2025 NFL DPOY, Coach of the Yea, Comeback Player of the Year Odds and Best Bets
Sam Choudhury
NFL free agency is less than a week away, and it may not be kind to the running back position. Last year, players like Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry and Josh Jacobs hit the open market. They — and plenty of others — earned notable contracts of various lengths and value. A consensus underwhelming 2024 class of rookie running backs likely had an impact on the market. Just four running backs were selected in the first three rounds of the 2024 NFL Draft — none in the first round, three in the third.
This year is much different. The 2025 rookie running back class could be one for the history books. There should be at leasttwo selected in the first round with plenty more on Day 2. With such a strong selection of young playmakers available to draft, it’s hard to imagine teams making significant financial investments in a group of free agent running backs who lack a ton of juice, especially those up there in age.
That said, in an attempt to make educated guesses on ideal landing spots for 2025 free agent running backs, don’t expect many long-term deals or any with hefty amounts of guaranteed money. It’s more likely the below players impact the 2025 redraft fantasy football season than make a significant impression on the dynasty landscape.
Check out ideal landing spots in free agency for quarterbacks.
Ideal Landing Spots in 2025 Free Agency: Running Back
Najee Harris
Age: 27
Najee Harris is the 2025 free agent running back who will likely earn the most money. It’s easy to see Harris’ four years with the Steelers underwhelming, especially after Pittsburgh spent a first-round pick to draft him. As a rookie in 2021, Harris logged 381 touches, including an RB-high 74 receptions. Since then, Harris has averaged a solid 298.6 touches, though just 35.3 receptions, per season.
That said, while Harris isn’t a flashy game-breaker, he is reliable. He has never missed a game and has surpassed 1,000 rushing yards in all four seasons. However, he has a career 3.93 yards per carry with no more than 4.1 yards per carry in a single season. Additionally, Harris has never broken a run over 40 yards in any given season.
Harris needs to land somewhere with a better offensive line — he has averaged just 1.3 yards before contact since 2023. Harris is a workhorse back who can churn out yards with more efficient blocking up front. If he does end up signing on an offense with a top-tier passing game, Harris should see less pressure at the second level of runs, as well.
Ideal Landing Spot: Dallas Cowboys
Aaron Jones Sr.
Age: 30
Aaron Jones Sr. may not actually see the open market next week. In mid-February, the Minnesota Vikings pushed his contract void date to March 11. That’s the day in between the beginning of the legal tampering period and the start of the NFL’s official new league year. It’s no guarantee Jones returns to the Vikings, but it’s at least a sign that an extension is still on the table.
It’s worth noting the Vikings have just four picks (24, 97, 140, 161) in the 2025 NFL Draft. Even if they do bring back Jones, likely for a year, investing in a rookie running back with any of their picks, especially 24th overall, would be significant.
If Jones does not return to Minnesota, he still brings plenty to the table. From the 2024 season, Jones ranks ninth among RBs in snaps played (659), rush attempts (255) and rushing yards (1,138). He is one of just 19 qualified running backs to average 4.5 yards per carry or more. Jones’ veteran presence and efficiency would be welcomed on an up-and-coming competitive offense, even one that may use high-end draft capital on the position, as well.
Ideal Landing Spot: Denver Broncos
Javonte Williams
Age: 25
Turning 25 years old at the end of April, Javonte Williams is the youngest notable unrestricted free agent running back available this offseason. Williams has logged 200 or more carries in two of four NFL seasons separated by a year that was cut short with an ACL tear in 2022. The former second-round pick will be a free agent with just 773 total career touches, including playoffs.
Williams doesn’t have any more than 217 carries in a single season. Even back in college, Williams rushed no more than 166 times in a single season. We have yet to see Williams in a consistent three-down role. He is a very capable pass catcher, though, hauling in 160 of 205 career targets at the pro level. Williams has caught at least 43 passes in all three seasons unaffected by his season-ending knee injury. He could be an asset to a team that asks him to handle more of a passing-down role and step into a full workload if needed.
Ideal Landing Spot: Indianapolis Colts
Rico Dowdle
Age: 27
The 2024 season was a breakout for Rico Dowdle. After battling injuries throughout the early part of his career, Dowdle recorded 70.9% of his career regular season rush attempts in 2024. As of now, factoring in a Dowdle departure in Dallas vacates a league-high 64.9% rush attempts from last season as well as 69.2% of the Cowboys’ rushing production. Ironically, Dowdle’s 1,079 rushing yard total in 2024 tied for 12th most in the league with former Cowboy Tony Pollard, who moved to the Titans last offseason.
