Fantasy Football: 5 running back league winners

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• Chase Brown was a league-winner: Brown wasn’t drafted to be a fantasy starter, but scored the third-most fantasy points per game over an eight-game stretch at the end of the season.
• Kenneth Walker III has been a top-12 fantasy running back when healthy: Walker has consistently started seasons strong from a fantasy perspective before injuries have kicked in.
• Data, tools and expert insights: Use code earlybird to save $20 on your PFF+ annual subscription.

Estimated reading time: 18 minutes

Each season, ESPN produces a list of players who were most represented on fantasy football playoff teams and championship teams.

This article highlights five running backs with the potential to be true league winners in 2025. Each offers excellent value at their current ADP and has a clear path to finishing among the top scorers at their position by season’s end.

The average draft position listed is from a consensus between ESPN, Sleeper and Yahoo! for where the player is picked on average in a 12-team, redraft league.

Last updated: Monday, August 18

Chase Brown, Cincinnati Bengals (ADP: 3.03)

Brown was a Bengals fifth-round pick in 2023, when Joe Mixon was the starter. Brown was a non-factor over the first 12 weeks of his rookie season, finishing with two carries and three receptions on eight snaps. In Week 13, Brown started cutting into Mixon’s playing time. He played 11-18 snaps over the final six weeks of the season and averaged seven carries per game for 29 yards and 2.2 receptions for 29.8 yards.

The Bengals elected to move on from Mixon and added free agent Zack Moss, who started to begin the season but by Week 4, Brown was receiving double-digit carries each week. In Week 8, Moss suffered a season-ending injury. Brown took the lead in Week 8, and from Weeks 9 to 17, he played at least 80% of Cincinnati’s offensive snaps every week. He averaged 20.6 fantasy points per game during that stretch, third-most among running backs.

Brown earned a 73.8 rushing grade, which was tied for Mixon’s lowest rushing grade with the Bengals, outside of his 2020 season, when he only played six games. However, Brown’s fantasy production was better during that eight-game stretch because the Bengals scored 24-41 points each week, leading to a lot of offensive plays and touchdowns. Brown was also involved as a receiver despite not playing often on third downs. His numbers were remarkably similar to Mixon’s last season.

Once Brown became the starter and Moss was out, he was playing every situation outside of third downs. Instead of having a third-down back, Cincinnati simply used three wide receivers and two tight ends, or four wide receivers and one tight on on third downs, and one of those tight ends, Drew Sample, helped with blocking.

The backfield situation became notably more complicated this season. Samaje Perine returned to the team after playing for Cincinnati in 2020-2022. He was both a third-down back and a two-minute drill back for Cincinnati. In 2022, he played 58 two-minute drill snaps to Joe Mixon‘s 32, so we could see his two-minute drill snaps get cut in half. Luckily, the Bengals have never been a team to throw to running backs during two-minute drills that often, and Brown only caught four of his passes last season during two-minute drills.

The Bengals tend to have one clear running back for early downs. Since 2017, the Bengals have had one running back with 170 or more carries in first or second down, outside of two-minute drills. The most a backup has had is 83 runs. The exception was 2020, when Mixon was the clear leader before injury. This means Brown should still be the clear lead early back.

Brown will continue having Zac Taylor as his head coach. The Bengals running back has constantly had fantasy value in his offenses, even if they haven’t graded well, because he’s constantly had a lead runner. The offense scores a lot of points, which allows the running backs to score a lot of touchdowns. There are fewer carries to go around because of how much they pass the ball, so this is not an offense that can have two fantasy-relevant running backs at the same time, but as long as Brown is the guy, he should keep having value. While the Bengals are passing so much, defenses aren’t as focused on the run, which has also been an asset to the Bengals’ running backs.

Brown was the third-best fantasy running back over an eight-game stretch last season, but the Bengals offense is bound to have a little regression. The real problem will be increased competition for touches. As long as Brown is starting, he should be a safe start in fantasy, but there is no guarantee he remains the starter all season, even if he stays healthy.

Kenneth Walker III, Seattle Seahawks (ADP: 4.06)

Kenneth Walker III was selected 41st overall in the 2022 NFL Draft. After spending his first month as a backup, Walker took over as Seattle’s starter in Week 6 and has held the role ever since. Across his career, he’s delivered stretches of elite fantasy production but has also been hampered by injuries.

