- Don't count out rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt: The seventh-rounder has a real chance to steal the featured rushing role in the Washington Commanders' backfield for 2025.
- Pass blocking could be the difference in Denver: With JK Dobbins and RJ Harvey set to battle for the team's RB1 role, the winner may be decided by who is better in pass protection.
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Estimated Reading Time: 15 minutes
NFL training camps are upon us, which means positional battles are officially underway. While established veterans can be difficult to unseat, the rookie running back class includes multiple players who can seize their team’s starting role before Week 1 kicks off.
We're detailing four starting running back battles to watch in training camp.
Washington Commanders: RB Brian Robinson Jr., RB Chris Rodriguez Jr. and RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt
Incumbent starter Brian Robinson Jr. sits precariously atop the Commanders' running back depth chart following an inefficient 2024 campaign, with beat reporter Ben Standig having listed him as a potential trade candidate less than three months ago.
Robinson is scheduled to enter free agency in 2026, so fantasy managers should follow seventh-round rookie running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt closely. Few penciled-in backup running backs have as soft a path to the starting role. Robinson’s 72.0 PFF overall grade in 2024 ranked 26th among 43 NFL running backs with at least 350 offensive snaps. Croskey-Merritt’s 93.8 PFF mark placed him second among 210 FBS running backs with at least 425 offensive snaps from 2023 to 2024.
Commanders running backs coach Anthony Lynn recently revealed that the team's coaches view Croskey-Merritt as an “A back,” which he defined as “a volume ball carrier” who can be featured as a north-south, lead rusher. With Robinson potentially on the outs and 2023 sixth-round pick Chris Rodriguez Jr. having signed a backup-worthy one-year, $1.03 million contract this offseason, Croskey-Merritt is a candidate to seize the starting role by season’s end, if not in August. Rodriguez earned a 90.1 PFF rushing grade last year despite the coaching staff and front office’s less favorable assessment of his work.
The table below shows Robinson’s rushing data among 33 NFL running backs with at least 145 rushing attempts in 2024.
| PFF Rushing Grade | 71.2 (No. 25) |
| Rush Att. | 223 (No. 1) |
| Missed Tackles Forced | 34 (T-No. 27) |
| Missed Tackles Forced Per Rush Att. | 0.15 (T-No. 28) |
| Yards After Contact Per Rush Att. | 3.0 (T-No. 19) |
| Explosive Run Play Rate | 9.9% (No. 24) |
Croskey-Merritt’s one-game 2024 season is potentially suppressing his average draft position. He spent four years at Alabama State before playing 2023 at New Mexico and 2024 at Arizona. His final season participation was limited to one game after the NCAA ruled him ineligible due to a bizarre and seemingly unfounded redshirt-related issue from his 2019 season.
The Commanders’ rookie proved himself an elite rushing prospect in his two FBS seasons.
The table below shows his rushing data among 132 FBS running backs with at least 200 rushing attempts from 2023 to 2024.
| PFF Rushing Grade | 93.7 (T-No. 11) |
| Rush Att. | 201 (T-No. 129) |
| Missed Tackles Forced | 71 (T-No. 51) |
| Missed Tackles Forced Per Rush Att. | 0.35 (T-No. 7) |
| Yards After Contact Per Rush Att. | 4.0 (No. 17) |
| Yards Per Rush Att. | 6.5 (No. 6) |
| Explosive Run Play Rate | 20.9% (No. 3) |
Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury runs his efficient offense via overall high play volume and moderate rushing volume, creating a fantasy-friendly environment for its lead running back.
Washington ranked third in both average offensive plays per drive (6.6) and plays per game (68.1), 19th in both neutral game run-play rate (41.1%) and running back rushing attempts (354) and fourth in success rate (38.7%) during the 2024 regular season.
PFF’s NFL Power Rankings projects Washington to win 9.3 games, the 11th most, which should facilitate run-heavy game scripts. The Commanders also have the eighth-toughest schedule, which reinforces their expectedly high offensive play volume.
