Welcome back! This is the ninth year of Yards Created, and this is an awesome group of running backs. We’ve got a little bit of everything in this group.
Yards Created per carry is a charted statistic where a running back is correctly assessed the amount of yards that they create beyond what’s blocked. For fantasy football purposes, this process has proven to be more predictive than using traditional counting stats and athletic testing metrics.
These rankings are driven by two things: Yards Created profile and opportunity. Talent only takes you so far. As we all know, running backs are so dependent on things out of their control to score fantasy points. The quality of the offense, blocking, and quarterback play are all huge components in RB scoring – yet have nothing to do with the running back.
All YC data are from the running backs’ final season. No previous seasons were included in the charted data. For your reference: YC = Yards Created. MTF = Missed Tackles Forced. PPE = Pass Protection Execution rate. Subscribers can access the updated Yards Created database.
So, who performed the best by Yards Created in the 2025 class?
Let’s get to it.
1. Ashton Jeanty (6.19 YC per carry | #1 in class)
Jeanty’s 6.19 YC and 0.46 MTF per carry aren’t just the best figures in this class. They’re among the best since this project began in 2016.
The only other running backs that have created over 6 yards and forced at least 0.45 missed tackles on a per carry basis are Saquon Barkley and Joe Mixon. Barkley’s 0.59 MTF/carry seems untouchable, and Mixon was right behind him (0.57). However, Jeanty just broke a new Yards Created record.
Jeanty created 5 or more yards on 42% of his carries, beating the record set by Joe Mixon (41%) in 2017.
Jeanty did all of this while running behind the worst offensive line in the class. Boise State opened up just 1.05 Yards Blocked per carry, which was just slightly worse than Virginia Tech (1.07) and UCF (1.09).
Luckily, Jeanty has the best footwork of any incoming rookie since Nick Chubb. He has the sixth sense – Jeanty’s eyes and body are completely synced up. There is no latency in Jeanty’s processing, and it’s almost like he can see holes opening up along the line before it actually happens. He’s Superman.
There isn’t a single red flag in Jeanty’s profile. If you’re nitpicking, then OK… he’s not yet a consistent pass blocker. Jeanty allowed pressure in pass protection, scoring a mediocre 63% PPE.
The bottom line is that running backs who get drafted as early as Jeanty did get fed with touches. It’s that simple. Bijan Robinson, Barkley, Leonard Fournette, and Ezekiel Elliott were each drafted inside of the top-8 overall picks since 2016. They all went on to get at least 300 opportunities (carries + targets) as rookies. On average, those previous four RBs piled up 340 opportunities.
2. Omarion Hampton (5.08 YC per carry | #4 in class)
The Chargers new lead RB runs with the fury of a bulldozer that has been fitted with a turbocharged Ferrari V-12 engine inside. Just imagine a bulldozer that’s able to go 100mph in a straight line on the highway. That’s Omarion Hampton.
With ideal size at 6’0” and 220 pounds, Hampton showed the ability to make himself “small” to pick through small creases in the blocking and then lay down the dozer blade for extra yards after contact. He did this countless times. These are the “unsexy runs” that just keep the chains moving at the NFL level. When he actually does get a big crease, he throttles past defenders for explosive runs.
Hampton projects as a three-down bell cow. He was heavily involved as a pass catcher, and he posted the top score in the class by PPE (90%). Hampton is violent and reliable in pass protection. There were a number of reps that were basically any quarterback’s dream – free pass rushers were routinely getting absolutely erased because Hampton squared them up. I wonder if Hampton trained with UNC’s offensive line, as his technique is often impeccable.
Hampton is a sure pass catcher and displayed nice hands on passes away from his body. He had at least 3 receptions in 10-of-12 games last season, and the only two contests in which he failed to do so were early-season blowouts against NC Central and Charlotte.
When I charted him against Virginia, Hampton caught three passes for over 30 yards and forced 7 missed tackles – yes, seven!! – on those receptions.
Hampton is a power/speed back through and through. Exactly 90% of his missed tackles were due to him running through or past a defender. Hampton is a fluid mover, but elusiveness is not his calling card.
Does that really matter, though? How much should we hold his lack of elusiveness against him, considering that Hampton just averaged 0.41 MTF/carry? That’s just ahead of Quinshon Judkins for the fourth-best figure in this class.
