How and Where to Pick Running Backs in 2025 Rookie Drafts
The 2025 NFL Draft is in the books. We now know the draft capital and the landing spots of all the running backs in this year’s class. This was a deep class with an abundance of talent. The typical rounds we hope running backs are drafted in were a bit skewed because of the depth of this class. Many RBs we would have liked to see get drafted on day two actually dropped to day three of the NFL Draft, where we saw a big run on backs in the fourth and fifth rounds. Typically, sixth and seventh round picks are to be ignored as guys who won’t likely make the team, but there are some RBs I like who were taken late and could make some noise in fantasy in the next couple of seasons.
What players are going in which rounds of rookie drafts? Who should I be targeting in each round? Who are the biggest steals of the draft? Who do I need to avoid? This article is to help you navigate through your rookie drafts, especially when it comes to the running backs currently on the board. We want to draft the best players we can at each position and not force anything if we can help it.
In dynasty, we try not to overreact to poor landing spots and completely change our rankings based on draft capital alone. That is how we get Clyde Edwards-Helaire being drafted over Jonathan Taylor or ignoring a guy like Isiah Pacheco two years ago after he didn’t get drafted until the seventh round.
Last year was not a deep running back class, causing many fantasy managers to reach at the position because of the scarcity, and in turn caused a lot of heartbreak with underperforming rookies.
Just because you need a running back, don’t just draft one when it is your turn. Look for the value in a particular round and who you might be able to get at the position in another round.
There is still a lot of time between now and the start of the NFL season, so don’t go into your rookie drafts expecting to fill every team need by the time you are done. Get the best value you can in the draft and then work trades and the waiver wire to fill other needs before the season starts.
First Round
If you are in the top half of the first round in your rookie drafts, you should probably be targeting RB as often as possible. Even if you are later in the first round there have been running backs that have dropped in particular drafts.
When Las Vegas invested the sixth overall pick to acquire Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty, it all but solidified him as the top rookie in 2025. He is going 1.01 in almost every format. There are only a few times I have seen him not go in the top spot, and all of those have been in IDP formats where Jaguars WR Travis Hunter can be played as a defensive back and have his offensive stats counted as well as his defensive stats.
The Los Angeles Chargers jumped on the running back train, taking North Carolina RB Omarion Hampton with the 22nd pick in the first round. That has led to Hampton consistently being a top-three pick in dynasty rookie drafts. He is coming off the board at 1.02 or 1.03. I am grabbing him here every chance I get.
The Ohio State RB duo of Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson are usually the third and fourth running backs getting drafted in the top half of the first round. Whoever gets picked first depends on league settings and individual preferences.
The Browns selected Judkins with the fourth pick of the second round. He is expected to be the main man for the Browns, taking over for the recently departed Nick Chubb. But like Chubb, Judkins doesn’t bring a lot to the table as far as his receiving skills. In PPC (Point Per Carry) leagues, he could be a beast if he can average close to 20 carries per game.
The Patriots selected Henderson two picks after Judkins at 38th overall. He is expected to be more of a PPR (point per reception) performer, but he is likely to spend some time sharing the backfield with Patriots’ teammate Rhamondre Stevenson.
I slightly prefer Henderson, especially in full one-point PPR leagues. In leagues that are half-point PPR for RBs or no PPR, Judkins jumps up for me.
Judkins and Henderson are going in the 1.04-1.07 range in most formats. It has been rare to see either fall outside of that range. If they do, trade up and snag them immediately. Exactly where they fall in your particular draft, depends on your opponent’s team needs. The other position players going in the top seven are Titans QB Cam Ward, Jaguars WR Travis Hunter, and Panthers WR Tetairoa McMillan.
The next tier of RBs coming off the board are Broncos RB RJ Harvey and Steelers RB Kaleb Johnson. Harvey got great draft capital after being selected in the second round (60th overall) by Denver. Johnson was drafted in the third round (83rd overall) by Pittsburgh and should be expected to take over the lead RB duties with the departure of Najee Harris.
Harvey is being taken all over the first round, but he is typically going in the 1.08-1.12 range. Johnson is also falling in that range as well, though I have seen him slip into the top of the second round in leagues with big TE Premiums.
The Harvey or Johnson debate rages on. I think it is much like the Henderson and Judkins debate I mentioned earlier. Harvey should be a better PPR back, while Johnson should be expected to command a lot carries.
I’m taking Harvey over Johnson. I like the Broncos offense and the multiple ways Harvey can be used in head coach Sean Payton’s system. While I think Johnson will get a lot of carries, I’m worried about the Steelers offense and I’m not sure Johnson is really an upgrade over Najee Harris.
Second Round
Prior to the NFL Draft we saw a lot of running backs coming off the board in the second round of fantasy mock drafts. But after the NFL Draft, the second round has become flooded with wide receivers and tight ends.