Fantasy managers should closely monitor Croskey-Merritt’s training camp performance.
Denver Broncos: RB JK Dobbins and RB RJ Harvey
The Broncos drafted former UCF running back RJ Harvey in the 2025 NFL Draft’s second round, putting him in place to audition for head coach Sean Payton’s fantasy-friendly, dual-threat Joker role. On June 10, the front office signed veteran running back JK Dobbins to a one-year, $2.75 million contract, prompting ESPN’s Jeff Legwold to suggest Dobbins could lead the backfield in total snaps while assuming one of the two high-value passing down roles (third down), leaving Harvey in a situational role.
Payton helpfully confirmed that it is “too early” to project backfield roles, instead indicating that he “expects the depth chart to automatically reveal itself” in training camp. Dobbins’ 66.6 PFF overall grade in 2024 ranked 34th among 43 running backs with at least 350 offensive snaps. Harvey’s 85.5 PFF overall grade placed him 12th among 41 Power Five running backs with at least 450 offensive snaps in 2024.
As detailed in 2025 NFL Draft: Best receiving backs, “Harvey maintained near-elite per-route efficiency via a positive average depth of target while totaling 22-plus targets per season from 2022-2024… Harvey’s top-tier tackle-breaking talents translate to the run game as well. Among 32 Power Five and Boise State running backs with at least 400 rushing attempts from 2022-2024, his 0.32 missed tackles forced per attempt ranks third and his 95.2 PFF rushing grade ties for fourth.” His dynamic receiving ability makes him a shoo-in for two-minute drill role.
The third-down role could determine whether Dobbins or Harvey earns the starting role. The NFL’s automatic timeout at the two-minute warning allows teams to easily substitute in their pass-catching specialist if the starter is a subpar receiver. Third downs, conversely, come with no such clock stoppage. While the two-minute-drill running back is generally tasked with operating as a short-area receiver who breaks for the sideline post-catch, the third-down running back must possess reliable pass-protection abilities to protect the quarterback when preserving the clock is not the priority.
Payton’s 2024 regular season offense also notably totaled 145 no-huddle snaps, the eighth most among NFL teams, negatively impacting the backfield’s substitution ability and correspondingly requiring the early-down starter to remain on-field for all three downs.
Among 33 NFL running backs with at least 50 pass-blocking snaps in 2024, Dobbins’ 69.6 PFF pass-blocking grade ranked eighth. Harvey has not yet developed this skillset, having switched from quarterback to running back in 2020. Among 31 Power Five running backs with at least 70 pass-blocking snaps this past season, Harvey’s 21.8 PFF pass-blocking grade ranked dead last.
However, Payton annually features running backs in the passing game at or near league-high levels.
Not expecting RJ Harvey to play on pure pass downs for #Broncos. But still think a pass-catching ceiling is there.
— Adam Levitan (@adamlevitan) April 30, 2025
Here are Sean Payton offense ranks in RB target share since 2013.
*Worth noting this is raw data, not adjusted for personnel (for example, Payton had Alvin… pic.twitter.com/aO3QlBCR14
The table below shows situational receiving and pass-protection data for Denver's running backs among regular-season NFL running back position groups in 2024.
| 1st-Read Targets | Total Targets | Pass-Blocking Snaps | PFF Pass-Blocking Grade | |
| PFF Receiving Grade | 47.4 (T-No. 15) | 56.3 (T-No. 24) | N/A | N/A |
| 1st & 2nd Down | 12 (T-No. 23) | 75 (T-No. 11) | 76 (No. 12) | 43.4 (No. 21) |
| 3rd Down | 4 (T-No. 17) | 26 (T-No. 4) | 41 (T-No. 18) | 87.7 (No. 1) |
| 2-Min. Drill | 2 (T-No. 17) | 14 (T-No. 10) | 16 (T-No. 19) | 43.8 (No. 25) |
| All Downs | 16 (T-No. 23) | 101 (No. 9) | 120 (T-No. 17) | 61.3 (No. 3) |
Should Harvey fail to improve his pass protection quickly, Dobbins could be given the starting role by default, though his extensive injury history is worrisome. The 26-year-old running back has suffered a Grade 2 MCL sprain (2024), Achilles tendon rupture (2023), Grade 3 ACL and LCL tears (2021), hamstring and meniscus tears of undisclosed severity (2021), and he underwent an ACL cleanup procedure in October 2022.
