Dynasty Fantasy Football - RB Rankings & Tiers
It is BUY Running Backs time in Dynasty. Here are my Top-12 at the position.
It feels important that I start this with my thoughts on Dynasty rankings. There is no more fluid thing in the world than rankings in Dynasty, what I provide on this post can literally change tomorrow. That does kind of make it fun, but it’s important to realize that these players’ overall value mean more than numerical value in rankings.
These are my personal rankings and tiers to target in trades. What they mean to team build is just as important. I will go through my general thoughts on all of the tiers, but that’s how we should be looking at this position.
Tier 1 - Cornerstones
1. Bijan Robinson ATL
2. Jahmyr Gibbs DET
3. Ashton Jeanty LVR
These three don’t need much convincing. They are the best combination of youth, situation and talent in the entire RB landscape. The next tier is close, but there are little to no questions that need to be answered when it comes to the big 3. You won’t get paid enough to sell them in trade, so they are firm holds right now.
I see a lot of folks with Jahmyr Gibbs over Bijan Robinson, I’m totally cool with that. I gave the very slight nod to Bijan only because I believe he will continue to grow into a 20-25 touch player more regularly than Gibbs. The Lions have an offensive philosophy and ecosystem that will continue to use a between-the-tackles runner in tandem with Gibbs. That’s my only difference there, his talent may in fact be more elite for fantasy.
Tier 2 - Young Studs + Saquon
4. De’Von Achane MIA
5. Saquon Barkley PHI
6. Omarion Hampton LAC
7. Breece Hall NYJ
I love this tier right now. No, not because I’m being an Eagles homer! I just like winning. Of course Saquon is going to be in my top-5 in that case. Coming off a 2k yard season, argue with a wall on his current value. Anything even remotely close to a contending roster, Barkley gives you a chance.
That’s not the reason I love this tier though. It’s the fact that you can actually obtain these guys that makes me love it. Are you going to have to pay a premium price? Yes, but these guys at current value give you stabilization for years at the position.
Breece Hall is certainly the cheapest. I am higher than consensus on him at the current state of the market. The overall offensive philosophy of the New York Jets is going to look a lot like the Detroit Lions with this coaching staff. I will be here for the Breece Hall “bounce back”. Which is a weird thing to say after still finishing as a high-end RB2 in that 2024 disaster. Buy before it’s too late.
Tier 3 - Elite Youth, Fringe Tier 2
8. Bucky Irving TB
9. TreVeyon Henderson NE
I know, I’m a coward. I broke these guys into a tier for a reason. Hear me out.
I need to see that elite snap share (65-70%) in 2025 for them to take the next step. I have that expectation for Hampton by mid-season, but expect Henderson to remain in a close to 50/50 split. That is going to be beneficial for his game as a rookie, but a part-time RB in that Patriots offense, needs some growth time to have high-end impact. That is the hair I’m splitting at this point in the rankings.
We will see if Bucky Irving can keep Rachaad White off the field a bit more this season, but White is a reliable and trusted pass blocker and pass catcher for Baker Mayfield. Plus, with Bucky being undersized, it’s best to keep him fresh for a true situational tandem. Real life NFL luxury, Fantasy Football annoyance.
Tier 4 - Dominant Pure Rushers
10. Jonathon Taylor IND
11. Quinshon Judkins CLE
12. Josh Jacobs GB
I hopped on the Smash Accept Dynasty podcast this week to discuss some RB values and who I’m targeting right now. I went into detail and we broke down some actual trades for Jonathon Taylor. I truly believe the dynasty community is in deep overthought when it comes to him as an asset. You can’t buy a former overall RB1 still in their prime for cheaper than you can JT right now. Dude has a 2,000 yard season under his belt. Make sure to check that episode out for more (linked above).
Judkins and Jacobs are Dynasty RB1s for different reasons, but their profiles in what they can do for NFL offenses are quite similar. Judkins is a much better athlete than given credit for, he showed that throughout the draft process. As a pure runner, I think he has upside that isn’t baked into his cost right now.
Josh Jacobs is one of my favorite players in the league. Dominant bruiser who can also hit home runs. Goal line monster with elite efficiency in the money making areas of the field. He’s here because of pure production, and guaranteed volume until the wheels fall off.
Like I said in the beginning, dynasty rankings have the most fluidity in the game. All it takes is one season to derail a players long-term value. You will notice that my rankings towards the top will always break the tie by going with who will help me win championships in a 2 year window. That’s how I always approach the game.
RBs 13-24 will be dropping next. Let me know if you liked the layout of this piece, or if you didn’t. There will also be more real NFL talk coming, as I continue to watch tape, write reports, and work through my time with the Scouting Academy.
As always, I appreciate you getting this far. Support for just $5 would mean a lot to me. I promise you will get more value than that out of it, we win leagues around here.
Much Love and Thanks,
-Al Calo
Great stuff!
Finally some Bijan @ #1!! Love the breece take I feel the same.