It's July, the month in which the NFL preseason officially kicks off in 2025, with the annual Hall of Fame Game falling on July 31. That tells me I've already waited too long to give football fans what they've all been waiting for: The official rankings of every starting running back as we head into the 2025 NFL season.
As usual, you'll find familiar faces near the top, with some spicy takes sprinkled in as you go through the list. Let's jump right in. Here is this year's ranking of all 32 RB1s based on projected production this fall.
NOTE: If a team operates with a committee backfield, I simply chose the RB who I think will have the most production in 2025.
2024 stats: 16 games | 345 att | 2,005 rush yds | 5.8 ypc | 13 rush TDs | 33 rec | 278 rec yds | 2 rec TDs | 1 fumble lost
It's hard to imagine Barkley having a better campaign than the debut he just enjoyed in Philadelphia. He became the ninth player in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards in a season before helping lead the Eagles to the franchise's second Super Bowl title. Signing a two-year extension this offseason, the dark-horse MVP candidate is again set up to thrive with the Eagles essentially returning the entire offense for 2025, including most of the big boys up front.
2024 stats: 17 games | 325 att | 1,921 rush yds | 5.9 ypc | 16 rush TDs | 19 rec | 193 rec yds | 2 rec TDs | 1 fumble lost
Henry has been one of the league's best at the position for nearly a decade and showed no signs of slowing down in his age-30 campaign, with his 1,921 rushing yards being the second-most in a season in his career. He'll again be at the center of a Ravens rushing attack that ranked atop the NFL a year ago, providing the physical, downhill element to complement Lamar Jackson's quick, elusive style. There are a lot of good up-and-coming backs in the league, but until Henry -- who, like Barkley, signed a two-year extension this offseason -- shows his age, I'll continue to put him near the top of this list.
2024 stats: 17 games | 250 att | 1,412 rush yds | 5.6 ypc | 16 rush TDs | 52 rec | 517 rec yds | 4 rec TDs | 1 fumble lost
Gibbs shared the backfield load last year more than any other back in my top 10, splitting time with David Montgomery, who was the Lions' starter more often than not. Gibbs, however, proved his worth when forced into the lead-back role late in the season. With Montgomery injured during the final three weeks of the regular season, Gibbs produced 365 yards and five touchdowns on the ground, rushing for at least 100 yards in each game. The duo likely will share opportunities again this season as the offense transitions play-callers from Ben Johnson (now in Chicago) to John Morton, but there's no denying Gibbs' explosive impact on the unit. His best days are still ahead.
2024 stats: 17 games | 301 att | 1,329 rush yds | 4.4 ypc | 15 rush TDs | 36 rec | 342 rec yds | 1 rec TD | 3 fumbles lost
Jacobs' addition to the backfield took Green Bay's offense to another level in 2024, helping the unit rank in the top five in total yards for the first time since 2020. Even after rushing for more than 1,300 yards, Jacobs said he "still left a lot on the table." He should remain the centerpiece of Matt LaFleur's offense despite the Packers investing in their passing attack in the first two days of April's draft (first-round pick Matthew Golden and third-rounder Savion Williams).
2024 stats: 17 games | 304 att | 1,456 rush yds | 4.8 ypc | 14 rush TDs | 61 rec | 431 rec yds | 1 rec TD | 0 fumbles lost
Robinson quietly thrived in his first season under OC Zac Robinson, ranking third in the league in rushing yards, registering five 100-yard games and finishing fourth in my end-of-season rankings. The Pro Bowler looks poised to build off that breakout season, focusing his offseason training on becoming more explosive. He should get plenty of opportunities to showcase that ability with second-year pro Michael Penix Jr. taking over as the full-time starter at quarterback.
