The fullback is a dying breed in the NFL, but several teams employ standalone fullbacks as part of their offense. (Others may be content putting tight ends or even defensive linemen in the backfield.)
NFL free agent rankings: Fullback
Our consensus rankings tell you who the best fullback in free agency is.
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Matt Warren is Associate Director of NFL coverage for SB Nation and previously covered the Buffalo Bills for Buffalo Rumblings for more than a decade. If it has to do with math, he covered it, from NFL playoff standings to salary cap analysis.
As far as fullbacks go, there is a very popular name on this year’s list and some good talent on the short list of free agents. We polled a group of writers from around SB Nation to gather consensus rankings about the players.
We will remove players from the list as they re-sign with their current teams all the way up to the opening of free agency in March.
Available fullbacks entering free agency
4. Adam Prentice, New Orleans Saints
He’s played a ton of snaps on offense and special teams for the Saints this year — more than Taysom Hill, in fact — but our voters didn’t value him very highly. He turns 28 in January of 2025.
3. Michael Burton, Denver Broncos
Burton has been on and off the active roster for multiple teams in his career, but in 2024 at the age of 32, he’s having a productive year in Denver with the most yards from scrimmage of his career. UPDATE: Burton re-upped with the Broncos at the end of March.
2. Reggie Gilliam, Buffalo Bills
Undrafted in 2020, Gilliam has been with the Bills ever since. He is used mostly in a special teams role, where he plays on all of the units and leads the team in ST snaps. UPDATE: Gilliam is back in Buffalo on a one-year deal.
1. Patrick Ricard, Baltimore Ravens
Ricard turns 31 this offseason, so the Ravens may want to look to get younger, but could also just keep pairing him with fellow millennial Derrick Henry. He’s played his entire career with the Ravens after signing as a UDFA in 2017. UPDATE: As expected, Ricard will be back in Baltimore in 2025.
Recently released fullbacks that are available
Kyle Juszczyk
Perhaps the best-known fullback in the NFL, the 49ers announced they are moving on from their longtime member of the backfield. He’s about to turn 34, but intends to play a 13th NFL season. He was a 50% snap count player in San Fran, so maybe he lands somewhere with a Kyle Shanahan disciple. UPDATE: Juszczyk re-signed with the 49ers on a more team-friendly deal.
Fullbacks who signed new deals in free agency
- Patrick Ricard re-upped with the Baltimore Ravens
- Reggie Gilliam re-upped with the Buffalo Bills
- Nick Bellore signed a contract with Washington
- Kyle Juszczyk re-signed with the 49ers
- Jakob Johnson signed a deal with Houston
- Michael Burton re-upped with the Broncos
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