As a rookie, Walker averaged 19.7 PPR points per game over his first six career starts before an ankle sprain slowed him down. He missed one game and struggled in his return but still closed the year with three 100-yard performances. In 2023, Walker again started strong, averaging 17.4 points per game through six weeks, only to see his snaps and effectiveness decline due to injuries. He didn’t play 60% of Seattle’s offensive snaps again that season. The 2024 campaign followed a similar pattern: 22.3 points per game through five weeks, followed by missed time and diminished production as injuries piled up.

Walker’s inconsistency has been tied to his health and Seattle’s bottom-10 offensive line, but his flashes of dominance are undeniable. His 0.42 avoided tackles per attempt in 2024 was the highest mark in PFF’s 19-year database (minimum 50 carries). For context, the next-best mark by a player with at least 150 carries is 0.31, shared by Marshawn Lynch (2014) and Nick Chubb (2020). Over the past two seasons, Walker has also earned a play-level grade of +1 or better at the third-highest rate among all running backs, trailing only Jahmyr Gibbs and Derrick Henry.

In addition, Walker’s role in the passing game expanded in 2024, with increases in both routes run per game and targets per route run. His receiving grade over the past two years ranks ninth among backs with at least 400 routes.

Klint Kubiak joins the Seahawks as their new offensive coordinator after spending five seasons in similar roles across five different teams. In three of his last four stops — including both of his previous stints as an offensive coordinator — his offenses produced a top-12 fantasy running back. That list includes Alvin Kamara (fifth in fantasy points per game last season) and Christian McCaffrey (first in 2023). A common thread in Kubiak’s schemes has been a heavy emphasis on the run game and involving running backs in the passing attack. His offenses have also ranked in the top seven in zone concept frequency at all four stops, suggesting Seattle will shift back to primarily zone runs in 2025 after leaning more on gap concepts last season. That shift could benefit Kenneth Walker III, who has historically been more effective on zone runs.

In his introductory press conference, Kubiak emphasized the importance of building the offense around the run game and specifically cited Walker as their best back, saying they’d “get him the ball any way we can.” Seattle also plans to convert two tight ends into fullbacks, further signaling a commitment to the ground game.

One consistent issue for Walker has been Seattle’s offensive line, which regressed from an average unit in his first two seasons to a bottom-10 group in 2024. However, there’s reason for optimism. Charles Cross took a major leap forward last year, earning a 77.9 run-blocking grade and 81.3 pass-blocking grade, establishing himself as one of the league’s best young left tackles. The Seahawks also spent a first-round pick on guard Grey Zabel, who posted an 86.4 run-blocking grade in his final season at North Dakota State and should provide an immediate upgrade.

The remaining three projected starters are recent mid-round picks. Injuries played a large role in last year’s struggles — Cross and Laken Tomlinson were the only linemen to log at least 11 starts. The starting five graded significantly better than their backups, so with improved health and natural development, this group has a chance to rebound to league-average or better in 2025.

Walker finished 12th among running backs in fantasy points per game last season, showcasing the talent that makes him one of the league’s most explosive backs. With Klint Kubiak’s run-focused scheme and improved offensive line play, Walker has the upside to crack the top eight in 2025. However, durability concerns and Seattle’s still-unproven line remain potential hurdles that could limit his consistency over a full season.

Omarion Hampton, Los Angeles Chargers (ADP: 4.08)

Hampton spent the 2022 season in a five-way committee at running back before taking over as an every-down back for the next two years. His volume improved each season. While there wasn’t significant growth in his rushing production between 2023 and 2024 — outside of a few longer runs that boosted his volume stats and EPA — he also became more explosive as a receiver out of the backfield, even though his receiving grade did not notably improve. Hampton ranks among the top 10 FBS running backs over the past eight seasons in average max speed, according to PFF’s tracking data, with only Breece Hall and Keaton Mitchell clocking faster among current NFL backs.

As a runner, Hampton was elite in most situations. The one area where he was less consistent was on gap run concepts. He earned a 92.0 PFF rushing grade on zone runs compared to an 84.5 grade on gap runs. As noted in PFF’s draft guide, “Hampton can get impatient and get north before it is necessary,” which likely impacted his performance on man-blocking plays.

