Top 100 fantasy football standard running backs for 2025

Welcome to the 2025 NFL fantasy football season. There will be elation, heartbreak, and the occasional butt fumble. Fantasy drafts have started in earnest, but there is still time to soak in as much information as you possibly can before making that first selection. Today we’ll take a look at standard running backs, the true heart of the NFL.

Cutdown day is done and practice squads have been filled. We should have a fairly good grasp of the depth charts around the league at this point. Of course, injuries always throw a wrench into the system, so let’s take a look at some of the injury concerns for running backs as we head into Week 1 of the season.

Mixon has a foot injury that has him on the NFI list to start the season. And if only it were that simple. We don’t have any actual information on what the injury is or how long his recovery might be or even if he will play at all this season. Mixon is undraftable at this point unless you have an IR slot. Unfortunately, his backup, Nick Chubb, has yet to prove he can be an effective lead back after multiple injuries slowed him down in Cleveland. But, he is the lead and in standard leagues, he has more value than he does in PPR. Other than him, rookie Woody Marks has a shot to earn work, while also being the only back on the team with much upside at this point. I like him as a late round flier, but he should be more useful in PPR leagues than standard.

Spears will start the season on the PUP list with a high ankle sprain, which means he’ll miss at least the first four games. Spears was hyped up in the offseason as a player who could see more work this year, but many thought the same last season. Instead, Tony Pollard held onto the job and played well. He also saw a huge workload when Spears missed time last year. This injury give Pollard an even higher floor on a team that should be much better offensively with a competent quarterback behind center.

Achane has a calf injury, but is trending toward being able to play in Week1, while Wright has a leg injury that will keep him out of the first game and possibly longer. He’s not going on the PUP list though, which means he shouldn’t miss four games.

Achane needs his speed to be effective, so the team plans on being cautious with him, so if he does play Week 1, we’d have to assume he is 100%. These injuries do open a crack in the door for rookie Ollie Gordon, who could see some early down work in Week 1. He showed well in preseason and has enough of an opening at the start of the season to grab him in drafts in case he can continue to win opportunities.

Harris has been removed from the NFI list and has a shot at playing Week 1 after missing all of training camp with an injured eye. This might put a damper on the upside of rookie first rounder Omarion Hampton, but it’s not an end to his fantasy value. Hampton is the future at running back, while Harris was brought in this offseason as someone who could eat up snaps and keep Hampton from needing to be “the guy” from day one. But with Harris’ unfortunate July 4th accident, Hampton has now prepared all training camp and preseason to be the lead back. As long as he plays well, there’s no reason to give Harris a big chunk of touches other than backup work.