X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Greatest Fantasy Football RB Seasons of All-Time: Where Does McCaffrey Rank?

Christian McCaffrey - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News

Tony Camino ranks the greatest seasons ever produced by fantasy football running backs. Do Christian McCaffrey or Saquon Barkley make the cut?

Christian McCaffrey continues to dominate and remains the best running back option in fantasy football by a wide margin. Not too long ago, running backs were the most crucial part of a fantasy roster, and building a championship team without one of the elite workhorse backs was challenging.

Recent NFL history has witnessed a shift towards committee approaches, and running backs can't attain the volume they once did 20 to 30 years ago. How do McCaffrey's recent seasons stack up against some of the retro running back seasons?

Who had the best running back season ever in fantasy? Let's take a look at the top 10 running back seasons in fantasy football.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

Honorable Mentions

Emmitt Smith (1995), Marshall Faulk (1999), Christian McCaffrey (2023)

Emmitt Smith, in 1995, had 25 rushing touchdowns, which is the fourth most ever in a single season in NFL history. However, he didn't contribute much in the passing game compared to others on this list, with 375 yards and no touchdowns.

In 1999, Marshall Faulk was dominant, but he scored just 12 total touchdowns, which limited his PPR per game average to around 25. Faulk went over 2,000 scrimmage yards and averaged 5.5 yards per carry, but the lack of touchdowns limited how dominant he could be in fantasy.

Christian McCaffrey this year gets an honorable mention for putting up big-time numbers in the era of the running back by committee. McCaffrey totaled over 2,000 scrimmage yards and scored 21 total touchdowns, but his overall volume compared to others in the past kept him out of the top 10.

 

#10. Chris Johnson (2009)

Stats392.9 PPR points, 24.6 per game in 16 games played, 2,006 rushing yards on 5.6 yards per carry with 16 total touchdowns

In 2009, Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson was dominant, becoming one of eight running backs to achieve at least 2,000 rushing yards. CJ2K averaged an impressive 5.6 yards per carry and played every game that year. Johnson earned Offensive Player of the Year honors for his remarkable performance, averaging 125 rushing yards per game.

Unfortunately, Johnson's receiving volume didn't match some of the leaders on this list, as he caught 50 passes for 503 yards. The limited number of touchdowns in the passing game wasn't sufficient to overcome his normal receiving production in comparison to others on this list, and as a result, Johnson lands at number 10 despite rushing for 2,000 yards.

 

#9. Todd Gurley (2017)

Stats: 383.3 PPR points, 25.6 per game in 15 games played, 2,093 scrimmage yards on 4.7 yards per carry with 19 touchdowns

In 2017, the Los Angeles Rams running back won Offensive Player of the Year, accompanied by a runner-up finish in MVP voting, thanks to his impressive 2,000 scrimmage yards on the season. Gurley caught 64 passes for 788 yards, showcasing one of the better seasons ever, especially when considering his volume compared to others on this list.

Although Gurley didn't play all 16 games, he only rested in the final game of the regular season, which typically falls after the fantasy season in most leagues. In the context of the modern running back, Gurley in 2017 proved to be very valuable to all his fantasy managers.

 

#8. Priest Holmes (2003)

Stats: 445 PPR points, 27.8 per game in 16 games played, 2,110 scrimmage yards on 4.4 yards per carry with 27 touchdowns

In his 2003 campaign, Kansas City Chiefs running back Priest Holmes secured the second-most rushing touchdowns in a season with an impressive 27, leading him to an average of nearly 28 PPR points per game. Holmes played all 16 games that year, also contributing with 74 catches to boost his PPR numbers.

The primary factor holding this season lower on the list is his lack of explosiveness compared to others above him. Holmes averaged 4.4 yards per carry, which is lower than almost everyone else mentioned. While his 27 touchdowns were a significant contributor to his massive numbers, the relative lack of explosiveness places this season slightly lower. Nonetheless, it remains one of the best seasons from Holmes.

