We continue our TRUTH series by highlighting the next batch of RBs from the 2025 season. We all know about the Super RBs who made up the top 10, but what about the RB2s and RB3s who helped drive teams to fantasy championships?
The Ballers broke down the top-10 RBs from 2025, and now we highlight the best of the rest. If you are interested in hearing or reading more on the TRUTH about the top QBs of 2025, you can listen to The Ballers’ Episode 1 and Episode 2 on the topic and read Kurt Mullen’s recaps here and here. Brilliant stuff, as always!
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Running Backs Overview
I mentioned in my first TRUTH about 2025 RBs article that rushing usage has surged over the last couple of seasons. We’ve also been blessed with good health among our top RB targets, for the second straight season. In 2025, these two factors led to 17 different RBs breaking 1,000 rushing yards on the season, the most RBs to do so since 2006.
In this article, we’ll highlight some of the unexpected RB heroes of 2025, and we’ll further dig into consistency data across the position.
Before we continue with our next wave of RBs, let’s review how the TRUTH algorithm translates to fantasy performances. Our numbers today will only correlate with Weeks 1-17, with Week 18 disregarded:
- Great Games = > 21 points
- Good Games = > 12 points
- Bust Games = < 7 points
- Missed Games do not count against consistency score
11. Javonte Williams | Cowboys
Age: 25.7 | ADP: 9.07 (RB39)
Consistency Rank: 13
1st half: 11 / 2nd half: 16
| Great Games | Good Games | Bust Games |
| 13% | 56% | 19% |
Javonte was one of the biggest surprises of the season after coming off a disappointing start to his career. After finishing as RB17 in his rookie year, Williams dealt with major injuries in year two that seemed to have lingering effects into years three and four as well. We all wondered if he would ever return to the bruising back we fell in love with in the 2021 draft.
Another year removed from injury, and in a new offensive system, Williams shone as a versatile back for the Cowboys. He finished outside of the top-30 RBs only once in 2025, and he was a top-20 option 11 times. From weeks 1-8, he was the RB5, averaging 17.1 fppg. One major shift in 2025 was Williams’ effectiveness inside the 5-yard line. From 2021-2024, he converted eight total TDs inside the 5-yard line; in 2025 alone, he tallied 10. Williams was an effective rusher at all parts of the field, but he left A LOT to be desired in the receiving game. Williams turned 51 targets (a solid output) into 35 catches for just 137 yards and two TDs. His 137 yards were the fewest among any player with 50+ targets in the last 40 years!
The biggest question for Williams is whether or not Dallas will re-sign him to a longer-term deal, something Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones says is a top priority for the team this offseason. If he returns with a similar workload in 2026, Williams will be on the fringe RB1 radar once again.
12. Josh Jacobs | Packers
Age: 27.9 | ADP: 2.01 (RB7)
Consistency Rank: 10
1st half: 3 / 2nd half: 22
| Great Games | Good Games | Bust Games |
| 20% | 67% | 20% |
Jacbos was off to a hot start, ranking as RB7 through the first 10 weeks of the season. A series of midseason injuries hampered him down the stretch, although he only fully missed one game. There were some pretty epic stories of Jacobs inserting himself back on the field despite being injured, and you’ve gotta love seeing that out of your fantasy RB. One thing you can always count on with Jacobs is strong TD production. He averages 0.7 TDs per game throughout his entire career. In fact, he leads the league in 10-zone TDs over the last two years, with 24 TDs.
| Year | GP | TDs | TDs/G |
| 2025 | 15 | 13 | 0.87 |
| 2024 | 17 | 15 | 0.88 |
| 2023 | 13 | 6 | 0.46 |
| 2022 | 17 | 12 | 0.71 |
| 2021 | 15 | 9 | 0.60 |
| 2020 | 15 | 12 | 0.80 |
| 2019 | 13 | 7 | 0.54 |
| Totals | 105 | 74 | 0.70 |
The only real question surrounding Jacobs is how much elite-level production he has remaining in his career. He’s entering his age-28 season and has 2,100+ career touches. If you remember, Jacobs came into the league with pretty limited college work (just 300 career touches across his three seasons at Alabama), giving him what we all believed would be a bit of an extended NFL career. I personally expect him to come back healthy and strong next season, but the wheels will fall off eventually. I don’t think that happens in 2026. I was high on Jacobs entering 2025, and I’ll be high on him again in 2026.
Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
13. Ashton Jeanty | Raiders
Age: 22.1 | ADP: 1.10 (RB6)
Consistency Rank: 21
1st half: 18 / 2nd half: 24
| Great Games | Good Games | Bust Games |
| 12% | 41% | 35% |
Jeanty was hailed to be the next Super RB, in the mold of Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs. But landing on the Raiders’ putrid offense sabotaged his rookie campaign. Working behind a PFF-worst 32nd-ranked offensive line and a league-worst scoring offense (14.2 points per game average), Jeanty struggled with rushing efficiency (48th in YPC, 49th in Explosive Rush Rate, 54th in Rush Success Rate, 54th in Stuff Rate). His receiving work kept him afloat, as he garnered the 6th most targets (73) by a rookie RB over the last 10 seasons.
The usage was there, and Jeanty held the backfield almost entirely to himself. We need to see improvements in efficiency, which could come with better O-Line, QB, and WR play. We also need to see a much more creative offensive system in place. The rumors are that Klint Kubiak and Davis Webb are the leading candidates to be the Raiders’ next Head Coach, both of whom would breathe new life into this offense. With the expected addition of Indiana folk hero, Fernando Mendoza, the Raiders should be solidifying the QB position for years to come. What the team does throughout the rest of the draft and in free agency will determine how comfortable we will be drafting Jeanty in the second round next year.
14. Saquon Barkley | Eagles
Age: 28.9 | ADP: 1.04 (RB2)
Consistency Rank: 16
1st half: 12 / 2nd half: 20
| Great Games | Good Games | Bust Games |
| 13% | 50% | 19% |
Barkley’s 2025 consistency rank of 16 marked the second-lowest of his career (44th in 2021). After a record-setting 2024 season, there was plenty of skepticism about repeating. There were loads of graphics showing the fall-off in seasons following huge workloads, like Saquon’s 482-touch 2024 season. But this offense remained mostly intact from 2024, and many fell victim to believing things would be different this time. Tale as old as time.
This is where listening to the genius of TFFB really pays off, as Andy urged caution surrounding Barkley in May’s OVERREACTION podcast episode. The numbers for players who carry that workload are clear: expect a decline in touches and, most often, an injury-riddled season the following year. We were lucky to have Saquon mostly healthy all season, but we just don’t see RB1 overall repeated. In fact, over the last 10 years, only three times has the RB1 overall repeated as even a top-1o RB the following season (Devonta Freeman – RB6 in 2016, Todd Gurley – RB1 in 2019, and Alvin Kamara – RB9 in 2021).
Saquon’s efficiency dropped tremendously, as we saw much fewer 20+ yard runs (17 in 2024, just four in 2025), and he ranked 48th in Stuff Rate and Rush Success Rate. Saquon will likely be a second-round pick in 2026, but his range of outcomes is pretty broad. This offense will have a new Offensive Coordinator and may be missing a disgruntled AJ Brown. This, in addition to his age, leaves a lot of questions for Saquon’s 2026 season.
15. D’Andre Swift | Bears
Age: 27.0 | ADP: 6.03 (RB24)
Consistency Rank: 12
1st half: 8 / 2nd half: 17
| Great Games | Good Games | Bust Games |
| 13% | 56% | 13% |
Swift had the best season of his career in 2025, setting career highs in rushing yards, rushing TDs, rush success rate, rushing 1st downs, and total yards from scrimmage. The Bears’ offensive line improved dramatically from 2024 to 2025, and first-year Head Coach Ben Johnson engineered one of the league’s most creative and dynamic offenses. As a result, Swift ranked second in the league in runs of 5+ yards, sixth in runs of 10+ yards, and seventh in Zone Rush Success Rate.
