We break down the top of this year's outstanding running back crop.
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Ryan reviews the first few rounds of the latest dynasty startup ADP, including rookies.
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Ryan examines where rookies are being drafted in a superflex dynasty startup and what it should tell us about their value.
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We examine what you could use your late firsts for this season.
Brandon Haye offers his take on how the first rounds of rookie drafts might look.
We break down the post-combine fallout for rookie drafts - how might your first round look?
Ryan gets the DLF team together for a post-Combine dynasty rookie mock draft.
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We dive into a recent rookie mock draft before the NFL Scouting Combine changes the landscape.
Ryan completes a 1QB rookie mock draft prior to the NFL Combine.
We break down a recent superflex rookie mock draft.
Ryan previews ADP for 2025 dynasty rookies in a 1QB format league.
We examine which teams may be looking for a running back this off-season, and which players are available.
Ryan drafts the most compelling storylines from the early off-season.
We provide a bumper list of all the top prospects in this year's rookie class.
We go in depth to project all the landing spots for the top rookies and what your drafts might look like this...
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John DiBari rounds up some NFL mock drafts to determine what we can expect in our rookie drafts.
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We offer up a look at what your superflex rookie mock drafts might look like.
We cover the latest performances from some of the top young players in football.
Ryan McDowell shares his early 2025 Rookie Superflex Rankings
We look at what the first two rounds of next year's rookie draft could look like.
We dive into the recent performances of some young stars in college and the NFL.
It's never to early to look ahead to what next season's rookie drafts may look like!
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We look at the future of dynasty, recapping the top 100 devy players.
We highlight yet another set of five devy players every fantasy manager should want their hands on.
We break down EA Sports' college football player rankings to produce a 2025 rookie mock draft.
We dive into the next group of star running backs.
Looking ahead to next year's rookie drafts? We've got you covered.
A preview of what next year's dynasty rookie mocks may look like.
We break down all the talking points from the Big Ten after the season.
We open up the mailbag to answer your questions.
The DLF Mailbag is back, and we answer your dynasty questions.
We offer up a look at how your 2024 rookie draft might look in a superflex league.
We gather a few friends for a 2024 superflex rookie mock draft.
We examine some noteworthy performances by young players who should be on your radar.
We offer up a midseason preview of what your 2024 dynasty superflex rookie draft might look like.
We discuss some of the young players in college and the NFL who are in the headlines.
We offer up a preview of what your 2024 rookie draft might look like.
We break down more college backs to watch out for this season.
We offer up the penultimate piece in the 2023 Devy 100 series.
What might the first round of a 2024 rookie draft look like? We look ahead.
The devy experts look at the top options for future dynasty stars.
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Bruce Matson is back for the weekly devy wrap-up.
Which devy players are catching our eye so far this season?
We break down some college players who have rising or falling devy stock.
Rob Willette concludes his top 100 devy players ahead of the 2022 season!
Bruce Matson breaks down the top ten running backs in devy leagues right now.
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We examine the top performers and devy players to watch in the Big Ten.
We round up the movers and shakers in your devy leagues after the weekend's action.
We take note of a few performances by some of the more interesting college football prospects.
Which devy assets put in notable performances over the weekend?
In this week's Devy Stock Market, we examine players with fluctuating values.
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We bring you the penultimate edition of this year's Devy 100.
We pick out some of the top college recruits who could have a huge devy impact.
Last week, we kicked this series off with a look at the 2025 crop of quarterbacks. From prospect summaries to class comparisons to rookie draft projections, we laid out the landscape for what is arguably the most shallow and least exciting position in this year's NFL draft. Now we get to the good stuff.
This will be the second article in a six-part series covering the relevant names in the class, with one each on the quarterbacks and tight ends and two each on the running backs and wide receivers. Most specifically, we'll be painting this year's prospects in the context of previous classes — granting you a helpful point of reference for each position.