2024 stats: 16 games | 316 att | 1,299 rush yds | 4.1 ypc | 14 rush TDs | 34 rec | 182 rec yds | 2 rec TDs | 3 fumbles lost
With Matthew Stafford headlining Sean McVay's offensive attack, Williams often flies under the radar despite putting up back-to-back seasons with more than 1,100 rushing yards and at least a dozen rushing TDs. He's heading into a contract season, which should motivate him to be as good -- if not better -- in 2025 than he was in 2024. The Rams' continued investment in their offensive line helps his cause.
2024 stats: 14 games | 303 att | 1,431 rush yds | 4.7 ypc | 11 rush TDs | 18 rec | 136 rec yds | 1 rec TD | 1 fumble lost
All eyes are on Indy's quarterback competition between Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones. No matter who wins the starting gig, though, the Colts need Taylor to set the tone for the offense if they want to find success in 2025. He's performed well with subpar QB play in the past and has the goods to do it again in 2025. I'm not going to doubt him, especially if he's healthy. One thing to keep an eye on is the retooled offensive line.
2024 stats: 4 games | 50 att | 202 rush yds | 4.0 ypc | 0 rush TDs | 15 rec | 146 rec yds | 0 rec TDs | 1 fumble lost
McCaffrey and the 49ers undoubtedly want to forget 2024, when the star running back was plagued by injury and San Francisco finished last in the NFC West. We saw how much the offense struggled with CMC limited to four games, ranking outside of the top 10 in scoring for the first time since 2021 (before McCaffrey's arrival). McCaffrey is one of the most valuable non-QBs to his team in the NFL. Now healthy heading into training camp, the three-time Pro Bowler eyes a bounce-back performance to help the Niners get back to the postseason.
2024 stats: 17 games | 255 att | 1,138 rush yds | 4.5 ypc | 5 rush TDs | 51 rec | 408 rec yds | 2 rec TDs | 3 fumbles lost
Jones posted career-high marks in carries and rush yards in his first season in Minnesota, resulting in a two-year extension (stop me if you've heard this before). He has an opportunity to build on that performance with the Vikings handing the keys to the offense to first-year starting QB J.J. McCarthy. With the interior of Minnesota's offensive line completely overhauled in free agency (Will Fries and Ryan Kelly) and the draft (first-round pick Donovan Jackson), I think Jones will at least match his 2024 numbers.
2024 stats: 17 games | 207 att | 1,122 rush yds | 5.4 ypc | 8 rush TDs | 47 rec | 392 rec yds | 0 rec TDs | 1 fumble lost
The fourth-round pick was one of the biggest surprises at the position in 2024, eclipsing 1,100 rushing yards despite starting just three regular-season games. In Year 2, Irving should assume a huge role in the Bucs' offense -- I expect his carries to increase -- despite the front office's continued focus on furnishing the passing attack.
2024 stats: 16 games | 207 att | 1,009 rush yds | 4.9 ypc | 16 rush TDs | 32 rec | 258 rec yds | 2 rec TDs | 0 fumbles lost
Cook scored 18 touchdowns last season, earning his second straight trip to the Pro Bowl and proving he's an essential part of the offense's success. The 25-year-old has been vocal about wanting a new contract entering the final year of his rookie deal, and negotiations are ongoing as we approach the start of training camp. There's a chance he could hold out if a deal isn't reached by Week 1, which obviously would hurt his production and spot in these rankings. Yet, I'm operating as if he'll be on the field.
2024 stats: 14 games | 245 att | 1,016 rush yds | 4.1 ypc | 11 rush TDs | 36 rec | 309 rec yds | 1 rec TD | 0 fumbles lost
Mixon was a bright spot on Houston's offense last season, earning his second trip to the Pro Bowl after logging his fifth 1,000-yard rushing season -- despite running behind one of the worst O-lines in the NFL. Eight of the 11 players who logged snaps on the Texans' offensive line in 2024 earned PFF grades below 65.0. Not great. Mixon should be thrilled about Houston renovating that unit this offseason, but one other thing to keep tabs on here is the addition of Nick Chubb, who has battled injury the last two seasons but is a bruising playmaker when at full health and could potentially eat into Mixon's usage.
