2025 NFL running back unit rankings: Derrick Henry spearheads Ravens’ top-ranked group
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- King Henry pushes the Ravens to No. 1: Henry led the position with a 93.5 PFF rushing grade and 89 missed tackles forced last season, and he is joined by third-down back Justice Hill and speedster Keaton Mitchell.
- The Seahawks sneak into the top five: The unit includes Kenneth Walker III, Zach Charbonnet, Kenny McIntosh and seventh-round rookie Damien Martinez — a quietly well-rounded group.
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Estimated Reading Time: 17 minutes
PFF’s 2025 NFL unit rankings continue with all 32 teams’ running back groups. A loaded draft class at the position reshaped several units, including a few that project to feature rookies right off the bat. We kick things off with King Henry and the Baltimore Ravens.
Click here for PFF’s receiving corps rankings.
1. Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens reign supreme with the NFL’s highest-graded running back from last season, Derrick Henry, and a talented unit behind him. Henry led the position with a 93.5 PFF rushing grade as well as 89 missed tackles forced and 6.0 yards per carry. At this point, his eventual decline isn’t believable until we see it.
Alongside Henry is one of the NFL’s best third-down backs, Justice Hill. Hill’s 89.0 PFF receiving grade in 2024 ranked fourth among running backs last season. He did not drop any of his 52 targets. Baltimore also has Keaton Mitchell, who earned an elite 92.5 PFF rushing grade in limited work in 2023, and Rasheen Ali, who added special-teams value late last season.
Highest-Graded NFL Running Backs in 2024
2. Detroit Lions
Detroit’s dynamic duo of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery earns the team a high spot in these rankings. Gibbs finished third among qualified running backs with a 91.4 PFF rushing grade and second behind Derrick Henry in yards per carry (5.7).
Montgomery wasn’t far behind, placing 16th in PFF rushing grade and leading all backs with a 90.7 PFF receiving grade. The Lions’ running back depth chart is thin beyond those two, with Craig Reynolds and his 152 career carries serving as the next most experienced player.
3. Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta boasts one of the league’s elite running back duos with Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier. Robinson was the league’s second-highest-graded running back last season (92.8 PFF rushing grade). His receiving ability also sets him apart, as his 82.2 PFF receiving grade ranked fourth among qualified backs.
Allgeier posted an outstanding 85.7 PFF rushing grade, though that was earned across just 137 carries. There isn’t much to speak of beyond those two. Third-stringer Jase McClellan garnered only 13 carries last season and was just waived so the team could make room for UFL star Jashaun Corbin, but the pairing of Robinson and Allgeier is elite.
4. Philadelphia Eagles
Saquon Barkley’s incredible 2024 season alone earns Philadelphia a high mark on this list. Postseason included, Barkley rushed for more than 2,500 yards last season while forcing 83 missed tackles and generating an astonishing 55 explosive runs.
AJ Dillon and Will Shipley will be Barkley’s backups in 2025. Dillon missed all of last season due to a neck injury but earned a solid 76.1 PFF rushing grade in 2023. Shipley tallied just 34 carries during his rookie campaign but could be the team’s primary kick returner this season.
5. Seattle Seahawks
Seattle quietly possesses one of the NFL’s deepest running back rooms. That unit includes Kenneth Walker III, Zach Charbonnet, Kenny McIntosh and seventh-round rookie Damien Martinez.
Walker tied for fourth in the NFL with a 91.3 PFF rushing grade last season, though he appeared in only 11 games. Charbonnet also placed among the top 20 with his 78.8 PFF rushing grade. Martinez could be an interesting addition to the unit after ranking third in the FBS with a 94.4 PFF rushing grade at Miami last season.
6. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Bucky Irving’s outstanding rookie season boosts the Buccaneers well into the top 10 on this list. He finished fourth among all running backs with a 90.8 PFF overall grade and was the only player in the NFL to record 90.0-plus PFF grades as a rusher and receiver.
Rachaad White’s 73.8 PFF overall grade is evidence that he is more than capable of playing a complementary role. Even third-stringer Sean Tucker got in on the action last season, earning an 80.0 mark and racking up 237 total yards, including kick returns, against New Orleans in Week 6.
