People have been trying to bury the NFL running back for a decade. You've heard the talk. It's a "passing league." Running backs don't matter. Don't pay them. Honestly, if you looked at the 2025 season, you’d realize that talk was mostly nonsense.
The ground game didn't just survive; it basically took over the steering wheel again. Teams like the Buffalo Bills and Indianapolis Colts didn't just "run the ball to keep defenses honest"—they ran the ball because James Cook and Jonathan Taylor were their most efficient weapons. When the dust settled on the 2025 regular season, the numbers told a story that flies right in the face of the "RB dead" narrative.
The Stat Sheet Truth About NFL Running Backs 2025
Let's look at James Cook. In Buffalo, he didn't just play well; he led the entire league in rushing with 1,621 yards. That’s a massive jump for a guy many thought was just a "change of pace" back early in his career. The Bills were 11-1 when he hit over 100 scrimmage yards. When he didn't? They went 1-4. That isn't a coincidence. It's a blueprint.
Then there’s Bijan Robinson in Atlanta. If you want to talk about a "cheat code," this is it. He finished the year with 2,298 yards from scrimmage. Read that again. Over 2,200 yards. He wasn't just a runner; he was the Falcons' second-best receiver, essentially functioning as a slot threat and a workhorse at the same time. He’s already putting up numbers that put him in the conversation with Hall of Famers like Eric Dickerson and LaDainian Tomlinson through three seasons.
The 1,500 Yard Club
The 2025 season saw a resurgence of the heavy-hitters.
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- James Cook (BUF): 1,621 rushing yards, 12 TDs.
- Derrick Henry (BAL): 1,595 rushing yards, 13 TDs.
- Jonathan Taylor (IND): 1,585 rushing yards, 18 TDs.
Taylor, in particular, was on an absolute tear before Daniel Jones went down with an injury. He still managed to lead the league in rushing touchdowns. It’s wild to think he joined Emmitt Smith as the only players ever to have multiple seasons with 1,500 yards and 18 scores.
Efficiency Over Everything
Total yards are great for fantasy football, but coaches care about efficiency. De’Von Achane in Miami continued to break math, averaging a stupid 8.79 yards per carry. He’s basically a home run waiting to happen every time Mike McDaniel draws up a toss play.
But it’s not just the speedsters. We saw a shift in how defenses had to play. Because offenses started using "heavy" personnel more—meaning more tight ends and even fullbacks like C.J. Ham in Minnesota—defenses had to stop playing so much "nickel" (five defensive backs). According to PFF, base defensive personnel usage jumped to nearly 30%.
When defenses get bigger to stop the run, it opens up the deep pass. But if they stay small? Guys like Saquon Barkley will just eat them alive. Speaking of Saquon, his move to Philly has been a masterclass in "situational value." Even with the "Tush Push" stealing some of his goal-line glory, he still put up 1,140 rushing yards and 18 total touchdowns in 16 games. He’s the highest-paid back in the league for a reason ($20.6M AAV), proving that teams will still pay top dollar if the talent is undeniable.
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The New Guard and the Old Vets
The 2025 draft brought in Ashton Jeanty to the Raiders, and he immediately justified the hype. Being the highest-drafted back since Saquon (No. 5 overall), he stepped into a massive role and earned over $23M in total cash his first year. He’s part of this "Blue Chip" group—Bijan, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Jeanty—who are all under 24 and redefined the position as hybrid threats.
Gibbs in Detroit is a perfect example. He didn't have to carry the ball 300 times because he shares the backfield with David Montgomery, but he still racked up over 1,800 yards from scrimmage. His 77 catches were a career high. He’s sortsorta the gold standard for the "modern" back who preserves his body while maximizing his touches.
The Money Situation
Money is always the sticking point, right? Well, the "running backs don't get paid" era took a bit of a hit in 2025.
- Saquon Barkley: $20.6 million/year.
- Christian McCaffrey: $19 million/year.
- Derrick Henry: $15 million/year.
- Jonathan Taylor: $14 million/year.
- Alvin Kamara: $12.3 million/year.
The market actually stabilized because teams realized that having a mediocre run game makes your $50 million quarterback look a lot worse. Just look at the Colts. When Taylor is on the field, their RPO (Run-Pass Option) game is terrifying. Without him, it’s just a guy in the pocket under pressure.
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Why the "Workhorse" isn't actually dead
We keep hearing about "Running Back by Committee," and yeah, that happens. But the elite guys are still playing 70-80% of the snaps. Christian McCaffrey, even at age 29, led the NFL with 413 scrimmage touches. That is a gargantuan workload.
People worry about the "cliff"—the age where RBs just stop being good. But 2025 showed that if you managed your touches early, you could last. Look at Joe Mixon in Houston or Alvin Kamara in New Orleans. Both are 30 or older, and both were still focal points of their offenses. The trick seems to be versatility. If you can't catch 50 balls a year, your value drops. If you can? You're a cornerstone.
What to Watch Moving Forward
If you're trying to figure out where the position goes from here, keep an eye on the 2026 free agency. Kenneth Walker III in Seattle and Breece Hall with the Jets are both heading toward the end of their deals. Hall is a guy everyone expects to explode, but the Jets have been leaning more on a committee with Braelon Allen.
How these teams handle those extensions will tell us if the 2025 spending spree was a blip or the new reality.
Actionable Insights for the 2026 Outlook
- Value the "Receiving Plus" Backs: In both real football and fantasy, the days of the 2-down bruiser are mostly gone. Look for backs with 60+ target potential like Gibbs or Bijan.
- Watch the Offensive Line Moves: James Cook didn't lead the league in a vacuum; the Bills' line was elite. If you see a team invest in a mauling Guard in the draft, their RB production is about to spike.
- Don't Fear the 28-Year-Olds: The "cliff" is real, but guys like Saquon and CMC are proving that elite traits and high IQ can push that window to age 30 or 31.
The 2025 season proved that the league is cyclical. Defenses got smaller and faster to stop the pass, so offenses brought back the hammers. As long as guys like Jonathan Taylor and Bijan Robinson are breaking tackles at the second level, the running back will remain the heart of the NFL offense.