Throughout the 2025 offseason, it felt inevitable that the Bears would bring in RB competition for Swift. The narrative of Ben Johnson‘s beliefs and relationship with Swift caused draft hesitation. But Swift put all that to rest, as he was the engine behind the Bears’ elite offense. Competition from Rookie Kyle Monangai had us a bit rattled midseason, but once again, it turned out that splitting touches allowed both backs to remain fresh and effective. Swift is entering his final year under contract with the Bears, but I believe the team could very well run it back with Swift and Monangai (with potential added depth via free agency / the draft), as this tandem helped them reach the doorstep of the NFC Championship game in 2025.
16. Jaylen Warren / 20. Kenneth Gainwell | Steelers
Warren Age: 27.2 | Warren ADP: 8.05 (RB32) / Gainwell Age: 26.8 | Gainwell ADP: Undrafted
Warren Consistency Rank: 17 (1st half: 15 / 2nd half: 18) / Gainwell Consistency Rank: 25 (1st half: 44 / 2nd half: 12)
Warren:
| Great Games | Good Games | Bust Games |
| 6% | 50% | 19% |
Gainwell:
| Great Games | Good Games | Bust Games |
| 18% | 41% | 53% |
The Steelers’ backfield was one of the biggest surprises of 2025, in my book. After offseason rumors that the team was shopping for a bell cow replacement for Najee Harris, they went and drafted Kaleb Johnson with their second pick in the draft (pick 3.19, 83 overall). Being a Najee Harris clone, it seemed apparent that Johnson would take over the backfield sooner or later. But then career backups Jaylen Warren and (Super Bowl Champion) Kenneth Gainwell both performed above expectations, and Johnson fumbled away (literally) his opportunity to seize the backfield.
Warren and Gainwell both proved to be more durable than expected, and they produced big numbers in both the rushing and receiving departments. Warren provided consistent production (B rating in consistency), while Gainwell popped as a high-upside play. Warren saw nearly six more opportunities per game than his previous career average, and Gainwell led the team in receptions (you read that correctly) with 73. Gainwell received effusive praise from Aaron Rodgers, and he earned his teammates’ vote for Team MVP as well.
Heading into 2026, Gainwell is a free agent, while Warren remains under contract for two more years. There are several questions surrounding this team, including whether or not they are comfortable increasing Kaleb Johnson‘s workload in 2026, and what they do with Gainwell. But the team also has a new Head Coach (Mike McCarthy), leaving open the chance that Aaron Rodgers returns to reunite with McCarthy for one more season. If he does, and if Gainwell returns, he should remain a viable Hero RB complement, due to his receiving upside alone. Warren’s fate will more likely be tied to Kaleb Johnson‘s workload.
Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
17. Rico Dowdle | Panthers
Age: 27.6 | ADP: Undrafted
Consistency Rank: 24
1st half: 22 / 2nd half: 29
| Great Games | Good Games | Bust Games |
| 18% | 29% | 35% |
Boy, this was a wild ride! Rico Dowdle started for the Panthers, in relief of injured Chuba Hubbard, and posted three 30+ point games between Weeks 5-9. There were only five RBs who had three 30+ point games throughout the whole season: Jonathan Taylor, Jahmyr Gibbs, Bijan Robinson, Christian McCaffrey, and Rico Dowdle. One of these things is not like the others!
Rico ranked in the top 20 among RBs in rushing yards (13th), yards after contact (11th), and rushing first downs (16th). He was very effective in 5-zone rushing, tallying six TDs on just eight carries. But this team signed Hubbard to a big extension last offseason, and they still have former second-round pick Jonathon Brooks returning from injury in 2026. Dowdle is a free agent and will likely end up on a different team in 2026. But I think, at minimum, he will be a viable handcuff stash with potential to compete for a real 1B or even lead-back role on the right offense.