With the depth of this class, most of the running backs selected in the fourth round feel like typical third-round values. Kaleb Johnson was the only RB taken in the third round of the NFL Draft before six RBs came off the board in the fourth round.
In most of my drafts, I am only seeing the Giants’ Cam Skattebo and the Jaguars’ Bhayshul Tuten being selected in the second round. Tuten was taken with the second pick of the fourth round, and Skattebo was taken one pick later.
Skattebo should immediately contend for the starting RB1 role in New York with last year’s fifth-round pick Tyrone Tracy Jr, his biggest competition. I think Skattebo is a superior player to Tracy and that he should win this job. I’m grabbing Skattebo anywhere from 2.02-2.06 in my drafts. To me, he is the last RB in this draft that has a clear shot at a starting role as a rookie. If you missed out on RB in the first round, make sure to target Skattebo as soon as possible in the second round.
Tuten is being picked anywhere from 2.06-2.12. If I’m being honest, I am not targeting Tuten at all in drafts. There are too many other players I like in this range, and I think he is a stretch here. A lot of people are claiming he is going to be Jacksonville’s version of Bucky Irving, but I’m not sold. Tuten is fast and athletic, but he has struggled with fumbling issues. He also still has former first-round pick Travis Etienne and third-round pick Tank Bigsby ahead of him on the depth chart.
Third Round
Just like in the 2024 NFL Draft, we saw teams going after running backs hard in the fourth round of the draft. Fantasy managers are snagging up those players in the third round of dynasty rookie drafts. If you missed out on Skattebo in the second round or RB in the first round, I am hammering RB in the third, fourth, and fifth rounds of rookie drafts. I want to take as many chances as I can get that one of these guys hits in fantasy.
The next couple of players are coming off the board typically in the 3.01-3.08 range in drafts with some of them falling to the back end of the third round. Most of them are currently handcuffs for the upcoming season or possibly future starters. The order I would draft these players depends on the current RBs on my roster. I would aim to handcuff my own players first, then go with the players I feel are the most talented and have the highest upside.
Texas RB Jaydon Blue was selected in the fifth round by the Cowboys. Fantasy managers have been waiting for two years for the Cowboys to draft a legit RB for fantasy purposes. I’m not sure Blue is that guy, but he is being drafted like he is the “GUY” in Dallas. With veteran castoffs Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders, the biggest competition for carries, Blue is expected to compete and win the RB1 job.
Blue is usually one of the first players selected in the third round, and I have seen some people reaching into the late second round to grab Blue. His value seems to be directly tied to his landing spot and not his draft capital. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll pick Blue if he falls to me, but I’m not over drafting him. He is the last RB in this draft with a realistic chance of being his team’s RB1 as soon as this season.
Dylan Sampson was selected in the fourth round by the Browns after they took Judkins in the second round. While Sampson seems like the clear backup to Judkins, I think he is going to find work in this run-heavy system. Sampson can be a good third-down back, and he would also immediately gain value if Judkins gets injured and misses time. If you selected Judkins in the middle of the first round, I don’t mind stacking Sampson in the middle of the third round.
Devin Neal was one of my favorite RBs entering the draft. He would have been a top-three back in last year’s class for me. But in this loaded class, he fell and fell hard. He slipped to the sixth round to the Saints. While I hate the draft capital, he actually lands in a pretty nice spot. New Orleans is in flux with the retirement of Derek Carr. They will rely on Alvin Kamara now more than ever. Kamara is going to be 30 years old this season. I don’t trust the players behind him on the depth chart. I think Neal is the best of the bunch. While I usually don’t put much stock in a sixth-round pick, I believe in Neal as a player. I think he will impress the Saints’ coaching staff and win the RB2 job, which could pay fantasy dividends.
Jarquez Hunter jumped up fantasy draft boards after the Rams selected him in the fourth round. The RB room in LA is full with Kyren Williams as RB1 and last year’s third-round pick Blake Corum as RB2. But the fact that the Rams spent draft capital on Hunter in the fourth round could mean trouble for Corum. Williams is in the last year of his rookie deal. While the team is negotiating a contract extension, there is still a chance the team moves on from him if he asks for more than they want to pay. Hunter might not give you a lot this season, but he could be a good stash for the future.
DJ Giddens is the other RB going in this round. He was selected in the fifth round by the Colts. Giddens had an impressive NFL Combine in Indianapolis and now seems cleared to be Jonathan Taylor’s backup. If I have JT, I want Giddens in this round. If I don’t, I’m probably taking one of the other backs over him in this round.
My favorite player in this round is Woody Marks. The Texans selected Marks in the fourth round, giving up future draft capital to move up to grab him. Marks was slipping to the mid to late fourth round in early rookie drafts, but he is starting to gain momentum. Marks is now going in the 3.08-4.02 range. Personally, I’m grabbing him in the third round, and early on if I feel I need to, for a number of reasons. I think Marks has the best receiving profile of any RB in this draft class. He has the ability to be a high-end third-down back in the NFL. That should catapult him into the RB2 role this season behind Joe Mixon. Marks also showed last season at USC that he could run between the tackles. If Mixon gets injured, Marks would be ready to take over as RB1 on what should be a much-improved offense in Houston.
