Over the last several weeks, I've run through my RB rankings and tiers for 2025, as well as my overall running back draft strategy in fantasy football drafts.

With two pieces of the positional puzzle down, the last one remaining is identifying the RBs that possess league-winning upside for fantasy football in 2025.

Below are my fantasy football league winners at the RB position (six total), along with the write-ups from my RB Rankings and Tiers column, which break down what needs to happen to unlock that league-winning upside.

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League-Winning Running Backs For 2025 Fantasy Football

De'Von Achane | Dolphins

• Consensus ADP: 14.0 (Round 2)

The man many lauded as too small to earn more work proved the doubters wrong in Year 2.

• Snaps: 42% → 62%
• Attempts: 34% → 48%
• Attempts inside the five-yard line: 23% → 70%
• Routes: 45% → 61%
• Targets: 11% → 15%
• PPG: 16.6 → 17.6

Achane's efficiency fell in Year 2 as he battled a high-ankle sprain he picked up in Week 1 versus Jacksonville. He still managed 4.5 yards per tote while his teammates struggled. Raheem Mostert (3.3) and Jaylen Wright (3.7) fared far worse. Achane's explosive rush rate (10-plus yard attempts) fell from 22% to 10%.

The Dolphins also had zero going in the pass game from Weeks 3 to 7, with Tua Tagovailoa out. In 11 games with Tagovailoa, Achane averaged 22.6 PPG.

The biggest question about the Dolphins is the health of Tagovailoa and the offensive line. Brandon Thorn ranks them among his bottom units, and PFF has them No. 25. Miami lost their best lineman from 2023 in Terron Armstead, who was PFF's No. 4-graded tackle in the NFL.

The Dolphins offense has some questions, but Achane has the profile we are looking for: a pass-catching machine with electric play-making ability. He offers a similar range of outcomes to Gibbs, but you can get him in Round 2 of drafts.

Bucky Irving | Buccaneers

• Consensus ADP: 21.5 (Round 2)

Irving averaged 14.2 PPG as a rookie, but the real story is how he took over the Buccaneers' backfield down the stretch. After the Week 11 bye, Irving became the No. 1 option in Tampa. In seven healthy games through the Wild Card round, he averaged 19.3 PPG.

• Snaps: 62%
• Attempts: 60%
• Attempts inside the five-yard line: 100%
• Routes: 45%
• Targets: 11%

In Week 18 and the Wild Card game with everything on the line, the team gave Irving an even larger workload.

Through Irving's emergence, Rachaad White retained most of the passing-down work. That trend could continue, but don't be surprised if Irving expands his takeover into pass downs. He outperformed White as a receiver on a per-route basis.

• Targets per route run (TPRR): Irving 21%, White 18%
• Yards per route run (YPRR): Irving 1.63, White 1.32

Historically, top-six RBs have delivered a 21% TPRR and 1.45 YPRR on average. Both marks that Irving eclipsed.

On the ground, Irving was absolutely electric.

• Ten-plus yard attempts: 13% (high-end RB1 worthy)
• Yards per attempt: 5.4 (high-end RB1 worthy)
• Yards after contact per attempt: 4.0 (high-end RB1 worthy)
• Missed tackles forced per attempt: 0.28 (high-end RB1 worthy)

Tampa Bay might not have Tristan Wirfs (knee) for the early part of the year, but when healthy, they project as a top-six unit at PFF, according to Brandon Thorn. I have the Bucs projected for regression after a career year from Baker Mayfield, but they still rank 10th in TD projection (43).

Irving is a HIGH PRIORITY in late Round 2. He is an ascending talent playing in a good offense. If he takes over more passing-down work, he offers RB1 overall upside.

Chase Brown | Bengals

• Consensus ADP: 25.3 (Round 3)

Brown erupted in the second half of 2024 after the loss of Zack Moss to a neck injury. Over an eight-game sample, he averaged 20.9 points per game with an 85% snap share.

All around, Brown was a solid contributor on the ground. We didn't see his timed speed show up in the explosive rush department in a big way (10%). As a receiver, Brown was much less involved before the loss of Moss, and the team signed Samaje Perine (passing-down specialist) this offseason. Brown's underlying receiving profile was also lackluster.

