- King Henry stays on his throne: Derrick Henry enters the 2025 NFL season because the league’s prime operating again, even at 31 years previous.
- Bucky Irving cracks the highest eight: A standout rookie season has the Tampa Bay operating again forward of Christian McCaffrey and De’Von Achane, amongst others.
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Estimated Reading Time: 10 minutes
PFF’s pre-season positional rating collection rolls on with the operating backs. It’s a more durable place to rank, given the razor-thin distinction’s in expertise and the way every brings sides of the sport (dashing, receiving, cross blocking).
Here’s a listing of the highest 32 backs for 2025. Be positive to take a look at all of PFF’s 2025 NFL pre-season rankings (QB, WR, EDGE, LB).
1. DERRICK HENRY, BALTIMORE RAVENS
Even at 31 years previous, King Henry is deserving of this listing’s No. 1 spot. He led the NFL in PFF dashing grade in 2024 (93.5), successful PFF’s Best Runner award.
Henry additionally boasts the best PFF dashing grade in a three-year pattern measurement going again to 2022 (94.2). Last season, he compelled essentially the most missed tackles (89) and ripped off the second-most runs of 10 yards or extra (53).
Highest-Graded NFL Running Backs in 2024
2. SAQUON BARKLEY, PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
Barkley is an enormous purpose why the Philadelphia Eagles are the reigning Super Bowl champions. He earned an 82.7 PFF dashing grade in 2024 and talied essentially the most runs of 10 yards or extra (55). He additionally led the NFL with 2,504 dashing yards.
3. BIJAN ROBINSON, ATLANTA FALCONS
Robinson not solely recorded the second-best PFF dashing grade within the NFL final season (92.1), however he additionally flexed his skills as a receiver, incomes an eighth-ranked 82.2 PFF receiving grade. That mixture led him to be the league’s most precious operating again in 2024, per PFF WAR.
4. JAHMYR GIBBS, DETROIT LIONS
Gibbs is an enormous play ready to occur on each snap. He positioned within the prime 5 in compelled missed tackles (68) and runs of 10 yards or extra (46) in 2024. He additionally racked up the second-most receiving yards of any operating again final season (587).
5. JOSH JACOBS, GREEN BAY PACKERS
Jacobs’ 93.0 PFF dashing grade over the previous three seasons trails solely Derrick Henry. He earned a 91.3 PFF dashing grade in 2024, with an equally spectacular and impactful 89.2 PFF receiving grade. He’s the entire package deal.
6. BUCKY IRVING, TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
Irving was sensational as a rookie. He didn’t fairly have the quantity stats of different operating backs on this listing’s vary, however his effectivity scores had been that of a top-10 again.
He earned a 90.0 PFF dashing grade with 62 compelled missed tackles and led the NFL with 3.93 yards after contact per try (amongst operating backs with at the very least 150 carries). He additionally posted a 90.2 PFF receiving grade, the second-highest mark on the place.
7. CHRISTIAN McCAFFREY, SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
We don’t must let you know how good McCaffrey is when wholesome. He owns a 91.0 cumulative PFF dashing grade over the previous three years and led all operating backs in PFF WAR in 2023. All of his totally wholesome seasons have yielded extremely excessive quantity and effectivity numbers.
But 2024 was as soon as once more a season riddled with accidents. McCaffrey performed in simply 4 video games resulting from calf, Achilles and knee illnesses, and he might be 29 years previous this 12 months.
8. JAMES CONNER, ARIZONA CARDINALS
Conner’s 92.1 cumulative PFF dashing grade over the previous three years is tied for fifth greatest within the league. His 0.20 PFF WAR mark in 2024 ranked seventh amongst operating backs, and he compelled 68 missed tackles.
9. DE’VON ACHANE, MIAMI DOLPHINS
Achane in 2023 grew to become certainly one of simply 4 operating backs to ever document an elite PFF dashing grade as a rookie (93.1). He adopted that up with an 82.1 PFF dashing grade and an 80.2 PFF receiving grade in 2024. He additionally racked up essentially the most receiving yards on the place (592).
