Now that the 2024 NFL season is over, and the 2025 season begins soon, here are the top 10 best running backs in the NFL in 2025:

No. 1: Saquon Barkley

2,005 rush yards, 5.8 ypc, 13 rush TDs, 278 rec yards

The Eagles made the right decision when benching Saquon Barkley for the final game of the season, as an injury to Barkley could have eliminated them in the Wild Card Round, and Barkley’s rushing record would still have an asterisk above it due to the 17-game season. Nevertheless, Saquon Barkley still became the ninth NFL player to reach the illustrious 2,000-yard mark in a single season. Barkley led the league in almost every rushing statistic by a country mile, averaging 5.8 yards per carry and over 125 yards per game.

After a disappointing 2-2 start to the season, Eagles’ OC Kellen Moore realized that Barkley was unstoppable with his new offensive line. The Eagles proceeded to run the ball more than any other team after week five and went 16-1 for the remainder of the season, including the playoffs. It would be exceedingly difficult for Saquon Barkley to top his 2024 numbers in 2025, but he will still lead the NFL in numerous rushing stats, assuming he’s healthy.

No. 2: Derrick Henry:

1,921 rush yards, 5.9 YPC, 16 rush TDs, 193 rec yards

If Derrick Henry played behind the Ravens’ offensive line in 2020, he would blow past the single-season rushing record. But now that Henry has one of the league’s best O-lines, he may be topping 1,000 yards in his mid-30s. In an age where running backs are done by age 30, it’s refreshing to see a 31-year-old back flirting with 2,000 yards in a season.

Derrick Henry is a Hall of Fame lock and has reached 2,000 rushing yards in a season, so the only accolade that he can win at this point is a Super Bowl ring. The Ravens have come extremely close to the Super Bowl in recent years, and Derrick Henry’s ability to take over games in the fourth quarter will help solve the Ravens’ recurring problem of collapsing in the final quarter.

No. 3: Bijan Robinson:

1,456 rush yards, 4.8 ypc, 14 rush TDs, 431 rec yards

2024 was the first season where Bijan Robinson was not subjected to the dysfunctional Arthur Smith-led offense, and it’s now apparent that Robinson’s value is worth the controversial 8th overall pick in the 2023 draft. Bijan Robinson is the toughest running back to take down, aside from Derrick Henry, and an extremely potent short-field threat, with the league’s third-most rushing yards and rushing touchdowns in 2024.

Robinson, however, still hasn’t hit his ceiling, as he averaged 112 yards per game in the final six games of the 2024 season with rookie Michael Penix Jr. at quarterback. Those numbers put Robinson on pace for 1,904 rushing yards in 2025 with a full season of Michael Penix Jr. at quarterback. And it’s certainly not out of the question that Robinson becomes the tenth NFL player to reach the 2,000-yard mark.

No. 4: Jahmyr Gibbs:

1,412 rush yards, 5.6 ypc, 16 rush TDs, 517 rec yards

Jahmyr Gibbs’s 2024 numbers are further impressive considering he only received 57% of the carries in the Lions’ backfield. Gibbs’s franchise record 20 scrimmage touchdowns puts the Lions’ decades of awful rushing attacks in the rearview mirror. Jahmyr Gibbs is one of the most explosive running backs in the NFL today, with his 3rd-most 20+ yard rushing plays and 3rd-highest yards per carry putting Gibbs on a similar caliber as Derrick Henry and Saquon Barkley. Gibbs is only entering his third season; thus, the sky is the limit for this young superstar.

No. 5: Jonathan Taylor:

1,431 rush yards, 4.7 ypc, 11 rush TDs, 136 rec yards

Jonathan Taylor had the most rushing yards of any running back without a top-ten offensive line, racked up those 1,400+ yards while playing just 14 games. Taylor was one of the few bright spots in an otherwise dysfunctional Colts’ offense in 2024, as Taylor was the main guy to give the ball to while his team was in QB purgatory.