 

#7. LaDainian Tomlinson (2003)

Stats: 443.8 PPR points, 27.7 per game in 16 games played, 2,370 scrimmage yards on 5.3 yards per carry with 17 touchdowns

San Diego Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson had a tremendous year in 2003, averaging just under 28 PPR points per game on 5.3 yards per carry. Tomlinson also caught 100 passes in that season and played every game, providing tremendous value to his fantasy managers.

Although he scored just less than Holmes in 2003, LT gets the nod due to how much more explosive Tomlinson was on the ground. Despite Holmes having 10 more touchdowns, the fact that Tomlinson only had two fewer points highlights who the better player was that year, with Tomlinson benefiting from better game scripts.

 

#6. O.J. Simpson (1975)

Stats: 390.3 PPR points, 27.9 per game in 14 games played, 2,243 scrimmage yards on 5.5 yards per carry with 23 touchdowns

Buffalo Bills running back O.J. Simpson dominated in 1975, putting up nearly 28 points per game and scoring 23 total touchdowns despite playing before the 16-game season was implemented. Simpson averaged 5.5 yards per carry on the ground and had one of the best fantasy seasons ever, despite catching just 28 passes.

Even though this wasn't the season Simpson won the MVP, it stands out as his best fantasy season due to the remarkable 23 total touchdowns, which was a career-high by nine.

 

#5. Priest Holmes (2002)

Stats: 442.7 PPR points, 31.6 per game in 14 games played, 2,287 scrimmage yards on 5.2 yards per carry with 24 touchdowns

Holmes finds his way on the list again for his 2002 season, where his 31.6 PPR points per game rank second all-time for a running back, trailing someone else on this list. The former Chiefs star won Offensive Player of the Year in 2002 thanks to another season with a ton of touchdowns but also a massive spike in efficiency on the ground.

While there's only one season by a running back with more PPR points, Holmes has to stay low on this list because he missed the final two games of the season. The Week 17 game likely doesn't matter, but missing Week 16 would've hurt any of his managers in the championship game and likely cost a lot of seasons.

 

#4. Christian McCaffrey (2019)

Stats: 471.2 PPR points, 29.5 per game in 16 games played, 2,392 scrimmage yards on 4.8 yards per carry with 19 touchdowns

During his Carolina Panther days, McCaffrey redefined what it meant to be a receiving back. He set the record for the most receptions in a season by a running back in 2019, catching 116 passes for 1,005 yards thanks to his unique skillset that allows him to thrive lined up wide.

The biggest reason for CMC's 2019 season being this high is because of how the running back position has changed recently. Teams don't give running backs the same volume they did back in the 90s/2000s, putting today's backs at a disadvantage from a volume standpoint. McCaffrey is dominant in the passing game and finds the endzone enough to compete with the old-school backs in the modern game.

 

#3. Marshall Faulk (2001)

Stats: 425.7 PPR points, 30.4 per game in 14 games played, 2,147 scrimmage yards on 5.3 yards per carry with 21 touchdowns

St. Louis Rams running back Marshall Faulk appeared in the honorable mentions and now sits third for his tremendous 2001 season. His 30.4 points per game were the third-most by a running back ever, and his every-down usage propelled him to have one of the best seasons ever.

While he did miss two games (Weeks 6 and 7), teams who rostered Faulk were likely in the playoffs regardless. This season currently ranks as the eighth-highest total point season ever, but if he had totaled his average in the two games he missed, it would have been the highest-scoring season ever by a running back.

 

#2. LaDainian Tomlinson (2006)

Stats: 481.1 PPR points, 30.1 per game in 16 games played, 2,323 scrimmage yards on 5.2 yards per carry with 31 touchdowns

The 2006 MVP campaign of Tomlinson saw him set a record for the most rushing touchdowns in a season with 28, while also averaging over five yards per carry on 348 attempts. His ability to truly dominate on high volume and play every game was insanely valuable and led to the highest-scoring season ever by a running back.

There are plenty of arguments for this to be the best season ever by a running back in fantasy, but his receiving work wasn't up to the standards of the rest of the backs on this list. The back ahead of him was just too dominant in every facet and would've beaten him out with two more games.

 

#1. Marshall Faulk (2000)

Stats: 459.9 PPR points, 32.9 per game in 14 games played, 2,189 scrimmage yards on 5.4 yards per carry with 26 touchdowns.