Hampton’s receiving metrics were generally strong over the past two seasons. He is more experienced as a receiver than most running backs who were projected to be selected on the first or second day of the draft. His combination of speed and tackle avoidance could make him an even better receiver in the NFL than he was in college.

Hampton will be playing behind an offensive line that Los Angeles has heavily invested in through recent drafts. The team also added Mekhi Becton in free agency. While the unit does not feature any elite run blockers, it also lacks any clear liabilities. Both Rashawn Slater and Zion Johnson posted higher run-blocking grades in 2022 than in 2023 or 2024, and ideally, both can return to their earlier form. Overall, the offensive line should not be viewed as a major asset or a significant concern.

Hampton is paired with offensive coordinator Greg Roman, which presents a somewhat unusual fit. Roman has typically relied heavily on man-blocking schemes throughout his career, while Hampton has been more effective on zone runs. Najee Harris also performs better in zone schemes than on gap runs. Notably, the Chargers’ offensive line ranked 11th-best on zone runs last season, compared to 16th on gap runs. This suggests that there is a chance Roman and the Chargers will adjust their offensive philosophy to better suit their personnel.

Roman has generally led run-first offenses, with last season being an exception, likely driven by the quality of the running back room. After investing heavily in the position this offseason, the Chargers are expected to return to a more run-heavy approach.

The primary concern is Roman’s historical underemphasis on targeting running backs in the passing game. For example, Justice Hill averaged less than five receiving yards per game under Roman but posted 13 and 25 receiving yards per game in the two years following Roman’s departure. Regardless of the snap split between Harris and Hampton, expectations for Hampton’s target volume should be tempered.

Hampton should be viewed as one of the top rookie running backs from the past few seasons and as the lead back on a run-heavy team. The fact that Najee Harris has missed nearly all of training camp should only help Hampton’s odds of a strong start to the season. The more the Chargers tailor their offense to fit Hampton’s strengths, the better his outlook will be.

R.J. Harvey, Denver Broncos (ADP: 6.07)

Harvey steadily climbed UCF’s depth chart, going from a non-factor in 2021 to an efficient backup in 2022 before excelling in a lead role across the 2023 and 2024 seasons. His breakout came despite UCF’s jump from the American Athletic Conference (AAC) to the Big 12, where he continued to shine. Harvey earned a 93.4 PFF rushing grade against Power Five opponents over the past three years — higher than Blake Corum, Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson, and just behind Cameron Skattebo, Damien Martinez and Bucky Irving.

As a receiver, Harvey’s production was generally strong throughout his college career. His grade dipped slightly in 2024 due to a small sample (31 targets, 22 catches) that included one fumble and two drops, which skewed the numbers.

Our draft guide highlighted Harvey’s impressive elusiveness as a runner and receiver. Lead draft analyst Trevor Sikkema even named Harvey his favorite prospect in the class, praising his unique skill set and compact frame (5-foot-8, 205 pounds). Among recent NFL backs with similar builds, Devonta Freeman carved out the most success, while Darrell Henderson and Michael Carter have also flashed at times.

A big reason for optimism with Harvey is his fit in Sean Payton’s offense. Broncos running backs have combined for 214 receptions over the past two seasons — more than any other team in the NFL. Payton’s history with versatile backs in New Orleans is well-documented, where Reggie Bush, Darren Sproles, Pierre Thomas and Alvin Kamara all delivered fantasy relevance, even in split backfields. Kamara is a particularly relevant comparison. Drafted 67th overall (compared to Harvey at 60th), Kamara played just 44.9% of New Orleans’ offensive snaps as a rookie but still finished fourth in fantasy points per game, thanks to 120 carries and 81 receptions.

That said, the Broncos’ backfield has been highly volatile in recent seasons. Predicting which back would lead in carries from week to week was nearly impossible, and Payton’s public comments about player roles often didn’t align with usage. Even preseason rotations proved misleading when it came to final depth chart decisions. While the hope is Harvey and J.K. Dobbins can stabilize the backfield, there’s no guarantee history won’t repeat itself.

While Payton’s preseason usage hasn’t always led to regular-season usage, Harvey played all but one snap with the starters on first and second downs in the first preseason game, while Dobbins was restricted to playing a third-down role. While we expect a little more rotation for the regular season, this at least points to Harvey potentially leading the team in carries while catching a lot of passes.

