The running back position is typically the most lucrative in fantasy football, but that was not the case in Week 1. With just five players topping 15 fantasy points, it was an all-around letdown. It was only one week, but fantasy football rankings are all over the place ahead of Week 2 of the 2025 NFL season.
Many big-name stars failed to deliver, but Derrick Henry came through yet again. The 31-year-old shredded the Buffalo Bills on Sunday Night Football for a league-high 169 rushing yards and two touchdowns. His performance was marred by a late fumble, but Henry, at least for now, has reclaimed his spot atop the fantasy football Week 2 running back rankings.
Travis Etienne Jr. and Breece Hall were the only two other running backs to eclipse the century mark. Etienne, who entered the season with concerns about his backfield situation, exploded for 143 rushing yards, causing the Jacksonville Jaguars to trade Tank Bigsby on Monday.
Likewise, Hall shrugged off claims that he would lose his starting job to Braelon Allen with a 107-yard performance against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Hall only topped 100 rushing yards once in 2024, putting him on the right track to begin the final season of his rookie contract.
However, despite their high rushing yard totals, neither Etienne nor Hall enters Week 2 as the No. 2 running back in fantasy football. That honor goes to Dallas Cowboys' Javonte Williams, who scored twice against the Philadelphia Eagles. In PPR formats, Bijan Robinson ended Week 1 as the second-best running back after hauling in six catches for 100 receiving yards in the Atlanta Falcons' season opener.
With a wealth of information to digest from Week 1, running back is arguably the most challenging position to pin down in the Week 2 fantasy football rankings.
Week 2 sleeper running backs
With so many players disappointing in Week 1, most of the NFL's running backs are looking to bounce back in Week 2. Most are too overqualified to be considered as “sleeper” targets, but a few matchups are too juicy to ignore.
After what he did in Week 1, it is difficult to call Javonte Williams a sleeper. He will not end the season as a top-five running back, but he certainly delivered for managers who bet on him early. Williams will be touchdown-dependent all year, but he gets a soft spot against a putrid New York Giants' run defense in Week 2 that will likely be without starting linebacker Micah McFadden.
Alvin Kamara might be too long in his career to be an elite weekly fantasy option in 2025, but he certainly looked fresh in Week 1. Kamara recorded 45 rushing yards on 4.1 yards per carry before the New Orleans Saints abandoned the run as they played catch-up.
Kellen Moore's offenses have typically been pass-heavy, but that certainly benefits Kamara, who is one of the best pass-catching running backs of the last decade. Kamara only received two targets from Spencer Rattler in Week 1, but he averaged 5.5 catches per game with Rattler in 2024.
As two of the best running backs in the 2024 fantasy football season, Jahmyr Gibbs and Kyren Williams figure to bounce back in Week 2. Neither were particularly poor in Week 1, but both are presented with prime opportunities to blow up in Week 2.
Gibbs and the Detroit Lions face the Chicago Bears, who allowed 4.5 yards per carry to Jordan Mason in Week 1. The Bears allowed the sixth-most rushing yards in 2024 and will likely still be without linebacker T.J. Edwards. Chicago head coach Ben Johnson is all too familiar with Gibbs, but might not have the personnel to stop him.
Williams will look to re-emerge as an elite fantasy football running back against the Tennessee Titans, who allowed 151 rushing yards in Week 1. Although they contained starter J.K. Dobbins, the Titans were helpless against the much more explosive RJ Harvey. Tennessee allowed the eighth-most rushing yards in 2024 and has an even weaker linebacker corps on paper in 2025.
Week 2 potential busts
There were too many busts to count in Week 1, but Week 2 will be the true measuring stick. While most have been too consistent to begin worrying about, a few big names might continue struggling for another game.
Saquon Barkley was not a massive disappointment in Week 1, but he posted just 60 rushing yards on 2.3 yards per carry. Had his day not been salvaged by a touchdown, he would have had many angry managers on his case.
Unfortunately, Barkley finds himself in an even tougher situation entering Week 2. The Eagles have yet to update the status of star guard Landon Dickerson, who seems to be trending toward missing the game. His absence would be a big loss in a Super Bowl LIX rematch with the Kansas City Chiefs, who held Omarion Hampton to 3.2 yards per carry in Week 1.
The last time these teams met, Barkley could only muster 57 rushing yards on 25 carries in Super Bowl LIX. The Chiefs were an elite rushing defense in 2024, and look just as strong in 2025.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving is in another difficult position for fantasy football production in Week 2. On the positive side, he proved to be the clear leader of the backfield in Liam Coen's offense. Yet, despite dominating the carries, Irving posted an inefficient 37 rushing yards in Week 1.
Like Barkley, Irving is trending toward also missing his best offensive lineman for another game. Left tackle Tristan Wirfs remains on the team's injury report as he recovers from knee surgery.
The Wirfs-less Buccaneers face the Houston Texans in Week 2. The Texans were not a great rushing defense in 2024, but they allowed just 66 rushing yards on 3.7 yards per carry to Kyren Williams in Week 1.
Fantasy football RB rankings for Week 1
1. Derrick Henry, BAL (vs CLE)
2. Kyren Williams, LAR (vs TEN)
3. Jahmyr Gibbs, DET (vs CHI)
4. Christian McCaffrey, SF (at NO)
5. James Cook, BUF (at NYJ)
6. Saquon Barkley, PHI (at KC)
7. Alvin Kamara, NO (vs SF)
8. De'Von Achane, MIA (vs NE)
9. Breece Hall, NYJ (vs BUF)
10. Travis Etienne, JAX (at CIN)
11. Javonte Williams, DAL (vs NYG)
12. Bijan Robinson, ATL (at MIN)
13. James Conner, ARI (vs CAR)
14. Chuba Hubbard, CAR (at ARI)
15. Bucky Irving, TB (at HOU)
16. Jacory Croskey-Merritt, WAS (at GB)
17. Omarion Hampton, LAC (at LV)
18. Ashton Jeanty, LV (vs LAC)
19. Josh Jacobs, GB (vs WAS)
20. Jonathan Taylor, IND (vs DEN)