• TPRR: 19% (RB2-worthy)
• YPRR: 1.06 (RB6-worthy)

The Bengals are a pass-happy offense (No. 1 DBOE of 8%) with one of the worst-graded offensive lines in the NFL, so winning the passing down role is a key component to success for Brown.

I was on the borderline with Brown when I wrote up my tiers, given his average talent profile. But his 73% snap share and 60% route participation rate with the starters in Week 1 of the preseason are a reminder of how much he could dominate this backfield.

In the end, I asked myself: Am I really going to allow Samaje Perine to keep me from drafting Chase Brown? The answer is no.

As the 12th RB off the board in drafts, Brown has a good shot to pay off his ADP even if he loses some pass-down snaps. If his routes remain in the 60-to-65% range, he offers high-end RB1 upside.

Omarion Hampton | Chargers

• Consensus ADP: 41.0 (Round 4)

This name should immediately have your attention, given where I have him in the tiers and his Round 4 ADP.

Hampton earned a 79 rating in the Rookie Super Model. Historically, 73% of similar backs have delivered a top-12 finish by Year 3.

While Najee Harris has the skillset to hamper Hampton's early-season outlook, the veteran's return date from a fireworks eye injury is unknown. The door is wide open for the Chargers' Round 1 investment to take over this backfield immediately.

Hampton offers the size/speed combination that should lead to chunk plays and a high rushing TD ceiling. The Chargers ran the ball 65% (8th) inside the five-yard line last year.

Hampton is not an elite passing-game option, but he has the skillset to handle a 10 to 12% target share in an offense that isn't loaded in the passing game. Outside of Ladd McConkey, the Chargers have unknowns at WR and TE.

Historically, Greg Roman offenses haven't targeted the backs often, but many of his quarterbacks have been scramblers. Colin Kaepernick (9%) and Jackson (9.3%) scramble far more often than Justin Herbert. His career scramble rate is 4.5%. That's below the three-year average for a starting NFL QB (5.2%).

The Chargers have invested in their offensive line with three first-round selections since 2021. They added Jets' former Round 1 pick Mekhi Becton to play right guard. The unit ranks in the top 10 for Brandon Thorn and PFF.

Hampton is a PRIORITY TARGET in Round 4 of drafts. He is a borderline RB1 with mid-range RB1 upside.

Kenneth Walker | Seahawks

• Consensus ADP: 41 (Round 4)

Walker reached a career-high 16.5 PPG last year. He expanded his role in the passing game to take over the two-minute offense (69%) snaps and upped his route participation from 36% to 49%. His 14% target share was in RB1 territory.

Klint Kubiak takes over as offensive coordinator. He ran outside zone the third-most last season (46%), which is an excellent fit for Walker's jump-cut ability. Walker's explosive rush rate (8%) was down last year, but was at 13% and 11% the two years before. Zach Charbonnet is a formidable No. 2, but hasn't been able to unseat Walker in two years.

Walker is one of the few backs who has demonstrated the ability to dominate a rushing workload—including the high-leverage touches inside the 5-yard line—and remain involved in the passing attack. Walker is a PRIORITY Round 4 target in drafts.

TreVeyon Henderson | Patriots

• Consensus ADP: 60.8 (Round 5)

If you are looking for an infusion of upside in Rounds 5 to 6 at the RB position, Henderson is your man. The Patriots are lacking explosive playmakers, which could make Henderson a primary focal point of the offense.

He busted 17% of his attempts for 10+ yards at Ohio State and demonstrated skills as a receiver and pass blocker. In the first preseason game, Henderson notched a whopping 60% target share with the starters on a 75% route participation. This could be an Alvin Kamara sort of rookie season—limited attempts, but a massive mismatch in the receiving game.

If Henderson wrangles away around half of the early-down work from Rhamondre Stevenson, he will offer top-12 upside. He doesn't need a monster workload to pay off. 

Henderson is my RB17 and offers RB1 upside if he surprises with a larger workload. Don't be afraid to reach a little if you started heavy at WR and need an RB2 with knockout punch power.

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