fantasy Footballers was full of goodness. With the first full preseason weekend in the books, the Ballers gave us their top-20 ranked RBs in half-PPR, starting with RBs 20-11 on Monday. They continued on Tuesday by breaking down RBs 10-1.
To hear the Ballers’ complete breakdown of RBs 10-1, head here to watch the episode on YouTube!
A reminder that Andy, Mike, and Jason are now back to shows FIVE days a week until the end of the season, so make sure to find The Fantasy Footballers Podcast on all of your devices.
For a deeper dive into the RB rankings, check out the UDK, and a reminder that The Ballers update their rankings daily, so check the most up-to-date rankings here.
What Makes a Top-10 Fantasy RB?
The three main criteria for RBs to finish in the top 20 at the position are a high workload (18+ opportunities a game), nine total TDs (rushing + receiving), and to be on a winning team (9.4 wins). This is especially true and amplified for the top 10 RBs. Let’s dive in.
10. Josh Jacobs (GB) Age: 27.5
Andy: 8/Mike: 11/Jason: 12
Sleeper ADP: RB9 / 2.08
Jacobs finished at RB5 last year. Jason added a fourth checkbox to the criteria list for top RBs: having injury-prone, unproven RBs behind him on the depth chart. Jacobs checks this box with Marshawn Lloyd unable to stay healthy so far in his young career. Josh Jacobs will be a workhorse for a good offense in 2025.
He is a tackle-breaking machine, clocking the highest percentage of yards after contact on this list at 58% in 2024. He had the fourth-most carries, fourth-most red zone touches, and led the NFL with 14 TDs inside the 10-yard line.
The Packers have been a high-powered offense under Matt LaFleur. Before Jacobs arrived, however, only 24% of their TDs came on the ground, but last year, that number jumped to 45%. The concern for Jacobs could be the rushing TDs swinging back to 2023 levels if Jordan Love and his receiving corps stay healthy. It is certainly possible that those numbers jumped because Jacobs was there. He is also an every-other-year type of guy, finishing as the RB 18, 8, 14, 3, 27, and 5 in the last six seasons. That trend would suggest a down year in 2025.
First Four Matchups: DET/WAS/@CLE/@DAL
9. Chase Brown (CIN) Age: 25.3
Andy: 12/Mike: 8/Jason: 8
Sleeper ADP: RB 12 / 3.05
Brown finished as the RB14 last year, after starting the year behind Zack Moss on the depth chart. Once he got the starting job, he did not look back. From Week 9 on, he was the RB5 in fantasy. Only Saquon Barkley saw more total opportunities per game in that span.
The Bengals have invested heavily in their offensive weapons and project to roll out a sub-par defense again. This combination leads to fantasy gold for all players involved. Brown had 65 targets, which turned into 54 receptions for 360 yards and four TDs. Expect that number to rise in 2025, as he was on pace for 94 targets after becoming the starter. Mike compared him to prime Austin Ekeler, an elite pass-catcher who is capable between the tackles. Similar to Jacobs above, Brown checks the fourth box of non-threatening backups behind him.
One of the only knocks on Brown last year were his efficiency stats. Among 46 qualifying RBs with 100+ carries, he was 33rd in yards after contact per attempt and 26th in forced missed tackles per attempt. He was also a fifth-round pick in the NFL draft, so his name recognition does carry as much clout.
First Four Matchups: @CLE/JAX/@MIN/@DEN
8. Bucky Irving (TB) Age: 22.9
Andy: 9/Mike: 9/Jason: 11
Sleeper ADP: RB8 / 2.08
Irving is coming off a successful rookie season, where he finished as the RB15, and, like most rookies, it took some time to get the snaps and opportunities needed to produce big numbers. Once he did, he was the RB7 from Week 10 on, averaging 17.9 fantasy points per game in that span. He was only seeing 30% of Tampa Bay’s total rushing attempts + targets, so there is plenty of room for improvement.