Some of you might be surprised to see Hampton ranked higher than No. 6 overall pick Ashton Jeanty, based on their respective standings in my pre-draft RB rankings, but hear me out. Hampton joins a Jim Harbaugh-led offense that loves to the run the ball, so there will be plenty of touches to go around. He should be the bell cow for this unit -- with veteran Najee Harris in the backup role -- thanks to his patience and ability to bounce off defenders. Hampton is in the perfect situation to find early success, and while you could say similar things about Jeanty, Pete Carroll's recent comments (which I'll get to in a minute) swayed my opinion some.
2024 stats: 16 games | 236 att | 1,094 rush yds | 4.6 ypc | 8 rush TDs | 47 rec | 414 rec yds | 1 rec TD | 1 fumble lost
Seemingly at the peak of his powers entering his age-30 campaign, Conner has posted career highs in rushing yards in each of the past two seasons in Drew Petzing's offense. The veteran remains the lead back entering 2025, though second-year pro Trey Benson could receive more touches in an effort to keep Conner fresh late in games and deep into the regular season. Even still, Conner should get the rock plenty after helping Arizona rank seventh in rushing a year ago.
2024 stats: 15 games | 250 att | 1,195 rush yds | 4.8 ypc | 10 rush TDs | 43 rec | 171 rec yds | 1 rec TD | 3 fumbles lost
Last year in this space, I had rookie Jonathon Brooks emerging as Carolina's RB1. One year later, that role firmly belongs to Hubbard, who rushed for nearly 1,200 yards and 10 touchdowns while Brooks sustained his second ACL tear in a 13-month span. Hubbard should again give the Panthers a solid foundation in the run game -- though he could lose some touches with free-agent signee Rico Dowdle and fourth-round rookie Trevor Etienne joining the backfield -- ultimately helping Bryce Young take another step forward in his development under Dave Canales.
2024 stats: 11 games | 153 att | 573 rush yds | 3.7 ypc | 7 rush TDs | 46 rec | 299 rec yds | 1 rec TD | 0 fumbles lost
Since posting 1,000 rushing yards as a rookie in 2022, Walker has been unable to get back to the mark. He dealt with injuries over the last two seasons but enters 2025 healthy and with a new offensive coordinator in Klint Kubiak, who is prioritizing the run game and implementing the kind of zone-run scheme that should maximize the back's skill set. If Walker can stay on the field, there's no reason the 24-year-old shouldn't have his best campaign to date, even if he shares the load with Zach Charbonnet. 
I can't wait to watch Jeanty take his first NFL snap. The No. 6 overall pick in this year's draft is tough to tackle and should fit perfectly in an attack that wants to bully opponents under Pete Carroll and Chip Kelly. Carroll said last month that the offense won't rely on just one back in the ground game, but it's hard to envision the Raiders consistently looking to Raheem Mostert, Zamir White or Sincere McCormick when they have a talent like Jeanty on the roster.
2024 stats: 15 games | 207 att | 801 rush yds | 3.9 ypc | 7 rush TDs | 33 rec | 168 rec yds | 1 rec TD | 3 fumbles lost
Stevenson is now two seasons removed from his 1,000-yard rushing campaign and faces immense pressure as the lead back with second-round rookie TreVeyon Henderson joining New England's backfield. The rookie will see a fair amount of touches, but I do believe the Stevenson will get the bulk of the carries -- at least this season -- as he is set up to rebound in 2025 with the Patriots bulking up their offensive line with proven veterans and No. 4 overall pick Will Campbell.