I want Hampton on all of my dynasty rosters. Jeanty is in his own tier at #1, but there is no debate about the second pick in rookie drafts. Hampton’s ceiling is so high not only because he’s so talented but also due to this much-improved coaching staff and the rebuilt Chargers offensive line.
Hampton has league-winning potential when he takes over as the lead RB. Najee Harris is on a one-year deal. Harris was a good prospect in a weak 2021 class, but he averaged 4.47 YC/carry and 0.33 MTF/carry in his final season at Alabama, far below Hampton in both categories.
The Chargers are favored in 13 games, and they have a 23.5 average implied point total based on the Weeks 1-17 lookahead lines. That’s just 1-point fewer per game than the Bengals (24.5). Only the Bills, Chiefs, Ravens, Eagles, and 49ers are projected to be favored in more games than the Chargers.
3. R.J. Harvey (5.67 YC per carry | #2 in class)
A converted quarterback turned RB in college, Harvey’s final season was highly impressive for a player who just started learning the position. Harvey is older for a rookie – he just turned 24 in February. He stayed back for an additional senior year after he tore his ACL as a freshman.
There were a number of runs on which Harvey should have been dead to rights behind the line of scrimmage because his blocking in front failed, yet he would often find a way to make the free defender miss and then pick up a few yards. Harvey is a highly creative and elusive runner, but I wouldn’t call him instinctive. At least he’s not yet. When he starts to master the feel and flow for zone blocking, he will become one of the most dangerous runners in the NFL.
Harvey’s quick cutting ability and excellent burst make for a very elusive runner.
At 5.67 YC per carry, Harvey is just behind Christian McCaffrey (5.69), Kareem Hunt (5.81), and Alvin Kamara (5.82) among charted RBs since 2016.
Harvey (0.43 MTF/carry) just nudged out Omarion Hampton (0.42) for third-best in the class by missed tackles forced per carry.
Oh, and Harvey created at least 5 yards on 41% of his carries. That tied Joe Mixon for the second-best rate in the YC database. Keep in mind, he did this while in his second full season as a starting RB.
I see a lot of Devonta Freeman in Harvey. Despite a smaller frame, Freeman was a very well-built back (meaning thick). Freeman’s and Harvey’s run pacing are very similar – they have controlled but frenetic tempo with their feet. Harvey is just significantly faster than Freeman. Harvey’s best weapon is his ankle-breaking jukes, but like Freeman, he’s capable of running through arm tackles and fighting through contact for extra yards.
Harvey’s quick tempo would lead to plays where he would patter his feet instead of getting upfield for positive yards. If that continues, these plays will turn into negative yards in the NFL. I’m willing to cut him some slack here, though. No running back would have trusted their blocking after what Harvey saw last season.
UCF’s interior blocking was very bad in Gus Malzahn’s zone-heavy scheme. The Golden Knights opened up just 1.09 Yards Blocked per carry (third-worst in the class).
If he can smooth out the processing that led him to picking the wrong hole in the zone at times, then the Broncos will have a special player on their hands. Harvey is electric.
4. Quinshon Judkins (4.55 YC per carry | #5 in class)
Judkins does not have the straight-line speed of TreVeyon Henderson, but he’s the better running back right now. Albeit by a slim margin, Judkins beat his former teammate by YC and MTF per carry.
Judkins runs with a real craft to his game. His short-yardage burst is great, he displays good footwork in tight spaces, and he constantly keeps his legs churning for extra yards. He can run inside zone and make the one cut up the field for a big gain, and he showed great vision to read the defensive line flow on gap runs.
Judkins runs with real aggression and violence. Starting NFL running backs need to turn would-be 2-yard gains into 4- and 5-yard sustaining runs just by refusing to go down and keep the pile moving, and that’s precisely what Judkins does consistently.
The only “knock” against him is that he lacks breakaway speed. He gets into his top gear quickly and can sustain his speed well, but some of the faster NFL cornerbacks will be able to track him down from behind. Everything else that Judkins does well will immediately translate to the NFL.
Even though his former teammate is the better player in the pass game, Judkins is a fine receiver and elusive in the open field. Even though he’s technically a one-year college starter, he has the skill set to become a bell cow immediately.
5. TreVeyon Henderson (4.45 YC per carry | #6 in class)
When the Buckeyes got Henderson running off-tackle and off-end, it was a thing of beauty. He showed nice patience on pull lead concepts to the edge, and he has obvious home run ability to consistently turn a would-be 10-yard gain into a 50+ explosive play.
