Michael Salfino looks at some commonly held beliefs in fantasy football that could lead to managers overpaying on draft day.

Last year was the first in NFL history where two players rushed for over 1,900 yards in Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry. Those two undoubtedly helped many win their Fantasy leagues, but what can the backs provide as 2025 Fantasy football picks?

Christian McCaffrey looks to reclaim his place among the elite and rookie Ashton Jeanty is ready to make an impact.

Running back busts can be detrimental to your chances of taking home a fantasy football championship, or at the least your chances of fielding a competitive ros

The highest-ranked rookie in our 2025 running back rankings is, unsurprisingly, Ashton Jeanty, who is now leading the backfield for the Las Vegas Raiders. With an offense that has gone back-to-back draft classes with an offensive skill player at the helm, Jeanty has a big-time responsibility in helping restart the Raiders' rushing attack.

Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry were the two best running backs in football last season, each posting epic stat lines. But they also undertook massive workloads, giving fantasy players pause this summer as they consider whether that level of wear and tear might contribute to a higher likelihood of injuries going forward (or more carefully managed snaps).

Outlook: Barkley has a long injury history and at 28 years old has entered what can sometimes be the “running back age cliff,” but any reason to fade him is purely theoretical. He’s a safe selection at the very top of fantasy drafts.