3 RBs to pick over Christian McCaffrey in 2025 fantasy football feat. Bijan Robinson

Christian McCaffrey revived his fantasy football value when he joined the San Francisco 49ers after departing the Carolina Panthers. The move resulted in overall finishes of RB1 and RB2 before injuries held him to just four games last season.

A healthy McCaffrey is still clearly capable of being potentially the best overall running back, but his age and extensive injury history make him a relatively risky pick in fantasy drafts. He will still likely be selected early on, but here are three players at his position who are better targets for the 2025 NFL season.

3 RBs to draft over Christian McCaffrey in 2025 fantasy football

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#3 - Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions

Jahmyr Gibbs continues to serve in a split backfield role with David Montgomery for the Detroit Lions, but it hasn't stopped him from being one of the best overall fantasy football running backs. His two NFL seasons so far have produced overall finishes of RB2 and RB10 with 31 total touchdowns.

The Lions lost offensive coordinator Ben Johnson this year, so it will be interesting to see how their new scheme affects Gibbs' fantasy value. He brings a ton of upside into his third season and makes for a better pick than Christian McCaffrey in fantasy drafts this year.

#2 - Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons

Bijan Robinson improved on an excellent rookie season that included an overall RB9 finish to become the RB2 last year. He is the focal point of the Atlanta Falcons' offensive game plans, and his elite combination of rushing and receiving gives him one of the highest floors of any running back.

The rising star truly carries the upside to finish as the top overall fantasy player for the 2025 NFL season. While McCaffrey can realistically have a massive bounce-back season if he's healthy, Robinson has a much higher floor and is a safer pick in fantasy football drafts.

#1 - Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles

Saquon Barkley departed the New York Giants last year to join the Philadelphia Eagles. His first season was an incredible success, including rushing for more than 2,000 yards and winning a Super Bowl ring. He also finished as the overall RB1 in fantasy football.

The superstar running back has the luxury of playing behind arguably the best offensive line in the NFL and on a team that has fully committed to their ground game. He is not only a better pick than Christian McCaffrey, but Barkley has a strong case for being the number-one overall pick.

About the author

Adam Hulse is an NFL journalist at Sportskeeda with 4 years of experience. He is also the host of the podcast "Sports Talk with Adam Hulse."

Adam studied Communications at Villanova University and played American football at Pop Warner and as a high school Freshman. His favorite team are the Dallas Cowboys, and if Adam could lay his hands on a time machine, he would love to witness their glory years from the 1990s. The Cowboys' 27-17 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XXX is his favorite Super Bowl of all time.

Given his affinity for 'America's Team,' Adam's favorite players of all time include Emmitt Smith. Michael Irvin, Tony Romo and Dak Prescott.

Adam takes a lot of pride in his work, which naturally culminates into insightful content for his readers, performance analysis being his forte. When not writing about football, Adam spends a time on his podcast.

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Edited by Adam Hulse