The thing is, Henderson has a boom-or-bust running style. I recorded issues with Henderson’s vision as an inside runner. There were a handful of runs on which Henderson stopped and was flat-footed when inside lanes were clearly open. There were also too many plays where Henderson missed open holes up the middle, and then bounced runs outside. Ultimately, Henderson left a lot of yardage on the field, and it hurt his Yards Created profile.
I’m most excited for Henderson’s ability in the pass game. If he can sort out the vision and processing issues on inside runs, he has the potential to take over this Patriots backfield as a bell cow.
Henderson caught all but one of his targets and averaged over three more yards per reception than his former teammate Judkins did last season.
Henderson will be an immediate asset for a team that sorely needs help in protecting their quarterback. His 85% pass protection execution rate is quite strong. He laid out linebackers consistently and showed great technique. When they line up in shotgun, Henderson will be Drake Maye’s best friend.
Henderson is a world-class athlete, but lacks spatial awareness at times. He’s still going to have spiked scoring fantasy weeks as a rookie, though. The big-play upside is impossible to ignore. New England can have Rhamondre Stevenson do the dirty work up the middle that requires good vision and footwork, while the rookie continues to work on his game.
6. Bhayshul Tuten (5.25 YC per carry | #3 in class)
Tuten is a gem among this talented crop of rookie running backs. He possesses rare physical traits that led to stellar Yards Created data.
By Yards Created per carry, Tuten’s 5.25 mark is third-best among the incoming rookies.
With 0.45 missed tackles forced per carry, Tuten scored just behind Jeanty (0.46) at the top of the class. For reference, both of those MTF figures are among the top-15 charted RBs since 2016.
Tuten is best suited as an outside zone runner where he can utilize his speed and suddenness on quick cuts into the open field. He’s a rare breed of runner with a trifecta of tools – straight line speed, quick jukes, and power.
There are a few frustrating plays in Tuten’s tape. Mainly, he has to take better care of the football. I counted 5 fumbles (3 lost). There were also a handful of plays on which Tuten would drift too far on the zone blocking wave, and he missed cutback lanes that were set up.
Don’t hold Tuten’s 81 lowly receiving yards on 23 receptions against him. This was due to the offensive scheme and poor quarterback play. Tuten was mainly asked to run two simple routes – swings and flats. These were never first-read targets. He didn’t have many opportunities for run after catch, but his YC data clearly shows there is untapped upside if he sees the open field on screens.
Tuten was the second pick of Day 3 at #104 overall. Since 2016, running backs drafted between draft slots 75-100 overall have produced a 25% “hit rate” when that player has averaged at least 10 career PPR points per game. The hit rate falls to 17.3% when highlighting RBs drafted between picks 101-125 overall.
Late Day 2 and Early Day 3 RBs are roughly +400 bets. I like those odds with Tuten. This just happens to be a standout landing spot for an explosive player.
Take a journey in your mind to Week 8 this season. Lean into the uncertainty. What do you see? The Jaguars' new front office has signalled its intent. Travis Etienne is in the fifth year of his expiring rookie contract, and he was just outplayed by the new and improved Tank Bigsby last season.
Strictly by YC data, Tuten is a better prospect than Etienne was out of Clemson (4.22 YC and 0.36 MTF per carry).
Tuten is underpriced in all formats of fantasy football. He’s a player to move up for in the early second round of rookie drafts. Tuten will be a staple target for Fantasy Points in all redraft formats at his early ADP of 118 overall.
7. Jaydon Blue (4.26 YC per carry | #8 in class)
After he sat behind three talented RBs in Bijan Robinson, Jonathon Brooks, and Roschon Johnson, Blue finally got his chance this past year at Texas. He never really handled a full-time load, though. He saw more than 15 carries one time last season, splitting work with Tre Wisner.
The small sample of 130 carries was encouraging. Blue’s 4.26 YC and 0.34 MTF don’t stand out in this strong class, but they are pretty good overall.
Blue has a “slashing” one-cut running style, similar to James Cook. The former Longhorn demonstrated a feel for cutback lanes off of zone blocking and possesses the athleticism to effectively disrupt defenders' pursuit angles with a burst of speed. He isn’t a powerful runner, but he does have good balance to work through some contact.
Most promisingly for fantasy football, Blue showed very well as a receiver. Texas would set up screens to get him the ball in space, and he gains separation quickly on underneath routes vs. linebackers.
