“2025 Rookie Landing Spots For Running Backs: Dynasty Fantasy Football Edition”
The draft is next week, and your dynasty fantasy football league drafts will likely fire up shortly thereafter. Without focusing specifically on players, their landing spots are crucial to their fantasy football success. Let’s take a look at some of the top landing spots regarding dynasty fantasy football for running backs!
(This is an AI-generated article from a recently published Offensive Points Podcast transcript.)
Why Landing Spots Matter
In dynasty fantasy football, the difference between drafting a rookie running back who becomes a fantasy cornerstone or a bust often comes down to landing spots. This year’s rookie running back class is full of talent, but not every NFL backfield offers a clear path to fantasy gold.
Using a tiered system—Great, Good, Mid, Question-Mark, and Bad —we’ll explore each team’s backfield situation.
Tier Breakdown and What It Means
- Great: Immediate opportunity for 200+ touches. Draft with confidence.
- Good: Clear future starter or valuable committee role.
- Mid: Talent needs to win a crowded backfield.
- Question-Mark: The situation is uncertain due to coaching or depth.
- Bad: Virtually no chance of meaningful snaps for 2+ years.
AFC Landing Spot Analysis
Baltimore Ravens – Mid
- Running Back Depth: Derrick Henry (aging), Justice Hill, Keaton Mitchell (ACL injury)
- Breakdown: Potential to rise quickly due to Henry’s age; Day-2 RB could surprise.
- Final thoughts: While a rookie won’t see many snaps due to Henry’s presence, the right rookie could be in for a great dynasty fantasy football option due to the Ravens’ run-heavy offense.
Buffalo Bills – Mid (Future Good)
- Running Back Depth: James Cook (contract year), Ray Davis
- Breakdown: Rookie could inherit high-value snaps in 2026; patience required.
- Final thoughts: This is another situation where the right rookie could be in for a great dynasty fantasy football option. The Bills run the ball well, but if they let James Cook walk at the end of this year, there will be a lot of touches that open up.
Cincinnati Bengals – Mid
- Running Back Depth: Chase Brown, Zack Moss (short-term deal)
- Breakdown: Bengals scouting multiple rookies signals interest; unclear immediate upside.
- Final thoughts: Chase Brown was a stud last year. However, the Bengals may be looking for somebody to complement him. This will be a backfield to keep an eye on.
Cleveland Browns – Great Dynasty Fantasy Football Option
- Running Back Depth: Jerome Ford, Pierre Strong; uncertain future for Nick Chubb.
- Breakdown: Instant high-volume role available in a run-heavy offense.
- Final thoughts: Nick Chubb may never fully recover from his injury. Jerome Ford and Pierre Strong have been uninspiring in their starts as long-term options. This is a landing spot that could make for a really strong dynasty fantasy football running back option.
More Fantasy Football And Draft Advice
Denver Broncos – Great
- Running Back Depth: Jaleel McLaughlin, Tyler Badie
- Breakdown: Analysts are unanimous: the rookie is likely to see an immediate fantasy-relevant workload.
- Final thoughts: Whoever lands on the Broncos is another strong candidate for being a top dynasty fantasy football option.
Los Angeles Chargers – Good
- Running Back Depth: Najee Harris (short-term contract)
- Breakdown: Clear path to touches in 2026, rookie likely to start as a valuable depth piece.
- Final thoughts: Najee Harris won’t be the only back with touches this year. However, next year is where the value of this dynasty fantasy football running back could really shine through.
Additional AFC Quick Hits:
- Good: Texans, Chargers, Patriots
- Mid: Colts, Titans
- Question-Mark: Jaguars, Chiefs
- Don’t Draft: Dolphins, Jets, Steelers
NFC Landing Spot Analysis
Chicago Bears – Great
- Running Back Depth: D’Andre Swift (one-year deal), Roschon Johnson
- Breakdown: Ben Johnson’s offense provides a clear pathway to fantasy relevance, especially for dual-threat rookies.
- Final thoughts: We already saw how well dynasty fantasy football running backs can do in Ben Johnson’s offense. This is a great landing spot for any back.
Dallas Cowboys – Good
- Running Back Depth: Miles Sanders, Javonte Williams (short-term deals)
- Breakdown: Cowboys actively searching for a long-term RB; strong 2026 potential.
- Final thoughts: The Cowboys haven’t had a dynasty fantasy football running back option worth getting excited about for a while. However, that changes this year.
Green Bay Packers – Don’t Draft
- Running Back Depth: Josh Jacobs (long-term), MarShawn Lloyd (young and talented)
- Breakdown: No immediate fantasy path; avoid drafting unless in deep dynasty formats
- Final thoughts: The Packers like to draft running backs. However, this may not be a great spot fantasy football-wise.
Los Angeles Rams – Don’t Draft
- Running Back Depth: Kyren Williams, Blake Corum
- Breakdown: Analysts advise avoiding; minimal chance of overcoming established backs.
- Final thoughts: With Kyren Williams and Blake Corum, this isn’t a great landing spot.
Arizona Cardinals – Question-Mark
- Running Back Depth: James Conner, Trey Benson
- Breakdown: Despite mixed opinions among analysts, any rookie here faces limited immediate opportunities.
- Final thoughts: James Conner is getting older, but still runs well. Trey Benson was drafted last year and is next in line. It’s a tough road to start here.
Minnesota Vikings – Mid
- Running Back Depth: Aaron Jones (aging, one-year contract), Jordan Mason
- Breakdown: Sneaky long-term upside if Vikings don’t address RB early in draft.
- Final thoughts: There are some concerns about Jones’ knees. The Vikings may have addressed those by trading for Jordan Mason. However, this could be an interesting landing spot, depending on who the back is.
Additional NFC Quick Hits:
- Great: Commanders
- Good: Saints
- Mid: Giants, Eagles, 49ers
- Question-Mark: Cardinals
- Don’t Draft: Falcons, Lions, Seahawks, Panthers, Buccaneers
Dynasty Draft Strategy Cheat Sheet
- Great: Prioritize early; target rounds 1.01-1.06.
- Good: Late 1st to early 2nd round; solid long-term investments.
- Mid: 3rd-4th rounds; bench stashes with significant upside.
- Question-Mark: 4th round and beyond; worth monitoring in preseason.
- Don’t Draft: Avoid or consider as taxi squad depth only.
Final Thoughts
Landing spots will drastically shape the fantasy fortunes of the 2025 rookie running backs. Managers should weigh these landing spots heavily in their dynasty fantasy football drafts, balancing immediate opportunity with the long-term potential of each running back. Keep an eye on draft capital and preseason developments to stay ahead of your league.
Thank you for reading this article by @IDP_Plus. This article was created using IDP+ AI and edited by Justin Mark. Be sure to check out the video above by the Offensive Points crew, which this video is based on, talking about fantasy football dynasty running backs’ landing spots. Follow the hosts @hombrevender, @OPjoee, and @JosHallSTL on the X!