De’Von Achane’s Career PFF Grades
10. KYREN WILLIAMS, LOS ANGELES RAMS
Williams’ 2024 PFF dashing grade (74.3) wasn’t all that spectacular, however he rushed for greater than 1,400 yards and generated the fourth-highest PFF WAR determine amongst operating backs, helped by having seven video games the place he earned a PFF pass-blocking grade above 80.0.
11. KENNETH WALKER III, SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
Walker earned a 91.3 PFF dashing grade and a 72.9 PFF receiving grade in 2024. His 92.5 cumulative PFF dashing grade over the previous three years ranks third on the place.
His grades alone might have moved him larger on this listing, however his 3.7 yards-per-carry common final 12 months drops him within the rankings. He has additionally steadily declined in each yards and yards-per-attempt averages over the previous three years whereas lacking time resulting from damage every season.
12. JAMES COOK, BUFFALO BILLS
Cook earned an 88.6 PFF dashing grade in 2024 with greater than 1,200 dashing yards on the season. He additionally recorded 26 runs of 10 yards or extra, which was good for the 14th most within the NFL.
13. ASHTON JEANTY, LAS VEGAS RAIDERS
Only 4 operating backs within the PFF period have earned elite PFF dashing grades as rookies: Adrian Peterson (2007), Alfred Morris (2012), De’Von Achane (2023) and Bucky Irving (2024). Jeanty might very nicely be the fifth, and the third in a row.
In 2024, he set PFF faculty data with a 96.6 PFF dashing grade, 1,970 yards after contact and 152 missed tackles compelled.
14. JONATHAN TAYLOR, INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
Taylor has the quantity stats, with greater than 6,000 dashing yards over the previous 5 years. But he additionally owns only a 74.4 cumulative PFF dashing grade throughout the previous three seasons. He recorded the bottom PFF dashing grade of his profession in 2024 (64.1).
15. BREECE HALL, NEW YORK JETS
Hall has began 16 video games in every of the previous two seasons however nonetheless hasn’t rushed for greater than 1,000 yards. After incomes an 88.9 PFF receiving grade in 2023, he garnered only a 49.5 mark in 2024 to match the 48.8 grade he recorded as a rookie.
Hall is a gifted again and might want to hit the bottom operating with the Jets’ new teaching employees if he desires to remain in New York.
16. CHUBA HUBBARD, CAROLINA PANTHERS
Hubbard ranks eighth amongst NFL operating backs for PFF WAR generated over the previous two seasons. He posted an 86.3 PFF dashing grade with a 3.46 yards-after-contact common in 2024. His 39.5 PFF receiving grade is what holds him again from inserting larger.
17. JOE MIXON, HOUSTON TEXANS
Over the previous three seasons, Mixon has produced an 87.6 PFF dashing grade the seventh-highest PFF WAR mark amongst operating backs. He is a strong participant who can contribute and be environment friendly on all three downs.
18. TONY POLLARD, TENNESSEE TITANS
Pollard’s 73.5 PFF dashing grade in his first 12 months with the Titans was the bottom of his profession. However, he has generated the fifth-highest PFF WAR determine amongst operating backs over the previous three seasons.
He additionally earned only a 51.6 PFF grade as a receiver in 2024, though a lot of that may be attributed to a roster that earned the No. 1 general choose within the 2025 NFL Draft.
Best Running Backs in Yards After Contact in 2024
19. AARON JONES, MINNESOTA VIKINGS
Jones ranks tenth amongst operating backs in PFF WAR over the previous three seasons. His 91.8 PFF dashing grade in that span ranks eighth. But recorded had only a 75.6 PFF dashing grade in 2024 and might be 31 years previous throughout the 2025 marketing campaign.
20. ALVIN KAMARA, NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
Kamara was as soon as the gold commonplace of versatility — somebody who was assured to rack up dashing yards, produce effectively after contact and supply improbable outputs as a receiver.
