The 2025 NFL preseason has begun. Keep up to date with the latest comings and goings around the league this preseason every Sunday Morning with these quick-hit takes on the latest happenings. This week, we look at some contract talks and the running back position.
Contract Talks
Micah Parsons wants a new contract or a trade. Terry McLaurin wants a contract or a trade. This is a negotiating tactic to go public and expedite the contract. They’re great preseason talking points but both will receive new contracts with their current teams before the season.
Veteran Star RBs
Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry and Christian McCaffrey have all had stellar careers. Barkley and Henry are coming off of 1900+ yards rushing in 2024. The wear and tear of heavy workloads is real. McCaffrey has had two down years following his first two seasons of 330+ touches. He had 339 touches in 2023. All three veterans will have down years.
RB Handcuffs
If you select McCaffrey, Barkley or Henry in your fantasy drafts, you should handcuff their backups of Isaac Guerendo, Will Shipley and Justice Hill. Guerendo displayed his value as a rookie, Shipley is a dynamic receiving threat and Hill caught 42 passes last year and has averaged almost five yards a carry since 2020.
Top RB in 2025
A case can be made for three running backs to be the top producers this season. Jahmyr Gibbs, Bijan Robinson, and Ashton Jeanty. One of these three will lead all backs in total stats. Robinson had 365 touches last year but he’s young and has more than 1,240 fewer career touches than McCaffrey / Barkley and almost 2,000 less than Henry.
Top Rookie RBs
After Jeanty the top rookie running backs for 2025 will be Omarion Hampton and Kaleb Johnson. Hampton will be a stud leadback in the Chargers offense that is built on their run-first mentality in a pass-happy league. Johnson comes in behind Jeanty and Hampton but will thrive and take the lionshare of the carries for the Steelers.
TreVeyon Henderson
TreVeyon Henderson falls a tier down, not due to personal talent but rather the talent around him. Rhamondre Stevenson is a talented back and will take away a bigger share of the workload from Henderson than Hampton or Johnson will lose as rookies. New England also has a capable third back on the roster in veteran Antonio Gibson, that will also see touches.
Jaydon Blue
Blue landed in a perfect situation with sub-par veteran running backs with the Cowboys. He’ll lose some touches to Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders but will be the best of the bunch for Dallas in 2025. The Cowboys having a healthy Dak Prescott to throw to CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens and Jake Ferguson should open things up for the young back.
Sleeper Rookie RBs
Devin Neal will take on the Mark Ingram / Latavius Murray role with the Saints and allow Alvin Kamara to stay fresh and effective. Neal will surpass Kendre Miller, Cam Akers and Clyde Edwards-Helaire to be the top backup to Kamara.
Brashard Smith will take on the Jerick McKinnon role with the Chiefs, contributing as a rusher and a receiving threat. Kalel Mullings (Titans) and Kyle Monangai (Bears) will be in the mix in their backfields as each will record 3+ touchdowns as rookies.
Overvalued Rookie RBs
RJ Harvey is being viewed as a leadback as a rookie but this will end up being far from the case. He’ll lose touches to J.K. Dobbins, Audric Estime and even Jaleel McLaughlin.
Cam Skattebo has been talked about as if he’s replacing Tyrone Tracy as the top back for the Giants but rather he’ll fail to even be 1B to Tracy’s 1A, falling to Tracy’s backup and situational rusher. Skattebo should see the 40 end of a 60/40 split.
DJ Giddens landed behind a talented veteran back in Jonathan Taylor with the Colts. Taylor tends to miss time and it may be speculated that Giddens would be the top back if that’s once again the case but if that does play out, he’d still lose touches to veteran Khalil Herbert and could even fall behind him in the pecking order.
Rookie RBs Buried on Depth Charts
Trevor Etienne and Jarquez Hunter have the talent to be more than contributors in the NFL but due to landing on their respective teams, that’s all they’ll see in 2025 unless injuries hit at the position.
Etienne landed on a roster of capable veterans, Chuba Hubbard and Rico Dowdle, while Hunter lands behind two guys that I believe are both immensely talented in Kyren Williams and Blake Corum.
Jets Backfield
Breece Hall is two years removed from a stellar rookie season that ended in an injury that takes time to get back to form. He’s played in 33 of 34 games in the two years since the injury. He’s young and will return to his rookie season form and benefit from having a quarterback that’s a threat as a runner, keeping defenses on their heels.
Behind Hall, it’ll be Isaiah Davis and not Braelon Allen that takes over the top backup spot on the depth chart. He’ll flourish when given the reps to do so.
Texans Aging Backfield
Only Henry has more career touches among active running backs than Mixon. He’s currently injured and the Texans haven’t given a timeline on his return. Nick Chubb joined Mixon in Houston this year but has only played in 10 of 34 games the last two seasons. Chubb has been injured in 4 of his last 5 seasons.
Behind the aging veterans is Dare Ogunbowale, rookie Woody Marks, Dameon Pierce in a contract year, second-year back Jawhar Jordan and J.J. Taylor. Marks will have a receiving role immediately, Ogunbowale has special teams value and as a depth piece and Pierce should get traded.