Harvey was arguably the biggest winner among rookie running backs, landing in a situation where his skill set could translate to fantasy stardom. A top-10 finish is within reach if he secures the passing-down role and averages eight or more carries per game. Still, Denver’s backfield has been notoriously volatile in recent years, and there’s a chance that unpredictability continues even with Harvey in the mix.

D’Andre Swift, Chicago Bears (ADP: 6.02)

D’Andre Swift was drafted by the Detroit Lions with the 35th overall pick in 2020. Ben Johnson was elevated to offensive coordinator in 2022. This led to Williams playing more snaps while Swift played less. Justin Jackson also played more snaps. Swift remained the two-minute drill back but played less on third downs. He also played less on early downs and in short-yardage situations. Williams tended to play more early in the game while Swift played more late, but it was not as extreme as recent Lions teams. Swift set a career low in rushing attempts per game but a career high in rushing yards per attempt.

Swift was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles after the team drafted Jahmyr Gibbs. The Eagles had a four-man battle between Kenneth Gainwell, Rashaad Penny, Boston Scott and Swift. Gainwell won the battle but suffered an injury, allowing Swift to start Week 2. He ran 28 times for 175 yards and a touchdown, 16 times for 130 yards the following week and didn’t look back. However, those were his only two 100-yard rushing games of the season, and by the end of the season, he was in more of a 50-50 split rather than playing over 60% of the team’s offensive snaps like he had most of the season.

The Eagles signed Saquon Barkley in free agency, so Swift went to the Chicago Bears. Swift played more in Chicago, taking the clear early-down back role while Roschon Johnson played on third downs. While his rushing attempts and routes run improved, his efficiency declined. His 61.3 offensive grade was the third-lowest among running backs with at least 500 snaps. He’s generally played better in gap schemes, and the Bears had the fifth-highest rate of using gap last season, so he, at least, had that working for him.  

Swift’s role has been all over the place throughout his career, as each offensive play-caller has used him differently. Currently, Roschon Johnson is his primary competition for snaps for a second-straight season. Travis Homer has been a third-down back at times but has typically been more of a special-teams player.

While Swift was an early-down back and Johnson a third-down back last season, those roles may reverse. The Bears now have Ben Johnson as the head coach, and Swift’s one season with Johnson at offensive coordinator was in 2022, when he was the third-down and two-minute drill back. From a measurable perspective, Johnson is much more like David Montgomery and Jamaal Williams, while Swift is more like Jahmyr Gibbs.

Ben Johnson is the new head coach of the Chicago Bears. While this has generally been viewed as a positive for Chicago, that is less clear if that will be the case for Swift. Johnson has typically had a high zone run rate, which is the opposite of what the Bears had last season. His role was reduced in his one year with Johnson, but his fantasy value was higher than in seasons where he had a bigger role, thanks to high efficiency. It’s a big concern that after one year as Swift’s offensive coordinator, the Lions decided to upgrade from him.

This means Swift has a wide range of outcomes. If the Bears don’t add any running backs, there’s a chance Swift could play in his recent larger role but with more efficiency, allowing him to be a top-10 back. There is a chance his efficiency doesn’t come back, and Johnson keeps him in a smaller role like in 2022, in which case, fantasy managers can’t start Swift. Another running back could come in, and Swift could potentially fall to third on the depth chart.

Whoever ends up leading the Bears in carries will get significant help from a re-worked offensive line. The Bears’ tackle duo is in the top 12 in terms of PFF grade among tackles 26 or younger. They both rank in the top eight in run blocking, and Chicago added Ozzy Trapilo in the second round. Chicago traded for Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson and signed Drew Dalman in free agency. Jackson has experience playing under Ben Johnson in Detroit. The Bears’ run-blocking grade was average last season, but they should be among the better lines this season. They don’t have the dominant force on the line like Penei Sewell or Frank Ragnow, but there are no weaknesses.

Swift has been a low-end fantasy starter in recent seasons. The Bears offense has been greatly improved with a new offensive line, more receivers and a new head coach. This could lead Swift’s fantasy production to notably improve, but it could also be a matter of time before they also want to upgrade at running back, which could leave Swift behind.

This news was originally published on this post .

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