However, the 2024 season was not completely smooth sailing for the Colts’ RB1, as in a week 15 game against the Broncos, Jonathan Taylor had one of the season’s most memorable plays, but for the wrong reasons. Taylor broke into the open field and waltzed into the end zone for what should have been an easy touchdown, but Taylor inexplicably dropped the ball a step away from the end zone, resulting in a fumble. He probably cost thousands of fantasy teams the playoffs. Taylor followed that with a 218-yard performance in week 16 as redemption.

No. 6: Josh Jacobs:

1,329 rush yards, 4.4 ypc, 15 rush TDs, 342 rec yards

Josh Jacobs was one of the five running backs to top 300 carries in 2024, a benchmark that shows a certain level of trust that an OC has in their RB. With many injuries at the quarterback and receiver positions, Jacobs was the Packers’ consistent playmaker to hand the ball to when the team needed it most.

In the final ten weeks of the season, Jacobs ran for 789 yards and 14 touchdowns, displaying flashes of his rushing title champion 2022 season. With 1,000+ rushing yards in 4 of his 6 NFL seasons, Jacobs is undoubtedly one of the most consistent rushers in the game, thus it’s not difficult to predict that he will record similar numbers in 2025.

No. 7: Christian McCaffrey:

1459 rush yards, 5.4 ypc, 14 rush TDs, 546 rec yards

The statistics above are Christian McCaffrey’s 2023 stats, as he only played four games in 2024 due to injury. Kyle Shanahan made it abundantly clear that McCaffrey is fully healthy entering the 2025 season with no injury concerns whatsoever.

However, it’s doubtful that McCaffrey records similar numbers in 2025, as he may and should receive fewer carries due to his age and injury history. The two-time all-pro back is not as durable as Derrick Henry, so don’t expect CMC to be rushing for over 1,500 yards in his early 30s. At least the 49ers have a strong enough offensive line so their rushing attack will be productive regardless of whether McCaffrey regresses.

No. 8: Kyren Williams:

1,299 rush yards, 4.1 ypc, 14 rush TDs, 182 rec yards

Kyren Williams has provided a level of dominance and consistency at the running back position that the Rams have severely lacked since Todd Gurley’s departure. Kyren Williams has only played three NFL seasons, but it’s already safe to say that he will be a back that racks up 1,000+ yards year in and year out until age 30. And assuming he does, Williams will go down as one of the most notable draft steals of the 2020s, as he was drafted in the 5th round and was evaluated as an above-average backup.

No. 9: Bucky Irving:

1,122 rush yards, 5.4 ypc, 8 rush TDs, 392 rec yards

Running the ball has been a gaping weakness for the Bucs for many years, until rookie Bucky Irving provided a prolific rushing attack that the team had been lacking for a perpetually long time. Bucky Irving is Tampa Bay’s first 1,000+ yard rusher since 2015, has the highest yards per carry of any leading rusher in Bucs’ history, and the longest Bucs’ running play since 2019.

Irving played a pivotal role in the Bucs’ offense ranking third in yards per game and fourth in rushing yards per game last season. Irving had the third-most scrimmage yards in the league from weeks 12-18, aiding the Bucs’ late-season playoff push. If Irving records his late-season numbers through the entire 2025 season, the future looks bright in Tampa.

No. 10: De’von Achane:

907 rush yards, 4.5 ypc, 6 rush TDs, 592 rec yards

The Dolphins’ offense regressed massively in 2024, but Achane’s regression was more of an effect than a cause. De’von Achane was virtually unstoppable when healthy during his rookie 2023 season, as shown by his 7.8 yards per carry.

However, the Dolphins‘ O-line descended from a top-five group to below average and Achane received fewer carries and more attention from defenses without Tua at quarterback for six games. There is nevertheless still reason to believe that Achane can record well over 1,000 yards in 2025 with his high yards per carry and if he and Tua can stay healthy, as De’von Achane is quietly one of the league’s most explosive running backs.