It’s officially the best time of the year, as NFL Best Ball is back on DraftKings.
This format gives players a chance to draft a fantasy football team for a season-long competition that requires no active in-season management, but still provides a full season of drama and competition.
You can find all the details, scoring and rules for the format here.
Below I have ranked my top-10 running backs for the 2025 DraftKings NFL Best Ball season.
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1. Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles
Barkley posted a historic season in his first year with the Eagles, rushing for an NFL-leading 2,005 yards on a whopping 345 carries, with 13 rushing touchdowns. He would also add another 278 yards through the air and an additional two receiving TDs as well. He finished as the overall RB1, totaling 355.3 fantasy points, which was 38.3 points ahead of Jahmyr Gibbs, who ranked second.
The scary part is that Barkley left a ton of meat on the bone last year as well, getting stopped at the 1-yard line 11 times. Nothing has changed for the Eagles heading into the 2025 season, as they still boast one of the best offensive lines in the NFL. There are obviously some durability concerns after how many touches Barkley saw last year, but the Eagles should remain one of the most efficient offenses in the league, and Barkley is the centerpiece of that.
2. Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions
Gibbs went absolutely off last year in his sophomore NFL campaign, rushing for 1,412 yards and a league-leading 16 touchdowns, while adding 517 receiving yards and four more scores through the air. He finished as the overall RB2 behind Barkley, averaging 21.3 PPR points per game. He flashed his true potential over the final three weeks of the regular season when David Montgomery was out with injury, posting fantasy-point totals of 28.4, 29.3 and 49.
Montgomery is back healthy for the 2025 season, but it’s hard to imagine he will eat into Gibbs’ workload nearly as much this year. Gibbs is one of the safest first-round picks on the board this season.
3. Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons
After a quiet rookie season, Robinson broke out in his second year in the NFL, rushing for 1,456 yards and 14 touchdowns while catching 61 passes for 431 yards. With Arthur Smith out of the picture, Robinson was finally used as a true bell-cow, especially down the stretch where he received 22 or more carries in five of Atlanta’s final six games.
Robinson was the RB1 from Week 6 on last year, and now gets a significant QB upgrade in Michael Penix Jr., whose gun-slinging tendencies should open up running lanes and boost Robinson’s production even further this season.
4. Derrick Henry, Baltimore Ravens
In his first season with the Ravens, Henry racked up 1,921 rushing yards (2nd in NFL) and led the league in total touchdowns with 18. He averaged a ridiculous 5.9 yards per carry and predictably thrived in an offense that features Lamar Jackson at QB.
Entering his age-31 season, Henry is showing zero signs of slowing down, and the Ravens just rewarded him with a two-year, $30 million extension. Baltimore led the NFL in red zone trips last year and will undoubtedly be among the league-leaders again this season, keeping Henry’s TD potential sky high. Even with DraftKings full PPR scoring, he’s a no-brainer selection at the end of the first round.
5. Ashton Jeanty, Las Vegas Raiders
Jeanty should have won the Heisman in his final collegiate season at Boise State last year, because he posted a truly historic campaign. The sixth-overall pick in the draft amassed 2,601 yards on 374 carries (7.0 YPC) and 29 (!) rushing touchdowns, while adding 23 catches for 138 yards and another score through the air.
He is going to crush in this new Pete Carroll/Chip Kelly regime with Geno Smith as his QB. Even as a rookie, Jeanty should challenge 300+ touches this year in a Marshawn Lynch-esque workhorse role.
6. Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers
McCaffrey’s 2024 season was torpedoed by Achilles and PCL injuries, limiting him to just four games in which he totaled just 202 rushing yards, 146 receiving yards and zero touchdowns.
He’s reportedly back to being 100% healthy and even fully participating in OTAs. While it’s likely he could have his touches slightly limited this year in an effort to preserve his health, there’s no denying the upside that CMC brings to the table. He already has four seasons of 350+ fantasy points under his belt and is still firmly in his prime at age 28. If healthy, no one in fantasy football has a higher ceiling.
7. Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts
Taylor posted a really strong 2024 season, rushing for 1,431 yards with 11 touchdowns across 14 games. He was also an absolute menace during the fantasy playoffs, going for 42.8 and 30.6 fantasy points in Weeks 16 and 17.
With Daniel Jones penciled in as the likely starting QB for the Colts in 2025, Taylor will no longer have to compete for rushing touchdowns with Anthony Richardson, which will only enhance his fantasy outlook. It’s no secret that head coach Shane Steichen wants to pound the rock, and Taylor is the unquestioned alpha of this offense.
8. De’Von Achane, Miami Dolphins
Achane broke out in his sophomore NFL campaign, amassing 907 rushing yards and six touchdowns while also catching 78 passes for 592 yards and another six scores. Despite a drop in efficiency from his rookie year, he became a true workhorse back in 2024, more than offsetting any concerns about his production. You can also attribute some of his efficiency issues to Tua Tagovailoa being injured for most of the season.
Achane led all NFL running backs last year in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns. And now with short-area merchant Jonnu Smith traded to the Steelers, Achane should once again thrive as the primary dump-off option in the Dolphins’ offense. He’s going in the second round of drafts, but can easily finish the year as a top-five scorer overall, especially if the Miami offensive line improves.
9. Josh Jacobs, Green Bay Packers
After a poor 2023 season with the Raiders, Jacobs thrived in his first season in Green Bay, rushing for 1,329 yards and 15 touchdowns, while adding 342 receiving yards and another score. He was an absolute workhorse in Matt LeFleur’s offense, totaling 337 touches en route to an overall RB6 finish.
Still dealing with minimal competition for touches, Jacobs is primed to repeat his production from last season, making him one of the safest picks on the board at the end of the second round.
10. Bucky Irving, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Irving looked great as a rookie, rushing for 1,122 yards and eight touchdowns while catching 47 passes for 392 yards. It took a little while, but he eventually dusted Rachaad White for the lead role and flashed a massive ceiling down the stretch. The Oregon product went for 26+ fantasy points in three of his final seven contests.
Tampa Bay’s offense looks like it will yet again be elite in 2025 after adding WR Emeka Egbuka in the draft along with getting Chris Godwin back from injury. With all this talent, touchdown opportunities should be plentiful for Irving in his sophomore campaign, while he remains the focal point of the Bucs’ run game. His dual-threat skill set also makes him even more appealing in DraftKings full PPR scoring formats.