18. TreVeyon Henderson / 25. Rhamondre Stevenson | Patriots
Henderson Age: 23.2 | Henderson ADP: 4.12 (RB19) / Stevenson Age: 27.8 | Stevenson ADP: 11.03 (RB43)
Henderson Consistency Rank: 28 (1st half: 49 / 2nd half: 9) / Stevenson Consistency Rank: 22 (1st half: 27 / 2nd half: 11)
Henderson:
| Great Games | Good Games | Bust Games |
| 18% | 24% | 41% |
Stevenson:
| Great Games | Good Games | Bust Games |
| 14% | 43% | 43% |
The Patriots’ backfield was a source of much frustration this season. For weeks upon weeks, we all watched Rhamondre Stevenson plod his way to fantasy mediocrity, while Henderson was kept in the garage. While Stevenson missed Weeks 9-11 with a toe injury, we finally got to see a full workload for Henderson, and he delivered to the tune of RB20, RB4, and RB4 weeks. The rest of the season was less predictable than it should have been, as Coach Mike Vrabel slowly eased Stevenson back into the bell cow role, while limiting Henderson’s opportunities. And during their run to the AFC Championship, the team has relied even more heavily on the bruising rushing of Stevenson.
I suppose from a purely game strategy standpoint, Stevenson offers the team the ability to crush the opponent’s will with his bruising between-the-tackle style. And his shorter gains (he had a 25+ yard rush in only one game – Week 18 against Miami) lead to more ball control and time for the Patriots’ defense to rest. There’s no denying that Henderson offers the home run opportunity. His speed and the play designs that get him out in space led TreVeyon to rank #1 in yards before contact (3.16 yards) and #6 in yards per carry (5.06), out of 55 RBs with 80+ attempts. Henderson may have been a more effective choice in games when the team was trailing, but the Patriots were trailing on only 19% of his rush attempts, which ranked as the lowest in the NFL.
The real question is whether the team will keep the same formula in 2026 or start to unleash TreVeyon even more. Stevenson is under contract for three more seasons, but he has also battled fumbles throughout his career (17 fumbles, seven lost in five seasons). It should be expected that a second-year Henderson will continue to develop and should see more work as a result. The Patriots will have a first-place schedule in 2026, and the team could find itself in more competitive games. This could lead to more work for TreVeyon as well. I believe both players can maintain value in 2026.
19. Breece Hall | Jets
Age: 24.6 | ADP: 3.11 (RB15)
Consistency Rank: 27
1st half: 23 / 2nd half: 36
| Great Games | Good Games | Bust Games |
| 6% | 44% | 50% |
The Jets’ wasting of Breece Hall‘s talent is unforgivable. This team is one of the laughing stocks of the NFL, to the point that presumed #2 overall pick Dante Moore would rather stay at the University of Oregon than get drafted there. The Jets couldn’t get much quality QB play out of Justin Fields, Tyrod Taylor, or Brady Cook; Garrett Wilson milked an IR stint; and the team was tied or trailing on 93% of its offensive snaps. They held a lead for only 73 plays all season.
Maybe most surprising for Hall was his decrease in passing-game work. He averaged a 15% target share (four receptions per game) through his first three seasons and saw that number drop to 11% (2.3 receptions per game) in 2025. This team desperately needed to find ways to get the ball into Hall’s hands, and they just couldn’t do it.
However, there’s light at the end of the tunnel (hopefully). Hall is entering free agency this offseason, and the hope/expectation is that he could land on a legitimate contender. Kansas City would be the most exciting, and if the Chiefs move on Hall, I expect to see a return to his 2023 form and a top-10 (possibly top-5) RB season.
Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
21. RJ Harvey | Broncos
Age: 24.9 | ADP: 5.06 (RB22)
Consistency Rank: 21
1st half: 26 / 2nd half: 21
| Great Games | Good Games | Bust Games |
| 6% | 41% | 53% |
The Broncos brought in JK Dobbins to be the lead back in 2025 and drafted RJ Harvey as a potential “Joker” in Sean Peyton’s offense. For the first 11 weeks of the season, Dobbins looked great, and Harvey was seeing only 8.5 opportunities per game. But as has been the case all too often in Dobbins’ career, the injury bug hit in Week 11, and Harvey was off to the races from that point forward.
From Weeks 13-17, Harvey finished as a top-25 RB every week, and he finished in the top 11 four of those five weeks. His passing-game involvement was stout, as he finished with 58 targets (26.7% TPRR – 5th best among all RBs) for 47/356/5 TDs. His 12 total TDs ranked 12th among all RBs this season, and he tied for the third-most receiving TDs at the position. However, despite having the #1 PFF-graded offensive line, Harvey ranked near the bottom among 55 qualified RBs in Stuff Rate (51st), runs of 10+ yards (52nd), Rush Success Rate (49th), and yards after contact per attempt (48th). He also brandished an uninspiring 3.7 YPC – again, behind the #1 offensive line in the league. The knock on Harvey coming out of college was that he often looked for home runs, rather than taking what was given to him. And you can see that bear out in the stats. But he was one of the most effective receiving backs in the league, ranking in the top 20 in receptions, yards, TDs, target share, YPC, and YPRR. You could find data to support both that Harvey was a breakout and a bust.
If JK Dobbins returns to full health in 2026, Harvey could see his workload decrease again. But I believe he has earned at least a 1A role in this backfield and should return value in the third or fourth round of fantasy drafts. I wouldn’t be drafting him in the first two rounds, though.
22. Kenneth Walker / 23. Zach Charbonnet | Seahawks
Walker Age: 25.2 | Walker ADP: 4.06 (RB17) / Charbonnet Age: 25.0 | Charbonnet ADP: 9.03 (RB36)
Walker Consistency: 29 (1st half: 34 / 2nd half: 27) / Charbonnet Consistency Rank: 23 (1st half: 33 / 2nd half: 18)
Walker:
| Great Games | Good Games | Bust Games |
| 6% | 29% | 41% |
Charbonnet:
| Great Games | Good Games | Bust Games |
| 6% | 31% | 31% |
This backfield was a head-scratcher all season. Walker showcased superior rushing skills en route to a 1,000-yard season. Charbonnet became a viable fantasy starter on nearly TDs alone (12 for the season, compared to five for Walker). And combining for only one missed game from the pair (Charbonnet missed Week 4), they both finished at the tail-end of RB2 territory.
This formula clearly worked for Seattle, as they are one step away from making Sam Darnold a Super Bowl Champion. But there are major questions heading into 2026 for both of these players. To start, Walker is a free agent this offseason. It has looked all year as though he could end up leaving Seattle, but… Charbonnet tore his ACL in the Divisional Round matchup against the 49ers. And now, a team with two lead RBs could potentially have zero. Walker has made a name for himself as a tackle-breaking (#1 in forced missed tackles in 2025) home run hitter (3rd in percentage of runs going for 10+ yards), and there are plenty of teams who could benefit from his services. And Charbonnet is likely looking at some missed time early in the 2026 season, possibly even a start on the PUP list.
If both players stay in Seattle, it would mean a pretty big financial commitment to Walker, and I would rank Walker as a strong RB2 with RB1 upside and Charbonnet as an RB4 to stash, with RB2 upside. If Walker leaves, he could boost his stock and even flirt with RB1 territory if given the bulk of the workload in a new offense. In that scenario, I expect the Seahawks would either draft RB fairly early or bring in a Rico Dowdle type to hold down the backfield while Charbonnet recovers from his ACL injury.
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January 27, 2026
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