Among Dobbins’ three seasons in which he logged triple-digit snap counts, his 66.6 PFF overall grade and 67.1 PFF rushing grade last year were career lows. His 54.5 PFF receiving grade was his second lowest.
Payton generally employs a pass-heavy offense, though he made clear his desire to increase his run game’s volume and efficiency last year, likely with mid-tier rushing volume in mind.
"RUN IT!!!"
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) December 20, 2024
– Sean Payton pic.twitter.com/IloIJxfQ5V
The table below shows the Broncos' running back rushing data among regular-season NFL running back position groups in 2024.
| PFF Rushing Grade | 67.8 (No. 28) |
| Rush Att. | 343 (T-No. 22) |
| 1st & 2nd Down Rush Att. | 318 (No. 18) |
| Neutral Game Run-Play Rate | 39.5% (No. 27) |
It is entirely possible that yardage-based productivity outweighs pass-blocking ability in Payton’s mind, so although Dobbins likely has the edge in the third-down competition, it remains possible for Harvey to steal the starting role based on his superior rushing and receiving abilities.
Should the two players enter the season in an even early-down split, with Dobbins in the third-down role and Harvey handling two-minute duties, both can likely return RB3 value early on. Dobbins can enter RB2 territory by winning the starting role outright. Were Harvey to win the job, his explosive ability raises his fantasy-scoring potential into RB1 territory
Pittsburgh Steelers: RB Jaylen Warren and RB Kaleb Johnson
Veteran Jaylen Warren and third-round rookie Kaleb Johnson enter training camp vying for the lead rushing role, two-minute drill role and third- and fourth-and-long role in offensive coordinator Arthur Smith’s run-heavy offensive scheme. Should the two players operate in a near-even rotation, RB3 outcomes for both are possible.
Warren’s 64.3 PFF overall grade in 2024 ranked 35th among 43 NFL running backs with at least 350 offensive snaps. Johnson’s 86.5 mark placed ninth among 41 Power Five running backs with at least 450 offensive snaps.
The table below shows Pittsburgh’s rushing data among regular-season NFL teams in 2024.
| PFF Rushing Grade | 79.5 (No. 15) |
| Rush Att. | 533 (No. 4) |
| 1st & 2nd Down Rush Att. | 463 (No. 4) |
| Neutral Game Run-Play Rate | 47.7% (No. 5) |
Although Smith’s run-heavy offense limits target volume for Pittsburgh's pass catchers, newly signed quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw a league-high 52 checkdowns to running backs while piloting the New York Jets’ offense last year. Among 30 NFL quarterbacks with at least 19 checkdowns thrown to running backs, his 67.8 PFF passing grade on qualifying passes ranked 11th.
The 26-year-old Warren and the 21-year-old Johnson are capable rushers and receivers, though Warren historically has a notable advantage in the latter. Warren has also proven himself unreliable in pass protection, so Pittsburgh coaches will likely give Johnson extra opportunities to earn that role. Should he do so, he could challenge Warren for both passing-down roles, which Warren held last season.
The table below ranks the following in parentheses:
- Warren’s rushing data among 39 NFL running backs with at least 120 rushing attempts in 2024
- Warren’s receiving data among 35 NFL running backs with at least 35 targets in 2024.
- Warren’s pass-protection data among 33 NFL running backs with at least 50 pass-protection snaps in 2024.
- Johnson’s rushing data among 32 Power Five running backs with at least 175 rushing attempts in 2024
- Johnson’s receiving data among 50 Power Five running backs with at least 25 receiving snaps in 2024.
