Outlook: Saquon Barkley didn't just have a good 2024 - he had a historic one. Try 2,005 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns on for size, making him the ninth RB ever to break 2,000 yards in a season. He was a beast late in games, chewing up 1,265 yards in second halves alone. The Eagles' offensive line - featuring Lane Johnson and Jordan Mailata - paved the way, and with most of that unit back in 2025, Barkley's got the runway to keep rolling. This was a statement year, proving he's still got that game-breaking juice after leaving the disaster in New York for the greener pastures in Philadelphia.

The biggest concern for Barkley continues to be health. His workload was insane this past year and it's always been among the highest when he is healthy throughout his career. While Barkley's been durable lately, his injury history lingers in fantasy managers' memories. The Eagles might ease him up a touch, with Will Shipley and AJ Dillon waiting in the wings, and Jalen Hurts could steal some goal-line looks if the offense tilts more pass-heavy. Still, Barkley's the heart of this run game, and his efficiency (over 6 yards per carry in 2024) is absurd behind this line. He's not hitting 2,000 again - that's unicorn stuff - but he's a lock for RB1 production.

Barkley's a first-round pick and a strong bet to finish as a top-5 RB again. You're banking on volume and talent, not another record-breaking outlier. Grab him early and ride the wave, but don't be shocked if you have to "settle" for 1,500 yards and 12 scores.

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Outlook: I will never understand why former Falcons' head coach Arthur Smith used Bijan Robinson the way he did in 2023. Never. Those who drafted Robinson at the top half of the first round last year were hoping for the kind of season many expected him to have during his rookie campaign in '23, and he delivered. 15 total TDs, nearly 1,900 scrimmage yards, 61 receptions, and perhaps most importantly, 61 percent of the team's rush attempts. That's contrasted by getting only 40 percent of Atlanta's rush attempts in 2023. Bottom line: Robinson delivered the goods in a meaningful way.

Entering this third season, Robinson is already considered by some as the best all-around RB in the league. It certainly doesn't hurt that he plays behind one of the NFL's top O-lines. More than anything, I think the questions heading into last season are not relevant now. Entering training camp in 2024, Zac Robinson raised eyebrows when he praised backup RB Tyler Allgeier, saying the BYU product was "going to have a big role." Some considered it classic "coach speak" while others began questioning if they should use a top-5 pick on Robinson after his OC implied it would be some degree of a timeshare in the backfield. In the end, Allgeier was a non-factor relative to Robinson's productivity. We should expect more of the same in 2025. If you have the No.1 overall selection, Robinson should be your choice.

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Outlook: To put it mildly, Jacobs was a wrecking crew in the Packers backfield last season. Looking very much like the 2022 version of himself in Vegas, Jacobs piled up a career high 15 rushing scores, and even tallied his first career receiving touchdown! His 1,600-plus total yards and 36 receptions gave him plenty of multi-format value as well. At 27, he's still in the prime of his career, and remains the clear alpha runner on a balanced, efficient offense. The 16 total scores will be tough to repeat, but barring injury, the touch and yardage totals shouldn't go anywhere. While he's a locked-in top-10 option at the position, he struggled mightily in 2023 after coming off a 340-carry season. His 301 carries a year ago were 2nd most in his career, so it will be interesting to see if he can play a full 17 game season once again.

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Outlook: When the Rams spent a third-round pick on Blake Corum in last year's draft, the expectation was that the then-rookie would be a complement to Williams, who'd run effectively in 2023 (228-1,144-12) but had durability concerns. Instead, the Norte Dame product finished third in the NFL in carries (316) despite sitting out the season finale and set career highs in yards (1,299) and touchdowns (14). Fumbles were a bit of an issue, though the team's confidence in Williams never seemed to waver, as he was the bell cow week after week.

Fast-forward to 2025 and Los Angeles once again drafted a running back, this time trading up into the fourth round to nab Jarquez Hunter. The Rams have a tradition of selecting backs in the draft, but there's a difference between rolling the dice late on Day 3 versus using third- and fourth-round picks in back-to-back years. The question is whether the selection of Hunter was purely for depth or if the team is hedging their bets against re-signing Williams, who is set to become a free agent after the upcoming campaign if he doesn't agree to an extension.

Whether he gets a new deal or not, there's no reason to think Williams won't be the lead back in 2025, though you'd imagine that LA would like to see Corum and/or Hunter fill a larger role to at least help keep Williams fresh -- last year, Corum and Ronnie Rivers had just 80 carries combined, and 14 of those came in Week 18, leaving just 4.1 per game in the other 16 outings. While not an elite talent, Williams is utilized as a true lead back, which makes him a low-end No. 1 fantasy option.

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