7. Green Bay Packers
Josh Jacobs put together an incredible first season in Green Bay. His 92.3 PFF overall grade ranked third among qualified running backs, and he was one of just two at the position, along with Bijan Robinson, to place in the top five in PFF rushing grade and PFF receiving grade.
Behind Jacobs is Emanuel Wilson, who quietly recorded an excellent 86.3 PFF rushing grade in his second NFL campaign. If the Packers get anything this season from 2024 third-round pick Marshawn Lloyd, this is a unit that could boast elite top-end talent and depth.
Josh Jacobs’ Career PFF Grades
8. Buffalo Bills
Buffalo has put together a solid group of running backs who fill a variety of roles. The workhorse is James Cook, who earned an outstanding 88.6 PFF rushing grade last season while leading the league in rushing touchdowns.
Rookie Ray Davis got 120 carries of his own and earned a solid 73.1 PFF rushing grade while breaking 30 tackles. Ty Johnson serves as a reliable pass catcher, ranking 10th among qualifiers in PFF receiving grade in 2024.
9. Arizona Cardinals
James Conner’s brilliance over the past two seasons simply cannot be overstated. During that time, he ranks second in the NFL with a 92.2 PFF rushing grade and 128 missed tackles forced. The next closest running back on the team in carries last season was Trey Benson with 63, though he averaged a solid 4.6 yards per attempt.
Emari Demercado has also flashed decent production in his first two seasons, but Conner will continue to dominate this backfield until someone else steps up.
10. Carolina Panthers
Carolina suddenly has two starting-caliber backs who get to run behind a solid offensive line. Chuba Hubbard ranked ninth in PFF rushing grade and eighth in yards after contact per attempt among qualifiers last season.
Meanwhile, Rico Dowdle turned in his first 1,000-yard rushing campaign in Dallas. The Panthers also thought highly enough of Trevor Etienne to select him in the fourth round of this year’s draft. This team has no shortage of rushing options as it continues to build a supporting cast around Bryce Young.
11. Minnesota Vikings
Aaron Jones continues to age well, racking up more than 1,600 yards from scrimmage for Minnesota last season. He was also one of just nine qualified running backs to earn a 70.0-plus PFF grade as a rusher and receiver.
The Vikings recently added depth by trading for Jordan Mason, who recorded an outstanding 90.5 PFF rushing grade in three seasons in San Francisco. Third-stringer Ty Chandler struggled last season but posted a 76.3 PFF overall grade in 2023.
12. San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers are one of the hardest teams to project for this list, given Christian McCaffrey’s recent injury history. Across 2022 and 2023, he was the NFL’s highest-graded running back. His injuries in 2024 limited him to just 167 snaps and a 71.3 PFF overall grade. McCaffrey is supremely talented, but he enters his age-29 season with more questions than ever.
Isaac Guerendo did a decent job in spot duty last season, earning a 67.2 PFF rushing grade. The team also added fifth-round rookie Jordan James, who recorded an elite 95.7 PFF rushing grade over the past two seasons at Oregon.
13. Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders finished dead last in the NFL in PFF rushing grade last season. They set out this offseason to alleviate that problem. Their new starter will be sixth-overall pick Ashton Jeanty, who is fresh off setting PFF College records for rushing yards, PFF rushing grade, yards after contact and missed tackles forced.
Alongside Jeanty will be newly acquired veteran Raheem Mostert, who recorded a terrific 91.5 PFF rushing grade during his three seasons in Miami. The team also retained incumbents Sincere McCormick and Zamir White, though neither was particularly effective last season.
14. Washington Commanders
The Commanders don’t have a singular star in their running back room, but they do have a considerable amount of depth. Brian Robinson Jr. has proven reliable and led the unit with 928 rushing yards last season, including the playoffs. Austin Ekeler rebounded from a tough 2023 to earn a 69.8 PFF overall grade.
Third-stringer Jeremy McNichols recorded an 86.3 PFF rushing grade in limited work in 2024, and the team will likely look for seventh-round rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt to contribute soon.
15. Los Angeles Chargers
Similar to the division rival Las Vegas Raiders, Chargers running backs struggled to produce last season, so they turned to what they hope will be more reliable options.
First-round pick Omarion Hampton is the headliner, earning a 90.5 PFF rushing grade and racking up the second-most yards after contact in the FBS, behind Ashton Jeanty, over the past two seasons. Free-agent acquisition Najee Harris has never been the most efficient player, but he earned a career-high 77.2 PFF overall grade last season.