- Johnson’s pass-protection data among 89 Power Five running backs with at least 38 pass-protection snaps in 2024.
| Jaylen Warren | Kaleb Johnson | |
| PFF Rushing Grade | 68.3 (No. 33) | 86.7 (No. 13) |
| Rush Att. | 122 (No. 37) | 240 (No. 6) |
| Missed Tackles Forced Per Rush Att. | 0.25 (T-No. 8) | 0.28 (T-No. 7) |
| Yards After Contact Per Rush Att. | 3.2 (No. 16) | 4.4 (No. 2) |
| Yards Per Rush Att. | 4.2 (No. 21) | 6.4 (No. 4) |
| Explosive Run Play Rate | 11.5% (No. 14) | 17.9% (No. 7) |
| PFF Receiving Grade | 70.9 (No. 12) | 65.3 (No. 29) |
| Target Rate | 20.3% (No. 9) | 17.0% (No. 27) |
| Yards Per Route Run | 1.42 (No. 11) | 1.29 (T-No. 19) |
| PFF Pass-Blocking Grade | 31.0 (No. 31) | 47.5 (No. 60) |
Smith’s running back-friendly scheme could produce two RB3s this season, though, much like Sean Payton’s offense detailed above, Johnson’s growth potential gives him a wider range of outcomes. Fantasy managers should closely follow Johnson’s passing-game involvement throughout training camp.
Jacksonville Jaguars: RB Travis Etienne Jr., RB Tank Bigsby and RB Bhayshul Tuten
Travis Etienne Jr., Tank Bigsby and Bhayshul Tuten are all candidates to lead the Jaguars in rushing attempts this season. While an active three-player backfield would create a fantasy-unfriendly environment, it remains possible for the most talented player to separate from the pack.
Etienne’s 60.7 PFF overall grade in 2024 ranked 41st among 43 NFL running backs with at least 350 offensive snaps, while Bigsby's 68.1 mark placed 33rd. Tuten’s 77.5 PFF overall grade ranked 24th among 41 Power Five running backs with at least 450 offensive snaps.
The Florida Times-Union’s Demetrius Harvey suggested in late June that Etienne’s passing-game involvement could increase, while he takes “a bit of a backseat as a rusher” as the rushing attack evolves. Harvey suggests Etienne will remain the nominal starter in this scenario, though Bigsby and/or Tuten are expected to out-carry him.
Handling the passing-down roles helps solidify Etienne’s floor, but new head coach Liam Coen employed an efficient, balanced offensive attack while serving as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ offensive coordinator last season.
Among regular-season NFL teams, Coen’s 2024 Buccaneers ranked 16th in neutral game run-play rate (41.9%), eighth in offensive plays per game (67.1), seventh in offensive plays per drive (6.3) and 10th in rushing attempts (483).
The table below ranks the following in parentheses:
- Etienne and Bigsby’s rushing data among 33 NFL running backs with at least 145 rushing attempts.
- Tuten’s rushing data among 32 Power Five running backs with at least 175 rushing attempts.
| Travis Etienne | Tank Bigsby | Bhayshul Tuten | |
| PFF Rushing Grade | 62.8 (No. 32) | 74.6 (No. 19) | 80.7 (No. 25) |
| Rush Att. | 150 (No. 31) | 168 (No. 28) | 183 (T-No. 30) |
| Missed Tackles Forced Per Rush Att. | 0.11 (No. 33) | 0.27 (No. 4) | 0.34 (No. 4) |
| Yards After Contact Per Rush Att. | 2.5 (No. 31) | 3.7 (No. 2) | 4.5 (No. 1) |
| Yards Per Rush Att. | 3.7 (No. 31) | 4.6 (T-No. 12) | 6.3 (No. 5) |
| Explosive Run-Play Rate | 10.7% (No. 16) | 11.9% (No. 9) | 18.6% (No. 5) |
Should Coen employ a three-player rushing rotation, all three will likely perform unreliably in fantasy. Both Bigsby and Tuten possess game-breaking potential and would function as weekly RB2s or better if one were to seize the standalone lead rushing role while Etienne assumes passing-down duties.
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