Here’s the list of 12 running backs that have averaged at least 4.0 YC and 0.3 MTF per carry and had more than 350 receiving yards in their final college season since 2016:
Saquon Barkley (632 receiving yards in final season)
Travis Etienne (588)
Joe Mixon (538)
Dalvin Cook (488)
Clyde Edwards-Helaire (453)
Najee Harris (425)
Bucky Irving (413)
Kareem Hunt (403)
Alvin Kamara (392)
Zack Moss (388)
Omarion Hampton (373)
Jaydon Blue (368)
That’s not a bad group to be a part of.
After the Cowboys signed veteran RBs Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders to one-year deals this offseason, Blue has a great chance to not “just” be part of this committee backfield, but outright win the starting job. Blue is my main target in Round 3 of rookie drafts, and I’d be willing to draft him as early as the middle of Round 2 on RB-needy teams.
8. Kaleb Johnson (4.10 YC per carry | #9 in class)
Johnson is a professional runner – he consistently displays good vision, and he can always get what’s blocked by the offensive line.
However, his Yards Created profile is not exciting. Johnson greatly benefited from Iowa’s run scheme (2.45 YB/carry – second-best in class). Beyond having some maulers up front, the Hawkeyes did an excellent job of using motion receivers in the run game to deceive and confuse the defense.
I’ll be curious to see if the Steelers try to alter his running style just a bit. Johnson runs too upright for a back with his ideal size, and that’s a part of the reason why he struggled to make defenders miss. Johnson went down on first contact far too often. He’s also a bit tight in the hips. Johnson’s 0.28 missed tackles forced per carry is subpar, and he evaded 85% of those defenders through power and speed alone.
You might be saying, “Wait… isn’t this kind of like Omarion Hampton’s profile?” While both are similarly sized power runners, Hampton is in the 88th percentile by MTF/carry. Johnson’s MTF scores in the 30th percentile (since 2016).
Jaylen Warren and Johnson will form a nice complementary Steelers duo, but for fantasy football, Johnson’s skillset is more valuable. The rookie will immediately replace Harris as the early-down RB and the Steelers' goal-line hammer.
9. Jarquez Hunter (4.39 YC per carry | #8 in class)
Hunter’s 4.39 YC and 0.33 MTF per carry place him in the middle of this talented rookie class. He’s a bit stiff in the hips, but Hunter has phenomenal contact balance and plenty of burst. With nearly ideal size at 5’10”, 210 pounds, Hunter used his frame to constantly fight through contact for extra tough yards.
Overall, Hunter lacks some wiggle in open space, but he is objectively a better RB than Blake Corum. Recall that Corum’s YC profile was really bad. He averaged just 3.35 YC and 0.15 MTF per carry. Hunter profiles as an early-down RB with the ability to handle volume and get the workman-like inside carries while also offering some big-play upside.
The draft capital between Hunter this year and Corum last year is only a round apart. Hunter was selected at #117 overall while Corum was picked at #87.
After Jaydon Blue, I like Hunter as a priority target in Round 3 of rookie drafts.
10. Cam Skattebo (3.97 YC per carry | #10 in class)
Contact balance and effort are not in short supply with Skattebo. A bell cow back at Arizona State, Skattebo produced 1,711 rushing yards and over 600 receiving yards across 13 games.
Unfortunately, Skattebo’s YC figures don’t paint as great a picture. His 3.97 YC per carry is in the lowly 18th percentile since 2016.
Skattebo’s 0.25 missed tackles forced per carry is not a good mark, either. You can’t just win on power and contact balance alone. His acceleration in a straight line and laterally is non-existent. Skattebo was constantly brought down from the side and from behind with ease.
While he’s not an explosive runner, Skattebo’s ability to read blocks is not in question. He consistently displays great vision and patience.
Skattebo is the complete opposite of the style of running back that the Giants drafted last year. Skattebo rarely makes mistakes and always gets what’s blocked, but he lacks big-play upside. He is a reliable receiver on passing downs, too. The majority of Skattebo’s receiving yardage came in three games, so it’s not like he was constantly ripping off chunk gains as a receiver in every contest. The Sun Devils would use Skattebo often in the screen game and give him blocks in front to set up YAC.
On the other end of the spectrum, Tyrone Tracy mixed in a lot of explosive plays with some bad fumbles and mental mistakes last season. His rookie season was a roller coaster, but he flashed the playmaking ability that made us fall in love with Tracy in the first place.