16. Indianapolis Colts
Jonathan Taylor has suddenly become one of the toughest backs in football to evaluate. He rebounded on the surface with a 1,400-yard rushing season in 2024, but he earned a career-low 57.1 PFF overall grade due to an inability to break tackles.
The Colts added Khalil Herbert in free agency to back up Taylor, but he is coming off a career-worst season, as well. The Colts did get nice value when they drafted DJ Giddens in the fifth round. He earned an elite 93.4 PFF rushing grade in three seasons at Kansas State. Indianapolis’ depth is better this year than last, but Taylor needs to prove he can gain more yardage than his outstanding blocking gives him.
17. New York Jets
The Jets’ running back unit appears to be at a crossroads with Breece Hall entering the final year of his rookie contract. Hall has flashed brilliance throughout his career but turned in a career-low 62.0 PFF overall grade last season due to issues with fumbles and drops.
Braelon Allen showed some promise as a rookie, posting an 82.0 PFF rushing grade. Fellow rookie Isaiah Davis earned a 76.6 PFF rushing grade, though he took just 30 carries.
18. Miami Dolphins
Miami’s backfield is a combination of inexperience and explosiveness. Their top two options, De’Von Achane and Jaylen Wright, combine for just 379 career carries. Achane, though, has recorded a 92.2 PFF rushing grade and an 84.0 PFF receiving grade through his first two seasons. Wright took only 68 carries last season but recorded a solid 75.8 PFF rushing grade himself.
Behind those two are veteran Alex Mattison, who struggled in Las Vegas last season, and sixth-round rookie Ollie Gordon II.
19. Houston Texans
Veteran Joe Mixon leads the Texans’ backfield into 2025 after logging the fifth 1,000-yard rushing season of his career. His 76.6 PFF overall grade ranked 16th among qualified running backs last season. Beyond Mixon, there are question marks.
Houston recently signed Nick Chubb, but he lacked explosiveness last season after returning from a devastating knee injury. Dameon Pierce seems to have fallen out of favor with the team, and fourth-round rookie Woody Marks may need some time before taking on a heavy role.
20. Tennessee Titans
Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears don’t offer the high ceiling of some of the NFL’s superstars, but they are a reasonably productive duo.
Pollard racked up more than 1,300 yards from scrimmage last season while earning a 73.5 PFF rushing grade. Spears is a solid complementary option who has earned a 76.5 PFF overall grade through his first two seasons. Sixth-round rookie Kalel Mullings projects as a potential short-yardage option.
21. New Orleans Saints
Alvin Kamara may be entering his age-30 season, but he still found a way to generate more than 1,400 yards from scrimmage last year despite New Orleans’ dreadful passing game. His 76.6 PFF rushing grade was a top-20 mark among qualifiers, and he ranked second among that same group in the regular season with 543 receiving yards.
New Orleans lacks proven depth behind him, with Kendre Miller, Clyde Edwards-Helaire and sixth-round rookie Devin Neal rounding out the unit.
22. New England Patriots
New England possesses an interesting unit, though none of the players in it have yet to prove they can handle a starter’s workload.
Rhamondre Stevenson is coming off his worst season, earning a 70.3 PFF rushing grade and fumbling seven times. Antonio Gibson recorded a 75.5 PFF rushing grade but has always been a complementary piece. Second-round rookie TreVeyon Henderson has blazing speed, but he has an injury history and did not take more than 12 carries in any game at Ohio State last season.
23. Los Angeles Rams
Kyren Williams racked up nearly 1,500 rushing yards last season, including the playoffs, but issues with fumbles and pass protection dragged his PFF overall grade down to a modest 69.1. The Rams may be wise to find someone who can reliably spell Williams, who has taken the third-most carries in the NFL over the past two seasons.
2024 third-round pick Blake Corum saw only 58 carries last season and averaged 3.6 yards per attempt. Ronnie Rivers and fourth-round rookie Jarquez Hunter are unproven depth options.
24. Kansas City Chiefs
Isiah Pacheco’s injury stunted the Chiefs’ ability to create explosive plays on the ground last season. The team’s 9.2% explosive run rate ranked second worst in the NFL last season. Pacheco will be hoping to bounce back from a career-low 65.2 PFF rushing grade.
