The top running backs in fantasy football for Week 1 feature elite playmakers like Christian McCaffrey, Bijan Robinson, and Saquon Barkley, all poised for high production and big opportunities in favorable matchups. With lineup decisions crucial as the NFL season kicks off, managers need to leverage these expert rankings to set the foundation for fantasy success.
Who Are the Best RBs in Fantasy Football for Week 1?
1) Christian McCaffrey | San Francisco 49ers (at SEA)
2) Bijan Robinson | Atlanta Falcons (vs. TB)
3) Saquon Barkley | Philadelphia Eagles (vs. DAL)
4) Jahmyr Gibbs | Detroit Lions (at GB)
5) Derrick Henry | Baltimore Ravens (at BUF)
6) Ashton Jeanty | Las Vegas Raiders (at NE)
7) Bucky Irving | Tampa Bay Buccaneers (at ATL)
8) De’Von Achane | Miami Dolphins (at IND)
9) Chase Brown | Cincinnati Bengals (at CLE)
10) Josh Jacobs | Green Bay Packers (vs. DET)
11) Jonathan Taylor | Indianapolis Colts (vs. MIA)
12) James Conner | Arizona Cardinals (at NO)
13) Kyren Williams | Los Angeles Rams (vs. HOU)
14) Chuba Hubbard | Carolina Panthers (at JAX)
15) Kenneth Walker III | Seattle Seahawks (vs. SF)
16) James Cook | Buffalo Bills (vs. BAL)
17) Alvin Kamara | New Orleans Saints (vs. ARI)
18) TreVeyon Henderson | New England Patriots (vs. LV)
19) Tony Pollard | Tennessee Titans (at DEN)
20) Isiah Pacheco | Kansas City Chiefs (at LAC)
21) Aaron Jones Sr. | Minnesota Vikings (at CHI)
22) David Montgomery | Detroit Lions (at GB)
23) D’Andre Swift | Chicago Bears (vs. MIN)
24) Breece Hall | New York Jets (vs. PIT)
25) Tyrone Tracy Jr. | New York Giants (at WAS)
26) Rhamondre Stevenson | New England Patriots (vs. LV)
27) J.K. Dobbins | Denver Broncos (vs. TEN)
28) Tank Bigsby | Jacksonville Jaguars (vs. CAR)
29) Travis Etienne Jr. | Jacksonville Jaguars (vs. CAR)
30) Jordan Mason | Minnesota Vikings (at CHI)
31) Nick Chubb | Houston Texans (at LAR)
32) Austin Ekeler | Washington Commanders (vs. NYG)
33) Jaylen Warren | Pittsburgh Steelers (at NYJ)
34) Jerome Ford | Cleveland Browns (vs. CIN)
35) Javonte Williams | Dallas Cowboys (at PHI)
36) Tyler Allgeier | Atlanta Falcons (vs. TB)
37) Trey Benson | Arizona Cardinals (at NO)
38) Zach Charbonnet | Seattle Seahawks (vs. SF)
39) Rico Dowdle | Carolina Panthers (at JAX)
40) Braelon Allen | New York Jets (vs. PIT)
41) Kareem Hunt | Kansas City Chiefs (at LAC)
42) Ray Davis | Buffalo Bills (vs. BAL)
43) Cam Skattebo | New York Giants (at WAS)
44) Brian Robinson Jr. | San Francisco 49ers (at SEA)
45) Miles Sanders | Dallas Cowboys (at PHI)
46) Roschon Johnson | Chicago Bears (vs. MIN)
47) Justice Hill | Baltimore Ravens (at BUF)
48) Chris Rodriguez Jr. | Washington Commanders (vs. NYG)
49) Najee Harris | Los Angeles Chargers (vs. KC)
50) Blake Corum | Los Angeles Rams (vs. HOU)
Christian McCaffrey (at Seahawks)
You did it. If you’re reading this, you took the plunge on Christian McCaffrey this summer, and for that, I commend you. It’s a move made by managers who enjoy winning more than they fear losing, and that’s generally how I like to approach this game.
You’ve done the hard part. Now, you just sit back and watch. And hope. And maybe pray, if that’s your thing.
McCaffrey, famous for never leaving the field when he’s at the peak of his powers, has been a fantasy monster for as long as we’ve known him. Consider this: in games where he has played even 80% of the offensive snaps, a low bar for him to clear, he has averaged 25.8 PPR points per game.
That’s a 55-game sample of production that is almost impossible to grasp. His output in those games surpasses the 2024 season’s RB1, Saquon Barkley, by more points per game than the margin that separated Barkley from RB5 Alvin Kamara. In fact, that 25.8 number is more than a pair of top-24 running backs from last season, D’Andre Swift and Tony Pollard, combined.
As far as any of us know, the CMC plan is in full effect for the San Francisco 49ers. The team profiles as less potent than in years past, and with that, McCaffrey isn’t likely to come off the field. You already know that. You’re looking for a quirky stat to highlight his greatness, and I’m nothing if not a man of the people.
So, here it is: McCaffrey has averaged 25.9 PPR points over his last 10 games against bird-themed teams.
Saquon Barkley (vs. Cowboys)
Can Saquon Barkley repeat the video game numbers he produced with his dynamic moves last season? Probably not, and as I argued this summer regarding the growth potential of both Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs, it doesn’t matter now.
If Barkley was your first-round pick, odds are you will be just fine. Only time will tell if he deserved of being at the top, middle, or back of Tier 1, but his standing as an elite asset is unquestioned, and you’re playing him without a second thought.
He produced the top running back game of last season, with 46.2 PPR points against the Rams in Week 12, and the Cowboys were the only defense to allow 35-plus points to a running back on multiple occasions (Alvin Kamara and Joe Mixon). This makes it a spotlight game where he could go bonkers.
The spike games are going to come, whether it’s this week, next week, or sometime in November. That much feels inevitable. The pro-Barkley angle during draft season was about his elevated floor, and that feels as close to bulletproof as anything at the position. The Eagles are happy to control tempo, impose their will, and beat you into submission.
Maybe Barkley rips off a 50-yard touchdown to welcome in the new season, or maybe he doesn’t. He had 20-plus carries on 10 occasions last season and is as good a bet for 20-plus points as anyone in the sport.
What I’m watching in this game is the route count. In his first season with the Birds, Barkley saw 43 passes thrown his way in 16 games. With the Giants, the man averaged over 62 catches, not targets, per 16 games. If he’s going to pay off his preseason ADP truly, I think he needs to find a middle ground between those two outcomes. We could get a feel for any minor tweak in his responsibilities in this divisional matchup to start Philadelphia’s title defense.
