The 2025 Season is in the books. For dynasty players, it’s a time to sit back, take stock, and see how players fared. Over the next couple of months, I’ll be looking back at the 2025, 2024, and 2023 classes by position. I’ll be evaluating if their stock rose, remained the same, or dropped over the course of the season. Now could be the time to sell high, buy low, or hold on to a winning hand. Today, I continue with the Running Backs from the draft class of 2025.
Stock Up
Quinshon Judkins, Cleveland Browns
About: It was a strong class of running backs in 2025, but Judkins was the one who lagged behind. An off-field incident and a delay in signing put his 2025 season into question. Fortunately for him, the Browns, and the people who picked him up in rookie drafts, Judkins got it resolved quickly. Still, he missed the opener, was eased into Week 2, and missed the last two games due to injury. In addition, he played for a Browns’ offense that wasn’t very good. But when he was on the field, Judkins dominated backfield touches. He looks like a solid RB1 that could be one of the better options out of the backfield for the Class of 2025.
Cam Skattebo, New York Giants
About: It was hard to tell what to expect from Skattebo when he was drafted. At the start of the season, Tyrone Tracy seemed like the lead back. But it didn’t take long for Skattebo to break out. He finished with an average of 16-points per game when on the field, good for RB9 in that metric. The problem was that his aggressive style led to an injury that cut his season short. Still, heading into a new regime with John Harbaugh, he figures to be the lead back. Will the Giants add someone? It’s possible. But, for now, Skattebo looks to be the back you want with the Giants.
Kyle Monangai, Chicago Bears
About: Monangai was a Seventh-Round draft selection who played himself into a substantial role for the Bears under Ben Johnson. He finished the season with 783 yards and five touchdowns, serving as a good change-of-pace to D’Andre Swift and quickly displacing Roschon Johnson. That gives Monangai a solid role heading into 2026 and gives him some low-end flex appeal. He could also be a great play if Swift misses time. He boosted his stock greatly and turned out to be a bargain for where he was taken in rookie drafts.
Bhayshul Tuten, Jacksonville Jaguars
About: This isn’t so much about 2025 production on the field as it is about the opportunity before Tuten for 2026. The Jaguars saw Travis Etienne leave via free agency. While the team added Chris Rodriguez, Jr., the backfield remains wide open to this point. Tuten, a second-year player, and LeQuint Allen are the only other backs in the backfield. That puts Tuten in a prime position to have a bigger role in 2026 and become a regular fixture in fantasy lineups. Could the 2026 NFL Draft change that? It’s possible, but it seems as though the Jaguars like what they have in Tuten.
Stock Neutral
Ashton Jeanty, Las Vegas Raiders
About: Jeanty was the sixth overall pick and the top running back in the class. But it took a while for him to get going with a Raiders’ offense that was lost in the weeds. Still, Jeanty finished as RB11 on the season. Now, the Raiders are changing coaching staffs and quarterbacks this offseason. Jeanty is still a top pick in Dynasty and should be an RB1 again in 2026. But it hasn’t been the best situation in Las Vegas so far.
Omarion Hampton, Los Angeles Chargers
About: Hampton was the other First-Round selection, landing with the Los Angeles Chargers. He figured to help lead the backfield with Najee Harris, but it was a rough rookie season. The Chargers suffered injuries on the offensive line, and Hampton sustained his own, forcing him to miss time. He’s still a good, young back with plenty of potential in a good offense. But his value wasn’t helped by a middling rookie season.
TreVeyon Henderson, New England Patriots
About: Henderson is a back with tremendous upside taken in a good spot to the Patriots. He has big home-run potential, which was on display at times in 2025. That helped him finish as an RB2 for the season, landing at RB22. The problem was consistency and role. It isn’t clear if it was a learning curve for the offense with Josh McDaniels or something else. But Henderson has tremendous upside still heading into his second season. If his role becomes more consistent or grows, he could really take off.
R.J. Harvey, Denver Broncos
About: The Broncos raised some eyebrows nabbing Harvey in the second round, but he ended up being a key part of the offense. When J.K. Dobbins went out with an injury, Harvey became the lead back for the team. Harvey finished as RB20 and ended up a solid lineup play. The Broncos brought back all the backs in the running back room this offseason, suggesting the players and roles will remain largely the same. That leaves Harvey without much room for growth in his second season, especially if Denver adds another body in free agency or the draft.
Dylan Sampson, Cleveland Browns
About: Sampson had a strong rookie campaign, but he’s behind Judkins in Cleveland. He has some moments, and he’s a solid rotational player, but his real upside comes only if Judkins is injured. He’s a depth play at best right now.
Woody Marks, Houston Texans
About: Marks was the team’s best back down the stretch of the 2025 season. He finished as RB29, averaging 9.4 points per game. So, why is his value only neutral? It seems the Texans don’t see Marks as a lead back or as a player who could take on a bigger workload. They made a big trade to acquire David Montgomery this offseason, and Montgomery figures to take the workhorse role for the Texans. That leaves Marks as a complementary back, similar to how he was viewed to start his rookie season.
Bill Croskey-Merritt, Washington Commanders
About: Almost by default, Croskey-Merritt became the guy for the Commanders after Austin Ekeler was lost for the season. But it was an uneven run from the Seventh-Round selection. He finished as RB33 with some good games and some forgettable games. He finished averaging just 8.3 points per game. This off-season, the Commanders have added a ton of bodies to the running back room, including intriguing names like Rachaad White and Jerome Ford. Croskey-Merritt figures to still have a role, but this looks like a committee. And if the Commanders go big and snag Jeremiah Love in the draft, it could get even harder to find meaningful snaps.
Stock Down
Kaleb Johnson, Pittsburgh Steelers
About: Did anyone have a worse rookie season than Johnson? For the second year in a row, the Steelers grabbed an interesting skill position player in the draft that seemed to meet an area of need. And yet, he was a relative non-factor. For Johnson, it wasn’t because of injury it was because of inefficiency. He quickly fell to third on the depth chart behind Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell and hardly saw the field. The Third-Round pick had just 69 yards on 28 carries. This off-season, the Steelers added Rico Dowdle, indicating that Johnson will have a tough road if he wants to improve his spot on the depth chart in 2026.
Jaydon Blue, Dallas Cowboys
About: There was plenty of optimism when Blue was taken. He stayed in Texas and was an intriguing prospect for a team in need of something in the backfield. But while free agent Javonte Williams dominated the touches, parlaying it into an extension this offseason, Blue was a relative non-factor. He finished with just 38 carries for 129 yards, appearing in just five games. Perhaps he takes a step forward in year two, but he has an unclear future in the Cowboys’ backfield.
Matthew Fox is a die-hard NFL fan and Broncos’ homer. He’s a member of the FSWA. You can find more from him on Twitter @knighthawk7734 or as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast, a part of the Campus2Canton Network.