And while the quarterbacks were somewhere between average and uninspiring, the running back group is both star-studded at the top and deep enough to demand multiple articles in this series. We'll cover the names likely to go in the first round of rookie drafts here and the balance in the ensuing piece.
Before we dive into the names on 2025 draft boards, let's set the scene with a quick look at recent classes.
Class | Notable Players | Grade |
---|---|---|
2024 | Jonathon Brooks, Tyrone Tracy Jr, Trey Benson, Ray Davis, Isaac Guerendo, Blake Corum | F |
2023 | Bijan Robinson, Jahmyr Gibbs, De'Von Achane, Chase Brown, Tank Bigsby, Tyjae Spears, Zach Charbonnet | A+ |
2022 | Breece Hall, Kenneth Walker III, Kyren Williams, James Cook, Rachaad White, Brian Robinson, Isiah Pacheco, Dameon Pierce, Tyler Allgeier, Zamir White, Ty Chandler | A |
2021 | Najee Harris, Travis Etienne, Rhamondre Stevenson, Chuba Hubbard, Javonte Williams, Kenneth Gainwell, Elijah Mitchell | C+ |
2020 | Jonathan Taylor, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, D'Andre Swift, Cam Akers, JK Dobbins, AJ Dillon, Antonio Gibson, Zack Moss | C- |
Coming off a dismal 2024, you may be tempted to avoid running backs in rookie drafts until the end of time. That would be a mistake. The class was predictably weak, with zero backs selected in the first round and just one — with a torn ACL — selected in round one (Jonathon Brooks). Still, it was a historically unproductive group: they combined for just 1,036 PPR fantasy points, fewest by any class in the last 15 years. And to make matters worse, not a single one is likely to have a strong hold on an RB1 role in 2025, with fifth-round pick Tyrone Tracy Jr being the closest (for now).
However, we only need to look back one year prior to remember just how good a rookie RB group can be. The 2023 class gave us Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs, both round one locks in startup drafts today, along with De'Von Achane, who's squarely in the top five at the position as well. Plus, second-year breakout Chase Brown (RB15 in startup ADP) is an unexpected stud, and even Tank Bigsby, Tyjae Spears, and Zach Charbonnet have had valuable stretches. If Robinson, Gibbs, Achane, and Brown remain in their current value ranges for a few years, this could be remembered as one of the better classes of the (young) century.
Think that was a flash in the pan? Slide back one more year to the 2022 class. While none of these guys were selected on day one, Breece Hall, Kenneth Walker III, Kyren Williams, and James Cook are currently all top-12 startup picks at the position. Hall, Williams, and Cook have all already posted at least one top-eight PPR fantasy season — as has Rachaad White — while Walker, Isiah Pacheco, and Brian Robinson Jr. have all logged RB1 stretches of varying lengths. The class may not be quite as top-heavy as 2023, but it's still an excellent group that's given us several valuable assets.
Unfortunately, the couple of classes prior to 2023 were more disappointing than they were landscape-changing. We expected more out of Najee Harris, Travis Etienne, and Javonte Williams in 2021, and while Rhamondre Stevenson and Chuba Hubbard have been quite good over short stretches, no one in this class has cemented themselves as a multi-year RB1. As for 2020, Jonathan Taylor has done his best to carry the class, but Clyde Edwards-Helaire was a mega-bust at 32nd overall and none of the other Round 2 picks — D'Andre Swift, Cam Akers, JK Dobbins, and AJ Dillon — have garnered any consistent or lasting value. Both classes have given us enough to avoid the "F" grade that 2024 has earned (so far), but neither has shifted the state of the position in dynasty.
So where does the 2025 class stack up? We're going to have to dive in to find out.
The clear number one running back in this class is also the consensus 1.01 in rookie drafts, even in superflex formats, so this is the kind of player who changes a class and a positional landscape all on his own.
Pick Projection: Round 1 (Raiders, Cowboys, Steelers)
Comps: LaDainian Tomlinson, Alvin Kamara
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