2024 stats: 16 games | 209 att | 876 rush yds | 4.2 ypc | 5 rush TDs | 57 rec | 483 rec yds | 3 rec TDs | 2 fumbles lost
Hall's efficiency has decreased in each of the past two seasons, in part due to the team's poor quarterback play. He now enters a contract year in yet another season of change for the Jets' offense, which will be led by first-time OC Tanner Engstrand and new QB Justin Fields. Engstrand comes over from Detroit, where the offense was led by a two-headed monster in the backfield; he could apply a similar approach with Hall and dual-threat QB Fields leading the charge. That said, Hall could see some of his opportunities go to Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis, as new head coach Aaron Glenn says he prefers a three-RB rotation. I believe Hall will remain the lead back in New York -- at least until the end of this season -- but time will tell how the backfield load is divvied up.
2024 stats: 14 games | 228 att | 950 rush yds | 4.2 ypc | 6 rush TDs | 68 rec | 543 rec yds | 2 rec TDs | 0 fumbles lost
New Orleans' offense will look completely different than the 2024 version, with Derek Carr retiring this offseason and first-year head coach Kellen Moore putting his imprint on the unit. One constant, however, is Kamara's presence in the backfield. Ups and downs are expected with a new QB at the helm, but look for Moore to lean on the five-time Pro Bowler -- much like he did with Saquon Barkley in Philadelphia last season. Could this finally be the year Kamara reaches 1,000 rushing yards? Feels like it.
2024 stats: 14 games | 187 att | 799 rush yds | 4.3 ypc | 8 rush TDs | 20 rec | 159 rec yds | 0 rec TDs | 2 fumbles lost
Robinson once again profiles as the lead back in a deep Commanders RB room that includes Austin Ekeler, Jeremy McNichols and Chris Rodriguez Jr. Newly acquired weapon Deebo Samuel could also be used out of the backfield, so Robinson is under pressure to take advantage of his opportunities and build on his career-best season of 2024, especially with 2025 being a contract year. Kliff Kingsbury likes what he's seen from Robinson during the offseason, so the physical, fourth-year pro should earn plenty of snaps if he can be effective behind an improved offensive line.
2024 stats: 17 games | 192 att | 839 rush yds | 4.4 ypc | 5 rush TDs | 38 rec | 284 rec yds | 1 rec TD | 2 fumbles lost
Tracy has earned a bigger role in 2025, having stepped up early as a rookie when Devin Singletary missed two games due to injury and ultimately logging 12 starts. The second-year pro is flanked by Singletary and do-it-all rookie Cam Skattebo this fall, but even if Tracy's touch total remains static, I see him improving his efficiency with better quarterback play.
2024 stats: 16 games | 260 att | 1,079 rush yds | 4.2 ypc | 5 rush TDs | 41 rec | 238 rec yds | 0 rec TDs | 2 fumbles lost
Pollard was a bright spot last season for a Titans offense that seriously sputtered, recording his third consecutive 1,000-yard rushing campaign. The veteran running back should again get ample opportunity to pound the rock under Brian Callahan, helping No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward settle in at quarterback.
There's a good chance J.K. Dobbins begins the season as Denver's RB1, but I expect Harvey to ultimately emerge as the lead dog. The rookie is a viable three-down back who'll quickly become a playmaker as both a rusher and pass catcher in Sean Payton's offense.
2024 stats: 7 games | 83 att | 310 rush yds | 3.7 ypc | 1 rush TD | 12 rec | 79 rec yds | 0 rec TDs | 0 fumbles lost
Pacheco missed 10 games last season due to injuries and wasn't all that efficient when he was on the field. This offseason, he's added weight in an effort to get back to where he was when he came into the league, which should help him increase his yards per carry. The reason why he sits at this spot is because Kansas City's receiving corps returns healthy, setting up Patrick Mahomes and the passing attack to feast downfield.
2024 stats: 17 games | 253 att | 959 rush yds | 3.8 ypc | 6 rush TDs | 42 rec | 386 rec yds | 0 rec TDs | 0 fumbles lost
Swift's overall 2024 production was OK, but like the Bears' entire offense, the back still left a lot to be desired. This season, he reunites with Ben Johnson, under whom Swift managed just 542 rushing yards in 2022, when they were last together in Detroit. Helping Swift's cause: Chicago invested heavily in the offensive line this offseason. We'll see if Swift can produce under Johnson this time around, or if backup Roschon Johnson will cut into the veteran's opportunities.