Fourth Round
After hammering RB in the third round, I would come back for more in the fourth round.
Jordan James was taken in the fifth round by the 49ers. While he wasn’t spectacular at Oregon, he performed well and is above average in every aspect of his game. Going to San Francisco’s RB-friendly system is definitely attractive. He will have to compete with last year’s fourth-round pick Isaac Guerendo for backup duties to Christian McCaffrey. Guerendo has more burst and big-play ability, but James is a better overall back. James is sneaking into the end of the third round and at the top of the fourth round in most drafts.
Trevor Etienne was selected in the fourth round by the Panthers. He is currently third on Carolina’s RB depth chart, but he could find himself in the third-down back role at some point this season or next. Etienne is a fast back, who is a decent receiver, and a good pass blocker.
Brashard Smith was not taken until the seventh round by the Chiefs. That worked out pretty well for Pacheco a couple of seasons ago. Fantasy managers are hoping lightning strikes twice and Smith, who is a converted wide receiver at Miami who made the move to RB at SMU, finds a place in this Kansas City offense. Dreams of him being used like Tyreek Hill during his rookie season, where they manufactured touches with screens and designed runs, while also using him on special teams, are running through fantasy managers’ minds.
Ollie Gordon was selected at the top of the sixth round by the Dolphins. Back in March, Gordon was RB8 off the board and a mid-second-round pick in fantasy mock drafts. Gordon has fallen to RB17 and is being selected all over the fourth round. Gordon’s biggest upside might be that the players already on Miami’s roster are small and fast, while he is a big punishing back. He could end stealing some goal-line carries and get increased touches if De’Von Achane and Jaylen Wright get nicked up during the season.
Tahj Brooks was selected in the sixth round by the Bengals, and he seems like a legit candidate to back up Chase Brown. Zack Moss battled a neck injury last year and might be a cut candidate. Cincinnati brought back Samaje Perine, but he isn’t worrying anyone. If I have Brown or just want to take another chance on a guy who could earn starting carries with an injury to the RB1, then Brooks is a nice find this late in rookie drafts.
The Bears were expected to take an RB at some point in the 2025 NFL Draft, but most people didn’t think they would wait until the seventh round. That’s where Chicago took former Rutgers RB Kyle Monangai. He looks to start the season as the RB3 behind D’Andre Swift and Roschon Johnson. But the one thing exciting fantasy managers about Monangai is how hard he runs and his blocking ability. He likely won’t be in the mix early for the Bears, but there is an outside chance he works his way into the lineup at some point during the season with a chance to show what he can do when given an opportunity.
Damien Martinez is a back I liked a lot in college. I was shocked to see him last until the seventh round. I think the Seahawks got a steal there. I think he should eventually challenge Zach Charbonnet for the RB2 spot behind Kenneth Walker. Martinez is my favorite late fourth-round target in rookie drafts. He has some work to do to be relevant, but I like the talent.
Fifth Round
I hear all the time that late-round rookie picks don’t matter. Now, while the statistics show very few ever hit, there are always players worth taking a shot on and some possible stashes.
The guy at the top of my list is former Syracuse RB LeQuint Allen, who was selected in the seventh round by the Jaguars. Allen was my second-favorite pass-catching back in this draft class behind Marks. Much like Neal and Martinez, I thought Allen should have been closer to a fourth-round selection. Allen is in a crowded backfield in Jacksonville but I’m willing to stash him on my taxi squad and hope that his overall skill set and receiving ability allow him to carve out a role over the next couple of seasons.
The Cowboys needed help in the backfield. They took Blue in the fifth round then added Phil Mafa in the seventh round. He is a big running back, who is the complete opposite style of player than Blue. Mafa is a bit of a longshot to hit with the Cowboys, but there are some potential goal-line opportunities there for him.
Jacory Croskey-Merritt was selected in the seventh round by the Commanders. He has some nice potential and could see some reps early in camp. If he impresses there is a chance he can make this team. He is another good taxi squad stash.
Kalel Mullings was taken ahead of some of these other players. He was picked in the sixth round by the Titans. He is not a player I’m drafting, but he has been a late-round selection in a number of leagues as the possible RB3 in Tennessee.
Conclusion
Remember that every team build and every league is different. When approaching your dynasty rookie drafts take into account what direction your team is heading.
Make sure to look at the board and go with the best player available in most situations but also don’t be a slave to the ADP. If there is an RB you are eyeing in a certain round, don’t be afraid to take him at the beginning of the round even if his ADP is closer to the end of the round.
I always say, go and get your guy! In those situations, I would rather overdraft a player and not miss out on him rather than stick to the ADP and miss out on a player I really like.
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