After failing to invest in a rookie running back in last year’s draft, it feels inevitable Dallas will look to do so next month. The Cowboys have only Deuce Vaughn, Malik Davis and FB Hunter Luepke currently on the roster at the running back position. Between the three of them, they have a combined 96 total career regular season carries. There should be mutual interest between Dowdle and the Cowboys to remain in Dallas with new head coach Brian Schottenheimer, who served as the Cowboys’ offensive coordinator over the last two seasons.
Ideal Landing Spot: Dallas Cowboys
J.K. Dobbins
Age: 26
Like the aforementioned Dowdle, 2024 was a breakout for J.K. Dobbins. His 195 rush attempts, 905 rushing yards, nine touchdowns and 32 receptions for 153 yards are all career-highs. That’s in just 13 regular season games after playing in 24 total since drafted in 2020. Dobbins does have a 2021 multi-ligament knee injury and 2023 Achilles tear in his history.
It’s hard to imagine Dobbins finding a better opportunity in free agency. The Chargers are currently inside the top five in cap space. It’s possible they add a more notable free agent running back or spend significant draft capital on a rookie, but I do expect Dobbins back. He played under offensive coordinator Greg Roman, both during their time together in Baltimore as well as last year with the Chargers.
Dobbins may not be the 2025 lead back in Los Angeles, but should have a solid workload. More importantly, he will earn more than the $50,000 (yes, fifty thousand) in guaranteed money he received from last year’s one-year “prove it” deal.
Ideal Landing Spot: Los Angeles Chargers
Nick Chubb
Age: 29
I want to believe that another year removed from a season-ending 2023 knee injury will help us get back the Nick Chubb who was a solid starter for any fantasy football team. However, he’s now 29 years old and his 2024 campaign ended with a Week 15 broken foot. The silver lining here is that Chubb will be a low-risk, late-round fantasy draft pick wherever he ends up in free agency.
It could take an injury to another in front of him in any backfield for Chubb to have a legitimate return on investment, however small. His 3.3 yards per carry in 2024 were significantly lower than his 5.3 career average heading into last season. The Browns offense was brutal, but Chubb looked like more time to return from his knee injury the season prior would have done him better.
Chubb’s ideal landing spot is one that heavily leans on the backfield in the run game with some coaching familiarity. The Rams ranked in the middle of the pack in total rush attempts last regular season, but their running back room accounts for 88.2% of the attempts. Compare that to the run-heaviest team, the Philadelphia Eagles, who yielded 26.4% of their league-high rush attempts to the quarterback position. The cherry on top here is that Alex Van Pelt, the Cleveland Browns’ offensive coordinator during Chubb’s prime in 2020-22, is now a senior offensive assistant with the Rams. If not for anything else, Chubb would be an asset to the team that ranked ninth in 2024 red zone rush attempts.
Ideal Landing Spot: Los Angeles Rams
Honorable Mentions
Kareem Hunt
Age: 30
The league wasn’t high on Kareem Hunt when he went unsigned in 2024 free agency. He only even signed with the Kansas City Chiefs in September as a result of Isiah Pacheco’s Week 2 injury. Hunt picked up $1.2 million and went to the Super Bowl, but I doubt he gets a deal to push for the 200-carry mark again like he did last season with the Chiefs. The RB26 season on a points-per-game basis in 2024 was a valiant sendoff for the veteran back in fantasy football.
Ideal Landing Spot: Retirement
Cam Akers
Age: 26
Cam Akers got a second chance with the Minnesota Vikings via midseason trade after an original stint with the team in 2023 was cut short due to an Achilles injury. Akers averaged a strong 5.3 yards per carry in his final 23 carries with the Vikings in 2024 across their final three games. He rushed no more than 13 times in a single game last season with just four games of double-digit carries. If the Vikings move on from Aaron Jones Sr. with plans to draft a highly touted rookie, Akers could sign a free agency deal to return as the backup.
Ideal Landing Spot: Minnesota Vikings
Miles Sanders
Age: 28
I know Miles Sanders isn’t a free agent right now, but there should be news soon that he becomes available. After playing the first two years of a four-year deal, the Panther waiving Sanders would free up $5.2 million in cap space. If designated as a post-June 1 release, Carolina will roughly save another $1.2 million, a total of $7.4 million. After 184 total carries for the Panthers, and 923 total across six regular seasons, Sanders will likely slide into a backup role elsewhere. It’s unlikely he returns to the fantasy football radar if that’s the case.
Ideal Landing Spot: Cleveland Browns