2024 stats: 17 games | 203 att | 907 rush yds | 4.5 ypc | 6 rush TDs | 78 rec | 592 rec yds | 6 rec TDs | 0 fumbles lost
Achane built on his rookie season in terms of total yards in 2024 but was far less efficient, leaving a lot of yards "on the table," as the back himself recently noted. He did have a much bigger role in the pass game, nearly tripling his catch total from his rookie season. If Mike McDaniel's offense continues to lack a true identity, as it did last season, we could see more of the same production from Achane. But if Tua Tagovailoa stays healthy and the unit gets back to its explosive ways, Achane's per-touch averages could skyrocket -- making my placement of him in these rankings look silly. There are a lot of questions here.
2024 stats: 15 games | 150 att | 558 rush yds | 3.7 ypc | 2 rush TDs | 39 rec | 254 rec yds | 0 rec TDs | 1 fumble lost
Etienne's decline continued last season, as he was outproduced by Tank Bigsby, leading to plenty of trade rumors this offseason. New head coach Liam Coen dismissed those rumblings last month, but that doesn't mean Etienne's back isn't up against the wall. He's under immense pressure to perform with Bigsby threatening his position as RB1 and with the Jags drafting a pair of RBs in Bhayshul Tuten (who has upside in this scheme) and LeQuint Allen. There are several scenarios that end with a player not named Etienne leading the ground attack for Jacksonville, but I think he still has juice left in those legs.
2024 stats: 15 games | 120 att | 511 rush yds | 4.3 ypc | 1 rush TD | 38 rec | 310 rec yds | 0 rec TDs | 1 fumble lost
Najee Harris' departure paves the way for Warren to get a bulk of the carries for Pittsburgh for the first time in his career, and the fourth-year pro is determined to make the most of the opportunity, designing his offseason training around improving his durability. Warren has never reached 150 carries or 800 rush yards in an NFL season, so there's a good chance he enjoys a career year, even if rookie Kaleb Johnson and veteran Kenneth Gainwell share the load. Yet, with the arrival of Aaron Rodgers and DK Metcalf, the passing game is likely to be more of a focal point in Pittsburgh.
2024 stats: 14 games | 104 att | 565 rush yds | 5.4 ypc | 3 rush TDs | 37 rec | 225 rec yds | 0 rec TDs | 0 fumbles lost
Ford has been efficient in spots over the past two seasons, but he'll need to consistently produce in order to fend off promising rookie Quinshon Judkins. Nobody really knows what this offense will look like, given the huge question mark at quarterback. Even if the run game ends up being the unit's strength, it likely will be because Kevin Stefanski is deftly utilizing a committee of backs.
2024 stats: 16 games | 229 att | 990 rush yds | 4.3 ypc | 7 rush TDs | 54 rec | 360 rec yds | 4 rec TDs | 1 fumble lost
Brown was solid in 2024, taking on a much bigger role within the offense in his second NFL season. Brown's placement here is less about his ability and more about the Bengals' investment in the passing game. After watching Joe Burrow lead the league in many passing categories in 2024, Cincinnati extended both Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins on nine-figure deals. Cincy's offense will flow through the aerial attack.
2024 stats: 17 games | 139 att | 513 rush yds | 3.7 ypc | 4 rush TDs | 52 rec | 346 rec yds | 0 rec TDs | 2 fumbles lost
The Cowboys had one of the worst rushing attacks in 2024, finishing 27th in yards and last in TDs. They completely overhauled the RB room by signing Williams and Miles Sanders before drafting Texas product Jaydon Blue. Though Williams should be healthy entering his first season in Dallas, it's likely Brian Schottenheimer will use a committee to run the ball more effectively while putting a big emphasis on the star-studded passing attack.
