Outlook: Saquon Barkley didn't just have a good 2024 - he had a historic one. Try 2,005 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns on for size, making him the ninth RB ever to break 2,000 yards in a season. He was a beast late in games, chewing up 1,265 yards in second halves alone. The Eagles' offensive line - featuring Lane Johnson and Jordan Mailata - paved the way, and with most of that unit back in 2025, Barkley's got the runway to keep rolling. This was a statement year, proving he's still got that game-breaking juice after leaving the disaster in New York for the greener pastures in Philadelphia.

The biggest concern for Barkley continues to be health. His workload was insane this past year and it's always been among the highest when he is healthy throughout his career. While Barkley's been durable lately, his injury history lingers in fantasy managers' memories. The Eagles might ease him up a touch, with Will Shipley and AJ Dillon waiting in the wings, and Jalen Hurts could steal some goal-line looks if the offense tilts more pass-heavy. Still, Barkley's the heart of this run game, and his efficiency (over 6 yards per carry in 2024) is absurd behind this line. He's not hitting 2,000 again - that's unicorn stuff - but he's a lock for RB1 production.

Barkley's a first-round pick and a strong bet to finish as a top-5 RB again. You're banking on volume and talent, not another record-breaking outlier. Grab him early and ride the wave, but don't be shocked if you have to "settle" for 1,500 yards and 12 scores.

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Outlook: I will never understand why former Falcons' head coach Arthur Smith used Bijan Robinson the way he did in 2023. Never. Those who drafted Robinson at the top half of the first round last year were hoping for the kind of season many expected him to have during his rookie campaign in '23, and he delivered. 15 total TDs, nearly 1,900 scrimmage yards, 61 receptions, and perhaps most importantly, 61 percent of the team's rush attempts. That's contrasted by getting only 40 percent of Atlanta's rush attempts in 2023. Bottom line: Robinson delivered the goods in a meaningful way.

Entering this third season, Robinson is already considered by some as the best all-around RB in the league. It certainly doesn't hurt that he plays behind one of the NFL's top O-lines. More than anything, I think the questions heading into last season are not relevant now. Entering training camp in 2024, Zac Robinson raised eyebrows when he praised backup RB Tyler Allgeier, saying the BYU product was "going to have a big role." Some considered it classic "coach speak" while others began questioning if they should use a top-5 pick on Robinson after his OC implied it would be some degree of a timeshare in the backfield. In the end, Allgeier was a non-factor relative to Robinson's productivity. We should expect more of the same in 2025. If you have the No.1 overall selection, Robinson should be your choice.

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Outlook: Gibbs followed up a strong rookie season with a simply dazzling sophomore campaign. Like Sonic the Hedgehog, he was able to run over, though, and around defenders on a consistent basis, on his way to racking up 300+ touches, nearly 2,000 total yards, and 20 touchdowns. Able to score anywhere on the field, Gibbs should continue to be the focal point of the offense, even if he will continue to cede carries to David Montgomery. I don't expect the offensive scheme to change much, as Detroit will remain run-heavy, and play-action based, but it's hard to expect this offense to somehow be better after losing their offensive coordinator, and starting center. Gibbs is an elite talent, and a worthy 1st round pick in any format, but look for his overall numbers to take a slight dip, as I expect the entire offense to take a step back.

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Outlook: Not since 2001 (Warner and Faulk) has an offense had the No.1 fantasy quarterback and No.1 fantasy back on the same team, but the Ravens did just that last season (Non-PPR). The 31-year-old enjoyed a renaissance season for the ages, piling up nearly 2,000 yards on the ground to go along with a career best tying 18 total touchdowns. His 5.9 yards-per-carry average was his best since 2020, and he showed absolutely no signs of slowing down in what is the twilight of most running back careers. With few players as dedicated to keeping their body in battle ready condition as Henry, I see no reason for a significant drop off just yet. Time catches up to everyone, but for now, the allure of 15+ touchdowns and 1,500 yards in an elite offense is simply too good to pass up.

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Outlook: During the halcyon days of Carroll's time in Seattle, the Seahawks offense was anchored by the bruising running of Marshawn Lynch. It came as no surprise then when Las Vegas used the sixth overall selection in this year's draft on Jeanty, who racked up an eye-popping 2,601 rushing yards for Boise State last year -- only Barry Sanders had more in a single season in NCAA history.

Like Lynch, Jeanty is a load to bring down. He led FBS with 126 forced missed tackles, and his 1,733 yards after contact were nearly 600 more than anyone else. While his work as a runner is the focus, his skills as a receiver shouldn't be overlooked as he's just one year removed from posting 569 receiving yards, which led all FBS backs in 2023. If there's a weakness in his game, it's speed. Jeanty has good initial burst, but he lacks elite top-end wheels.

In terms of a marriage between talent and need, Jeanty to the Raiders makes him the clear frontrunner to be Offensive Rookie of the Year and an obvious choice as the first rookie off draft boards for fantasy owners. Las Vegas' depth behind Jeanty contains has-beens and never-weres, and all signs point to the rookie shouldering a heavy load from Week 1 on. As such, Jeanty deserves to be considered a legitimate top five fantasy back before ever taking a regular season snap.

