Week 1 of the fantasy football season has arrived. As always, it is crucial to know what players are the preferable starts. Taking player talent, performance, and matchup into account, here are my Week 1 RB rankings.
Top 80 Fantasy RB Rankings
FIND MORE POSITIONAL RANKINGS: QB | WR | TE | K | DEF | Flex | SF
1) Christian McCaffrey | San Francisco 49ers (vs. NYJ)
2) Bijan Robinson | Atlanta Falcons (vs. PIT)
3) Breece Hall | New York Jets (at SF)
4) Jonathan Taylor | Indianapolis Colts (vs. HOU)
5) Jahmyr Gibbs | Detroit Lions (vs. LAR)
6) Kyren Williams | Los Angeles Rams (at DET)
7) Saquon Barkley | Philadelphia Eagles (vs. GB)
8) Travis Etienne Jr. | Jacksonville Jaguars (at MIA)
9) Rachaad White | Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. WAS)
10) Derrick Henry | Baltimore Ravens (at KC)
11) De’Von Achane | Miami Dolphins (vs. JAX)
12) Isiah Pacheco | Kansas City Chiefs (vs. BAL)
13) Josh Jacobs | Green Bay Packers (at PHI)
14) Joe Mixon | Houston Texans (at IND)
15) James Cook | Buffalo Bills (vs. ARI)
16) Kenneth Walker III | Seattle Seahawks (vs. DEN)
17) James Conner | Arizona Cardinals (at BUF)
18) Alvin Kamara | New Orleans Saints (vs. CAR)
19) David Montgomery | Detroit Lions (vs. LAR)
20) Najee Harris | Pittsburgh Steelers (at ATL)
21) Aaron Jones | Minnesota Vikings (at NYG)
22) Raheem Mostert | Miami Dolphins (vs. JAX)
23) Zack Moss | Cincinnati Bengals (vs. NE)
24) D’Andre Swift | Chicago Bears (vs. TEN)
25) Javonte Williams | Denver Broncos (at SEA)
26) Rhamondre Stevenson | New England Patriots (at CIN)
27) Zamir White | Las Vegas Raiders (at LAC)
28) Jaylen Warren | Pittsburgh Steelers (at ATL)
29) Devin Singletary | New York Giants (vs. MIN)
30) Tony Pollard | Tennessee Titans (at CHI)
31) Tyjae Spears | Tennessee Titans (at CHI)
32) Brian Robinson Jr. | Washington Commanders (at TB)
33) Gus Edwards | Los Angeles Chargers (vs. LV)
34) Chase Brown | Cincinnati Bengals (vs. NE)
35) Chuba Hubbard | Carolina Panthers (at NO)
36) Jerome Ford | Cleveland Browns (vs. DAL)
37) Ezekiel Elliott | Dallas Cowboys (at CLE)
38) Rico Dowdle | Dallas Cowboys (at CLE)
39) Austin Ekeler | Washington Commanders (at TB)
40) Jaleel McLaughlin | Denver Broncos (at SEA)
41) Ty Chandler | Minnesota Vikings (at NYG)
42) Zach Charbonnet | Seattle Seahawks (vs. DEN)
43) J.K. Dobbins | Los Angeles Chargers (vs. LV)
44) Ray Davis | Buffalo Bills (vs. ARI)
45) Antonio Gibson | New England Patriots (at CIN)
46) Blake Corum | Los Angeles Rams (at DET)
47) Trey Benson | Arizona Cardinals (at BUF)
48) Tyler Allgeier | Atlanta Falcons (vs. PIT)
49) Khalil Herbert | Chicago Bears (vs. TEN)
50) Tyrone Tracy Jr. | New York Giants (vs. MIN)
51) Bucky Irving | Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. WAS)
52) Jamaal Williams | New Orleans Saints (vs. CAR)
53) Alexander Mattison | Las Vegas Raiders (at LAC)
54) Roschon Johnson | Chicago Bears (vs. TEN)
55) Tank Bigsby | Jacksonville Jaguars (at MIA)
56) Justice Hill | Baltimore Ravens (at KC)
57) Samaje Perine | Kansas City Chiefs (vs. BAL)
58) Kenneth Gainwell | Philadelphia Eagles (vs. GB)
59) Braelon Allen | New York Jets (at SF)
60) Miles Sanders | Carolina Panthers (at NO)
61) Jaylen Wright | Miami Dolphins (vs. JAX)
62) Trey Sermon | Indianapolis Colts (vs. HOU)
63) Kimani Vidal | Los Angeles Chargers (vs. LV)
64) Dameon Pierce | Houston Texans (at IND)
65) Carson Steele | Kansas City Chiefs (vs. BAL)
66) Clyde Edwards-Helaire | Kansas City Chiefs (vs. BAL)
67) Audric Estimé | Denver Broncos (at SEA)
68) Eric Gray | New York Giants (vs. MIN)
69) Will Shipley | Philadelphia Eagles (vs. GB)
70) Dylan Laube | Las Vegas Raiders (at LAC)
71) D’Onta Foreman | Cleveland Browns (vs. DAL)
72) MarShawn Lloyd | Green Bay Packers (at PHI)
73) Isaac Guerendo | San Francisco 49ers (vs. NYJ)
74) Evan Hull | Indianapolis Colts (vs. HOU)
75) Evan Hull | Indianapolis Colts (vs. HOU)
76) Cordarrelle Patterson | Pittsburgh Steelers (at ATL)
77) Isaiah Davis | New York Jets (at SF)
78) D’Ernest Johnson | Jacksonville Jaguars (at MIA)
79) Jordan Mason | San Francisco 49ers (vs. NYJ)
80) Deuce Vaughn | Dallas Cowboys (at CLE)
The Top Running Backs To Start in Week 1
Javonte Williams, RB, Denver Broncos (at SEA)
Javonte Williams has been one of the biggest risers on my draft board from the start of the summer to now.
The more I thought about it, the more I realized it — the starting running back on an offense that throws to running backs more than any other team in the league should at least be a floor-based RB2. Yet, Williams was priced as an RB3.
With the Denver Broncos cutting Samaje Perine, this is going to be a two-man backfield featuring Williams and Jaleel McLaughlin.
Both guys will get their touches, but Williams is the clear favorite for goal-line work. That bodes well against a Seattle Seahawks run defense that allowed the third-most fantasy points per game to the position in 2023.
The Seahawks also allowed a healthy 19% target share to running backs last season. Meanwhile, the Broncos threw to their running backs 32.1% of the time.
Williams is now another year removed from his knee injury. He’s a starting running back in the NFL, and the Week 1 matchup is favorable. You can trust him as an RB2 this week.
Gus Edwards, RB, Los Angeles Chargers (vs. LV)
The Los Angeles Chargers are intriguing because their likely game plan is to run the ball down their opponent’s throats, especially with Justin Herbert potentially limited to open Week 1.
This week, the Chargers have a nice matchup against a Raiders team that allowed an average of 118.5 rushing yards and 0.88 rushing touchdowns per game to their opponents last season.
The Chargers are favored in this game, and despite their late-season blowout loss to this very same opponent, we do not expect them to be in a negative game script in Week 1. Therefore, Edwards should be able to feast.
J.K. Dobbins will likely be involved, but in his first game back after a major injury, Edwards should see the majority of the work.
Playing for the Baltimore Ravens last year, Edwards had 13 touchdowns, which should make him the favorite for goal-line carries to open the season.
I like Edwards to score this week, which should be enough to put him in RB2 territory.