Among 46 RBs with 100+ carries, Irving ranked 5th in yards per carry at 5.42, 7th in explosive rush rate, and 3rd in forced missed tackles per attempt. He is truly an explosive and elusive RB on a quality offense.
Irving is only 195 pounds, so durability could be a concern. Rashaad White is currently injured, and Bucky should be called upon for a much larger workload this season. White, who finished as RB24 himself, is not expected to miss any games, however. He will continue to have a role, and there is a capable backup in Sean Tucker.
Both Tampa Bay RBs benefited from Liam Coen’s offensive scheme in 2024, who has moved on to Duvaaal. At 22 years old, a top-five season is not out of the range of possibilities for the young Buck.
First Four Matchups: @ATL/@HOU/NYJ/PHI
7. De’Von Achane (MIA) Age: 23.8
Andy: 7/Mike: 7/Jason: 6
Sleeper ADP: RB7 / 2.03
Achane is basically a slot WR in an RB’s body; he was the RB7 last year by way of 78 receptions, the most of any RB. Achane might not check all three boxes if the Dolphins aren’t good this year. But it might not matter with the amount of volume he receives in the passing game.
The risk is less about Miami’s win total and more about QB Tua Tagovailoa’s health. Achane averaged a measly 7.7 points per game without Tua, and a whopping 19.5 points per game with him. His tie to Tua’s health is a little scary.
He has not shown an ability to get into the endzone on the ground inside the red zone. He managed only three rushing TDs on 15 attempts inside the five-yard line. They drafted a bigger back in Ollie Gordon in the sixth round of the NFL draft, possibly to fill that goal-line role. Achane has put on muscle in the offseason, so positive TD regression could be in store with better goal-line efficiency.
Jason is the highest of the Ballers at six, and believes he can finish in the top three.
First Four Matchups: @IND/NE/@BUF/NYJ
6. Ashton Jeanty (LV) Age: 21.7
Andy: 4/Mike: 5/Jason: 7
Sleeper ADP: RB5 / 1.12
The highest rookie drafted in the NFL is the highest rookie being drafted in fantasy football. Jeanty was the sixth overall pick in the NFL draft after a ridiculous college career at Boise State, and his production profile bounces off the page like he bounced off of defenders in the Mountain West Conference.
First-round RBs rarely fail. And first-round RBs who exceeded 20% of their team’s receiving yards in a college season have a 100% hit rate. That list includes Christian McCaffrey, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Ashton Jeanty.
Is he worth a first-round pick in fantasy? Coming from a smaller conference, Jeanty will need to adjust to the size and speed of NFL players. And he lands on the Raiders, who were dead last in expected points added per rush last season. Part of that had to do with talent at the RB position, but the whole offense was a mess in 2024. Can Jeanty overcome those obstacles with his massive talent? Don’t base it on his first preseason showing.
First Four Matchups: @NE/LAC/@WAS/CHI
5. Derrick Henry (BAL) Age: 31.8
Andy: 5/Mike: 6/Jason: 4
Sleeper ADP: RB4 / 1.09
Long live the king.
Henry was the RB2 last year, with 19.2 points per game. He is back on the same great team, with a projected win total of 11.5. When the Ravens are ahead, they feed Henry the rock. And he eats.
He had the highest yards per carry in the NFL at 5.9. He saw 91% of the teams’ carries inside the five – also the highest in the NFL. He had one of the most consistent fantasy seasons of his career, only busting in 6% of games.
If you are not concerned about his age (which you probably shouldn’t be), the only other question mark is the chance of Baltimore regressing in 2025. Vegas does not think so. But even if the Ravens win 12+ games, it’s possible they will not be leading as much as they were last year. If this is the case, they may rely on Lamar Jackson to throw more. Henry can catch passes, but that is not where he shines.
Like Jason said, “Some person is built differently. And that person is Derrick Henry.”
