James Cook led the NFL in rushing in 2025, and he still lands only fifth among running backs on Pro Football Network’s NFL Top 100. That says plenty about how the position gets valued now.
The old line was that running backs didn’t matter. Analyst Jacob Infante isn’t buying it. “The saying was that running backs didn’t matter,” Infante said on the Hot List. “And I think that we’re slowly but surely starting to see that trend flip on its head a little bit.” A decade of pass-heavy football pushed defenses toward lighter, faster personnel, and offenses are now punishing those looks on the ground.
Receiving Value Decides PFSN’s Top Five
Cook’s case is built on volume and efficiency. He rushed for 1,621 yards to win the title and, per PFN’s metrics, led all backs with 358 rushing yards over expected while finishing fifth in the outlet’s running back impact score. “Not only is this somebody who can prove that he handles the high volume well, but he can maximize every touch that he gets,” Infante said.
Bijan Robinson at No. 4 is where receiving production takes over the conversation. He led the NFL with 2,298 scrimmage yards, a Falcons franchise record, and finished second in PFSN’s impact score behind Jonathan Taylor, who missed the list on a three-year evaluation. “Robinson’s the total package, both as a runner [and] as an offensive weapon,” Infante said. “He is the lifeblood of that Falcons offense.”
Christian McCaffrey lands third, with health as the lone caveat. After missing most of 2024, he returned to post 2,126 scrimmage yards, second in the league, and reclaimed his spot as the most dangerous pass-catcher in the group. “When he’s healthy, he’s probably the best running back in the NFL,” Infante said, noting that McCaffrey “runs routes like a wide receiver.”
Gibbs Over Henry Comes Down to the Passing Game
Derrick Henry checks in at No. 2 on the strength of his rushing alone. He ran for 1,595 yards in 2025, second only to Cook, and his 4,683 rushing yards since 2023 lead every back in football.
“From a pure rushing perspective, you could argue Derrick Henry has been the best running back in the NFL over the last three seasons,” Infante said. At 32, Henry is still a problem defenses can’t solve. “He’s looking like he’s gonna end up being a Hall of Famer,” Infante said. “It’s just a matter of if he’s gonna be first ballot.”
BUILD YOUR OWN TOP 100: PFN’s FREE NFL Top 100 Builder
So why does Jahmyr Gibbs get the top spot ahead of him? The same reason Henry doesn’t get it. Gibbs has averaged 5.3 yards per carry since 2023, second among all backs only to De’Von Achane, and his receiving yardage over the last two seasons trails only Robinson at the position. That two-way profile is the entire argument.
“He’s the perfect storm of a true three-down player,” Infante said. “He’s one of the most electric offensive weapons in the NFL, not just running backs.”
The through-line is hard to miss. A rushing champion sits fifth, and the four backs ahead of him all offer something extra as receivers. As defenses keep getting lighter and faster, the backs who can beat them through the air are the ones setting the market, and Gibbs sits at the front of it.