Kareem Hunt proved he is still durable and posted a solid 74.9 PFF rushing grade, but he did not have a single carry gain more than 20 yards. Carson Steele projects as another short-yardage option, while the team will hope seventh-round rookie Brashard Smith can provide a spark in the passing game.
25. Jacksonville Jaguars
Travis Etienne Jr. took a major step back last season, recording a career-low 62.8 PFF rushing grade and forcing only 17 missed tackles on the ground. He ceded work to Tank Bigsby, who earned a 74.6 PFF rushing grade but slowed down as the season progressed. Those two will need to be better behind a hopefully improved offensive line to add balance to Jacksonville’s offense.
Rookie speedster Bhayshul Tuten could also help after racking up 207 missed tackles forced in his final three college seasons.
26. Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh retained Jaylen Warren despite his career-low 64.3 PFF overall grade last season. He presents a viable option but has never taken on a starting workload in the NFL. Former Eagle Kenneth Gainwell also joined the team in free agency, though he’s earned a paltry 54.3 PFF overall grade over the past two seasons.
The brightest ray of hope may be third-round rookie Kaleb Johnson, who earned an 86.7 PFF rushing grade last season and should be a good fit in Arthur Smith’s zone run scheme.
27. Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals are known as a pass-heavy team, but they could still use some offensive balance. Their top rushing option is Chase Brown, who recorded just less than 1,000 yards and a 73.7 PFF rushing grade last season.
Cincinnati lacks depth behind Brown, which could be an issue. Zack Moss played just eight games last season and posted a 55.4 PFF rushing grade. Samaje Perine returns to Cincinnati as a decent receiving option. Sixth-round rookie Tahj Brooks could be a productive short-yardage option if he can crack the rotation.
28. Denver Broncos
Denver recently signed ex-Charger J.K. Dobbins, who returned from a torn achilles to post a modest 67.1 PFF rushing grade in Los Angeles last season. The team thought highly enough of UCF’s RJ Harvey to select him in the second round of this year’s draft. Harvey ranked eighth among FBS running backs with a 94.2 PFF rushing grade over the past two seasons.
Jaleel McLaughlin returns as a potential change-up option in the passing game, while Audric Estime could take on short-yardage touches.
29. Cleveland Browns
The Browns overhauled their backfield in this year’s draft by selecting Ohio State’s Quinshon Judkins and Tennessee’s Dylan Sampson. Judkins earned an elite 95.2 PFF rushing grade during his three college seasons while breaking 197 tackles. Sampson was outstanding as the Volunteers’ starter last season, posting a 90.9 PFF rushing grade.
Those two will be competing with veteran Jerome Ford for playing time. Ford earned a solid 80.3 PFF rushing grade last season, though it was spread across just 104 carries.
30. Chicago Bears
If there is a remaining weakness for Chicago’s offense after a stellar offseason, it’s their running back unit. D’Andre Swift averaged just 3.8 yards per carry last season while earning a 65.7 PFF rushing grade. Roschon Johnson garnered a 76.0 PFF rushing grade, but he has tallied only 136 carries through two NFL seasons. The Bears also didn’t draft a running back until the seventh round, picking up Rutgers‘ Kyle Monangai.
31. New York Giants
Giants running backs ranked 30th in the NFL in PFF rushing grade last season, yet the team brought its two leading ball carriers back for another season.
Tyrone Tracy Jr. displayed flashes with three 100-yard games, but he slowed down late in the season and eventually earned a mediocre 69.6 PFF rushing grade.
Devin Singletary was a bit less efficient and generated just 10 explosive runs out of 113 carries. Perhaps fourth-round rookie Cam Skattebo can provide a jolt after leading all Power Four running backs with a 93.3 PFF overall grade last season while at Arizona State.
32. Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys allowed their two leading rushers, Rico Dowdle and Ezekiel Elliott, to leave in free agency. Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders have since taken their place.
Williams struggled in Denver, recording just a 64.6 PFF rushing grade over the past three seasons. Sanders has yet to rediscover the high level of production he showed in 2022 with Philadelphia. Fifth-round rookie Jaydon Blue could provide a boost with his speed and receiving ability, but he’s never been a workhorse type of back. Dallas’ running back situation could become a major issue during the 2025 season.