First Four Matchups: @BUF/CLE/DET/@KC
4. Jahmyr Gibbs (DET) Age: 23.3
Andy: 3/Mike: 4/Jason: 5
Sleeper ADP: RB3 / 1.06
Gibbs had 20 TDs on just 302 touches in 2024, on his way to the RB3 overall. This is after an RB10 finish in his rookie year. Gibbs improved on every single metric in his sophomore season, and was number one in explosive rush rate at 10% – a threat to make a house call on any play.
As he enters his third season in his prime, there are some question marks about the Lions. The offensive line lost a couple of key pieces from last year, and OC Ben Johnson moved on to Chicago. But Gibbs is so electric with the ball in his hands, he might not even need an offensive line.
The other concern is how much work David Montgomery will get; Detroit will continue to use a thunder and lightning approach in the backfield as long as Monty is healthy. Gibbs is clearly the more talented player, so the split might lean more in his direction this year.
First Four Matchups: @GB/CHI/@BAL/CLE
3. Christian McCaffrey (SF) Age: 29.2
Andy: 6/Mike: 1/Jason: 3
Sleeper ADP: RB6 / 2.02
CMC gets a bump in the rankings due to Mike’s unconditional love for the former number one RB. We have somewhat of a Goldilocks situation on our hands with Andy ranking him the lowest at six, and Jason “just right” at three.
We don’t have to guess what’s behind the door, because we already know CMC is a yacht; but this yacht has sunk many a fantasy team more than once. He missed the first eight games last season and only played in four. He is reportedly healthy this offseason and ready for a bounce-back year, which he has also done before.
The 49ers have a cake-walk schedule (favored in 15 of 17 games) and will lean heavily on CMC in the running and passing games. If he stays healthy, there is no reason he can’t return to the overall RB1 he once was.
If your mantra is “Don’t play scared,” like Mike, then CMC is your man.
First Four Matchups: @SEA/@NO/ARI/JAX
2. Saquon Barkley (PHI) Age: 28.5
Andy: 2/Mike: 3/Jason: 2
Sleeper ADP: RB1 / 1.02
The overall RB1 last year, Barkley won many people their fantasy leagues with 21.2 points per game. Not taking him first or second this year might just be overthinking it. He finally joined a great team after years in New York, and the result was a fantasy jackpot and a Super Bowl ring.
Philadelphia returns with the number one ranked offensive line by PFF, and the Eagles have a projected win total of 11.5. 66% of Barkley’s rushing yards came before contact last year because the line was so dominant. We have seen multiple RBs shine in Philly, only to burn out behind worse offensive lines (D’Andre Swift and Miles Sanders come to mind).
Barkley hasn’t fallen off the age cliff, but the massive workload he saw in 2024 undoubtedly added some wear and tear to the tires. But he was explosive, having 12 TDs of 10+ yards last year. This is one less than his previous six seasons in New York, combined. He had a modest receiving load with 33 catches for 278 yards and two scores, and these numbers could go up if the Eagles are in more close games this year.
First Four Matchups: DAL/@KC/LAR/@TB
1. Bijan Robinson (ATL) Age: 23.5
Andy: 1/Mike: 2/Jason: 1
Sleeper ADP: RB2 / 1.03
There isn’t much to dislike about Bijan going into 2025. He finished as the RB4 last year and had the highest success rate (60.2%) of any RB with 250+ carries in history. He clearly passes the eye test.
He was a model of consistency from Week 6 on, scoring 17+ points in all but one game in that stretch. The only other RB to accomplish that stat was CMC in 2019, when he lapped the field in fantasy.
Now, the Atlanta Falcons are not exactly a juggernaut. They have a projected win total of 7.5 (below our desired threshold), and they open with a tough schedule (underdogs in their first six games). But Robinson will be the focal point of their offense, and he is game-script proof. If Michael Penix Jr. and the Falcons outperform expectations and get to 10 wins, you will be ecstatic that you took Bijan as your first pick.
First Four Matchups: TB/@MIN/@CAR/WSH
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