What the incoming class of prospects lacks at QB and WR, it makes up for it with depth at the running back position. Whether you're holding the winning lottery ticket for Ashton Jeanty or you're firmly planting your flag on Judkins, Hampton, Henderson or Gordon II, the landing spot for every prospect will play a role in shaping their rookie draft and trade values this off-season. Below are the top 5 dynasty landing spots for the 2025 RB class at this moment in time.
#5 - Las Vegas Raiders
Current RB Situation
The Raiders are “deep” at running back in name only. The team can move on from every RB on their roster and save money against the cap by doing so. With a new regime poised to take over in Sin City, expect this group to look vastly different in 2025.
Opportunities
Regardless of who is named their next Head Coach, the Raiders need to upgrade their RB room. The team currently has $99.4 million (2nd most in the league) to spend in free agency, but with a weak free agent class at the position, addressing tailback in the draft and additional roster holes on the open market makes a lot of sense. The moves the Raiders make in the coming months will go a long way in degerming just how ideal of a landing spot this is for an incoming rookie RB, but for now they just barley crack the top 5.
#4 - Washington Commanders
Current RB Situation
Admittedly, this landing spot will require a degree of patience for dynasty managers. The team has a two-down thumper in Brian Robinson and a 3rd down specialist in an aging Austin Ekeler on their depth chart. Washington could save nearly $3.5 million against the cap if they decide to move on from Ekeler, but with the 3rd most available cap space, he is a luxury the team can easily afford.
Opportunities
The Commanders showed a willingness to run the football during Dan Quinn’s first year in the nation’s capital. As a team, Washington finished the regular season with 31.1 rushing attempts per game, good for 4th in the league. The team also cracked the top 5 in scoring (28.2 points per game) and looks to be well positioned to continue to be a productive offense for years to come. Make no mistake, this is an offensive environment that we want RBs to walk into. That said, between Robinson Jr. and Ekeler’s likely return, we may not reap high level production early in the 2025 campaign. That is a risk I am willing to take, as the Commanders do not have a running back under contract in 2026 and the long-term fantasy pay off could be immense if the right prospect ends up in D.C.
#3 - Minnesota Vikings
Current RB Situation
At this moment in time, Ty Chandler is the only Vikings RB slated to return to the Minnesota backfield in 2025. Current starter, Aaron Jones, is under contract in name only and is in line to become an unrestricted free agent this Spring. The Vikings will certainly address this position group in one way or another, but for the now, the decks remain clear for a high profile rookie to come aboard.
Opportunities
The lack of ball carriers currently on the roster makes Minnesota an attractive landing spot for a rookie rusher. The team showed a willingness to commit to one running back, a rarity in the modern NFL. In 2024, Aaron Jones saw 68.6% of the team’s RB touches while no other back saw more than 16.5% of the work. With Jones now on the wrong side of 30, a youth movement could see a rookie step into a high usage role on a team that has finished in the top 10 in points per game in 2 of the last 3 years.
#2 - Dallas Cowboys
Current RB Situation
A high-profile destination to be sure, the Cowboys RB cupboard is a bare as it gets heading into the off-season. With Rico Dowdle headed to free agency and Ezekiel Elliot flaming out badly during his second stint with the team, Dallas currently has only Deuce Vaughn and Malik Davis under contract for 2025.
Opportunities
With returning backs Vaughn and Davis having combined for just 94 career touches in their NFL careers, the Cowboys find themselves in need of help at the position. Working with just over $7 million in salary cap space for the 2025 season, Dallas is faced with an uphill battle to improve a roster that failed to qualify for the postseason for the first time in the last 4 seasons. With Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb set to count $80 million against the cap next year, this offense needs to cut corners somewhere and a young, cost controlled rookie ball carrier is just the place to do it.
#1 - Los Angeles Chargers
Current RB Situation
The Team's primary backup, Gus Edwards, is tentatively slated to return in 2025, but the Chargers can trim almost $3 million off their books if they decide to cut him loose this off-season. Beyond Edwards, Hassan Haskins and Kamani Vidal are the only RBs locked up for 2025. Neither player saw more than 50 touches during the 2024 season and there is nothing to suggest either player is about to become a feature back at the NFL level. A reunion with JK Dobbins could be in the cards, but negotiating a long-term deal with the oft injured Ohio State product may be a bridge too far for a team in need of a reliable running back.
Opportunities
When Jim Harbaugh took the Chargers’ head coaching job a year ago, it was widely anticipated that the team would morph into a run heavy offense. Such reports were somewhat over exaggerated as the team ran the ball 26.7 times per game, good for 13th in the league in 2024. This will never be a full blown 2 yards and a could of dust offense, but between the vacant lead back role and the team’s willingness to run the ball at a slightly above average rate, a day 2 rookie RB landing with the Chargers would see their value shoot up dynasty draft boards this Spring.