For what it’s worth, Tracy’s Yards Created profile is far better. Tracy’s 4.77 YC and 0.35 MTF easily beat Skattebo. The former Sun Devil was selected #105 overall. Tracy was a fifth round pick at #166 last year.
11. Dylan Sampson (3.77 YC per carry | 11th in class)
After spelling Jaylen Wright in 2023, Sampson broke out for over 1,600 scrimmage yards and 22 TDs as the Volunteers' bell-cow RB last year. Unfortunately for Sampson, he was not nearly as creative or explosive as his former teammate.
Sampson’s 3.77 YC and 0.21 missed tackles forced per carry is subpar. He rarely makes it through first contact, and his lack of power will be a problem for him at the NFL level. Instead, Sampson relies upon his quick cuts and acceleration to make defenders miss.
Both of the former Volunteers' RBs greatly benefited from light boxes in Tennessee's spread-based scheme, but Wright (5.44 YC and 0.36 MTF per carry) was far more explosive. Wright saw eight or more men in the box on just 9% of his carries. Sampson was hardly any different, with just 8% of his carries vs. 8+ men in the box.
Sampson has a direct path to backup Quinshon Judkins. Jerome Ford is entering the final year of his rookie contract.
12. Jordan James (3.43 YC per carry | 13th in class)
James greatly benefited from a pretty strong Oregon offensive line that opened up 1.89 Yards Blocked per carry (fourth-best). The Ducks primarily used James off of inside- and outside-zone blocking concepts, so it’s no surprise that the 49ers view him as a fit for their offense.
Isaac Guerendo (4.27 YC per carry) is a significantly more explosive runner than James. I expect that the second-year RB Guerendo will easily win the #2 RB job after San Francisco traded away Jordan Mason and let Elijah Mitchell walk.
13. Woody Marks (3.27 YC per carry | last)
With just 3.27 YC per carry, Marks is last in this class among the 14 charted RBs. He’s got a little bit of power to run through arm tackles, but with just 0.19 MTF per carry, his elusiveness is clearly nothing to write home about. Marks is a sure-handed pass catcher, though. I didn’t record a single drop on any of his targets, and he had at least 3 receptions in 10-of-12 games.
If Joe Mixon were to miss games, Marks could have some value as a volume-based RB2/FLEX. Think along the lines of a souped-up Justice Hill with Marks. He showed the ability to handle weekly volume at USC, and he’s reliable on passing downs. Dameon Pierce is entering the final year of his rookie deal.
14. Trevor Etienne (3.49 YC per carry | 12th)
Etienne’s 3.49 YC per carry is disappointing, to say the least. While he may not be an explosive runner, Etienne does offer soft hands as a receiver and a little bit of YAC ability. He has just enough elusiveness to make defenders miss in space, so I guess there is some three-down upside here, if you try to squint.
Etienne will have to beat out Rico Dowdle for the right to back up Chuba Hubbard this season. Hubbard signed a nice extension after he broke out last year. Meanwhile, Dowdle signed a one-year, $2.75 million deal after playing consistently well for Dallas last season. Dowdle could certainly play himself into a small extension if he performs for the Panthers.
Unfortunately, Jonathon Brooks will not play in 2025 after re-tearing his ACL last season. Etienne was an insurance depth pick for Carolina in case there’s a chance that Brooks can never play football at the same level again.
Final Few…
I didn’t chart these players, but they’re worth Round 4 darts in rookie drafts:
15. Devin Neal – The Saints are desperately looking for depth behind Alvin Kamara. They could certainly sign a veteran, but Neal will likely beat out Kendre Miller.
16. DJ Giddens – He’s buried behind Jonathan Taylor, but at least has the inside track for the #2 job.
17. Brashard Smith – Could find a role in the passing game. Kansas City continued to avoid investing in their backfield, so there is an obvious pathway to playing time if Isiah Pacheco misses games again. The Chiefs brought back Kareem Hunt and signed Elijah Mitchell this offseason.
18. Tahj Brooks – The Bengals restructured Zack Moss’ deal, so Brooks will compete with the veteran for the rights to backup Chase Brown.
19. Ollie Gordon – After his awesome 2023 campaign, Gordon was on everyone’s radar. He was a Heisman finalist after a huge sophomore campaign with over 2,000 scrimmage yards. Oklahoma State’s offense fell off a cliff, and Gordon’s play fell off along with it.
20. Phil Mafah – Huge bruising RB. The Cowboys' backfield is wide open.