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Outlook: When McCaffrey arrived in San Francisco back in 2022, the primary reason he was available on the trade market was that he hadn't been available on Sundays, having missed a combined 22 games the previous two seasons for the Panthers. Talent was never a question. Durability was. McCaffrey seemed to put those concerns to rest, appearing in 27 of 28 possible games for the 49ers in '22 and '23. Last season, however, the injuries came back with a vengeance.

It started in the preseason with a calf strain, which became an Achilles' issue. The belief was that he'd play in Week 1. That didn't happen. He missed Week 2. When his condition didn't improve, he was placed on Injured Reserve amid reports of Achilles' tendinitis in both legs. McCaffrey finally made his debut in Week 10, turning 19 touches into 107 yards. He didn't look like the same player, though, failing to find the end zone in 65 combined touches before sustaining a PCL injury in Week 13 that ended his season after just four games.

All the offseason reports have been encouraging, and McCaffrey reportedly participated in every phase of the voluntary OTAs and minicamp. He says he's fully healthy. Now, the question for fantasy owners is can you trust him to stay that way? At 29, CMC has had three of his eight NFL seasons ruined by injuries. That makes him a medical gamble. The likely No. 1 overall pick in most drafts a year ago, McCaffrey will still go in the first round, but he's undoubtedly the biggest risk-reward selection for 2025.

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Outlook: A popular sleeper entering last season, Brown started the year off slow, as he split time with veteran Zack Moss. But as Moss suffered a series of injuries, Brown saw more snaps, and eventually took over the backfield. A 27-carry, 120-yard game in Week 9 against the Raiders was the turning point, as Brown finished the 2nd half of the season on a tear, vaulting into the high end RB1 conversation. His versatility (54 receptions) and ability to handle a full workload (ended up playing on 65% of the offensive snaps for the season, which was 11th among running backs) signal this is now Brown's backfield. With only fringe roster players Moss, Samaje Perine, and 6th rounder Tahj Brooks behind him, Brown should dominate touches, and find himself in the top-5 conversation in most formats.

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Outlook: To put it mildly, Jacobs was a wrecking crew in the Packers backfield last season. Looking very much like the 2022 version of himself in Vegas, Jacobs piled up a career high 15 rushing scores, and even tallied his first career receiving touchdown! His 1,600-plus total yards and 36 receptions gave him plenty of multi-format value as well. At 27, he's still in the prime of his career, and remains the clear alpha runner on a balanced, efficient offense. The 16 total scores will be tough to repeat, but barring injury, the touch and yardage totals shouldn't go anywhere. While he's a locked-in top-10 option at the position, he struggled mightily in 2023 after coming off a 340-carry season. His 301 carries a year ago were 2nd most in his career, so it will be interesting to see if he can play a full 17 game season once again.

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Outlook: When the Rams spent a third-round pick on Blake Corum in last year's draft, the expectation was that the then-rookie would be a complement to Williams, who'd run effectively in 2023 (228-1,144-12) but had durability concerns. Instead, the Norte Dame product finished third in the NFL in carries (316) despite sitting out the season finale and set career highs in yards (1,299) and touchdowns (14). Fumbles were a bit of an issue, though the team's confidence in Williams never seemed to waver, as he was the bell cow week after week.

Fast-forward to 2025 and Los Angeles once again drafted a running back, this time trading up into the fourth round to nab Jarquez Hunter. The Rams have a tradition of selecting backs in the draft, but there's a difference between rolling the dice late on Day 3 versus using third- and fourth-round picks in back-to-back years. The question is whether the selection of Hunter was purely for depth or if the team is hedging their bets against re-signing Williams, who is set to become a free agent after the upcoming campaign if he doesn't agree to an extension.

Whether he gets a new deal or not, there's no reason to think Williams won't be the lead back in 2025, though you'd imagine that LA would like to see Corum and/or Hunter fill a larger role to at least help keep Williams fresh -- last year, Corum and Ronnie Rivers had just 80 carries combined, and 14 of those came in Week 18, leaving just 4.1 per game in the other 16 outings. While not an elite talent, Williams is utilized as a true lead back, which makes him a low-end No. 1 fantasy option.

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Outlook: Bucky Irving started his rookie season in a timeshare with Rachaad White, but by the end of November, Irving was getting the lion's share of the carries. The Bucs won six of their last seven games and leaned on the versatile youngster during those triumphs. On the ground, his 1,122 yards were 10th in the league, and through the air, his 47 receptions were the 11th best for running backs. Solid numbers for a player selected near the end of fantasy drafts -- if he was drafted at all.

After a strong close to last season, Irving enters the 2025 fantasy draft season as the unquestioned leader in the backfield for the Buccaneers. His 2024 season wrapped with rushing for at least 88 yards in five of his last seven games, only increased his stock heading into the off-season. Rachaad White will certainly see his share of playing time, but not to a degree that should negatively affect Irving. Bucky is a solid option as an RB1 for those who select a WR first. Draft him with confidence.

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