He remains to be all of these issues, simply at a much less impactful stage at 30 years previous. Kamara eearned a 76.6 PFF dashing grade in 2024.
21. DAVID MONTGOMERY, DETROIT LIONS
Montgomery gutted out a knee damage that might have eliminated him from the Lions’ playoff plans, incomes an 80.1 PFF dashing grade and the best receiving grade (90.7) of any operating again.
22. TYLER ALLGEIER, ATLANTA FALCONS
This could appear to be a excessive rating for what many would think about a backup operating again, however that title is insulting to Allgeier’s consistency. He ranked eleventh amongst operating backs with at the very least 100 makes an attempt in PFF dashing grade (85.7) final season. He additionally has a really excessive profession yards-after-contact common, nicely above 3.00. His 0.34 PFF WAR mark since 2022 ranks twenty first on the place
23. ISIAH PACHECO, KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
Pacheco missed a big chunk of time final season resulting from a fractured fibula in Week 2. He has been a strong participant for the Chiefs over the previous three seasons and isn’t afraid to decrease his shoulder and safe powerful yards. His 80.2 PFF dashing grade in 2023 was a career-best determine, however his yards-after-contact common has nonetheless been under 3.00 in every of the previous two years.
24. OMARION HAMPTON, LOS ANGELES CHARGERS
Hampton’s placement right here is in flux, since he has not taken an NFL snap but. But we all know operating backs can escape early, and Hampton has the expertise — and touchdown spot — to do this. He earned PFF dashing grades of 88.7 and 88.4 in every of the final two seasons at North Carolina.
25. CHASE BROWN, CINCINNATI BENGALS
Brown earned a 73.8 PFF dashing grade and a 76.6 PFF receiving grade final season to present him three-down worth for the Bengals. That mixture of talent helped him produce the Sixteenth-highest PFF WAR mark amongst operating backs in 2024.
26. NAJEE HARRIS, LOS ANGELES CHARGERS
Harris joined Los Angeles after spending 4 years in Pittsburgh. His profession PFF dashing grades thus far — 71.5, 75.2, 77.2 and 77.5 — symbolize slight enchancment every season however no huge steps ahead.
27. QUINSHON JUDKINS, CLEVELAND BROWNS
Judkins is only a rookie, which at all times makes it difficult to put a participant appropriately forward of a season. He will possible be the RB1 in Cleveland after incomes PFF dashing grades of 88.2, 83.4 and 88.8 in his three seasons of school soccer.
28. TREVEYON HENDERSON, NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
Henderson was Quinshon Judkins’ teammate at Ohio State for the group’s 2024 nationwide championship marketing campaign. He was the pace ingredient of the duo, incomes PFF dashing grades of 90.0 and 88.4 previously two seasons, respectively. He additionally recorded greater than 220 receiving yards in every of 2023 and 2024.
29. RHAMONDRE STEVENSON, NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
Stevenson has generated 0.36 PFF WAR over the previous three seasons, good for 18th within the league. His 70.3 PFF dashing grade in 2024 was a profession excessive, and it got here behind the NFL’s worst offensive line.
30. TYRONE TRACY, NEW YORK GIANTS
Tracy loved a strong rookie marketing campaign by which he recorded 839 dashing yards with a 69.6 PFF dashing grade. As a former receiver, his 40.9 PFF receiving grade was disappointing, however count on that to bounce again.
31. BRIAN ROBINSON JR., WASHINGTON COMMANDERS
Robinson’s stats don’t wow, however he’s a hard-nosed runner who has recorded yards-after-contact averages of two.93 and three.0 previously two seasons, respectively, with yards-per-attempt averages of 4.1 and 4.2, as nicely.
32. TRAVIS ETIENNE, JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
Etienne struggled in 2024, recording only a 63.5 PFF dashing grade, however earned 83.2 and 78.4 PFF dashing grades within the two seasons prior.
His 0.40 cumulative PFF WAR since 2022 ranks twelfth amongst operating backs, so we’ll give him the advantage of the doubt that his 2025 marketing campaign might be higher than 2024.