Faulk is here yet again for his Offensive Player of the Year season in 2000 where he posted the most PPR points per game ever by a running back at 32.9. He averaged 5.4 yards per carry and added 81 catches for 830 yards in the air, showing a big role in both facets. Averaging over 150 total yards per game, Faulk was on another planet every time he took the field.

He did miss two games (Weeks 10 and 11), but those likely had little impact on how his managers fared during the season. In fact, his eight touchdowns over the two games that would have been the fantasy championship strengthen his case even more, as he would hold every record for the best fantasy running back season if he played two more games.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!

More Fantasy Football Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Andrew Heaney1 hour ago

Tosses Six Shutout Innings
Triston Casas2 hours ago

Launches Three-Run Homer
Jordan Lawlar2 hours ago

Records Another Multi-Hit Performance
Pete Crow-Armstrong2 hours ago

Homers, Steals Two Bases
Yanquiel Fernandez2 hours ago

With Another Multi-Homer Game
Reese Olson2 hours ago

Strikes Out Seven In Win
Jake Mangum2 hours ago

Exits Game With Groin Tightness
Ryan Pressly2 hours ago

Dealing With Knee Issues
George Kittle2 hours ago

Wants To Be Highest-Paid Tight End
Jac Caglianone2 hours ago

Stays Hot On Wednesday
Tyler Lockett3 hours ago

Joining The Titans
Allan Winans3 hours ago

Strikes Out 10 On Wednesday At Triple-A
3 hours ago

Will Shedeur Sanders' Game Translate To The NFL?
Las Vegas Raiders3 hours ago

Raiders Could Go With Offensive Lineman At No. 6 Overall
NFL3 hours ago

Jaguars, Raiders Looking To Trade Up In First Round
Marcelo Mayer3 hours ago

With Two More Multi-Hit Performances Wednesday
New Orleans Saints3 hours ago

Saints Won't Pick Up Fifth-Year Option On Trevor Penning
Nick Chubb3 hours ago

Not Interested In Retirement
George Pickens3 hours ago

Drawing Trade Interest
Rashee Rice4 hours ago

Taking Part In Offseason Program
4 hours ago

Concerns About Tetairoa McMillan's Lack Of Effort
Jahan Dotson4 hours ago

Eagles Decline Fifth-Year Option On Jahan Dotson
MLB4 hours ago

Rockies-Royals Rained Out On Wednesday
Zach Eflin4 hours ago

To Throw A Side Session Later This Week
Justin Martinez4 hours ago

"All Indications" Justin Martinez Will Be Available On Wednesday
Zack Wheeler5 hours ago

Records Nine Strikeouts
Jared Jones5 hours ago

To Undergo MRI This Week
Luis Rengifo5 hours ago

Returns On Wednesday
Chandler Simpson5 hours ago

Sitting Out Versus Lefty
Joc Pederson5 hours ago

Taking A Seat Versus Southpaw
Leody Taveras5 hours ago

Sitting Out On Wednesday
Brandin Podziemski6 hours ago

Upgraded To Available
Cam Davis6 hours ago

Looking For Better Fortunes At TPC Louisiana
Corey Seager6 hours ago

Goes On 10-Day Injured List With Hamstring Strain
Michael Porter Jr.6 hours ago

Listed As Questionable For Game 3
Minnesota Vikings6 hours ago

Vikings Waive NaJee Thompson, Trevor Reid
Adam Svensson7 hours ago

Making Third Apperence At Zurich Classic
Jake Fromm7 hours ago

Lions Release Jake Fromm
Seattle Seahawks7 hours ago

Cameron Young Let Go By Seattle
Detroit Lions7 hours ago

Detroit Makes Kerby Joseph The Highest-Paid Safety In League History
Davion Mitchell7 hours ago

Moves Into Starting Lineup Wednesday
Brandin Podziemski8 hours ago

Picks Up Questionable Tag
Al Horford8 hours ago

Starts Game 2
Michael Porter Jr.8 hours ago

Practices On Wednesday
Jayson Tatum8 hours ago

Out On Wednesday
Isaiah Stewart8 hours ago

May Miss Another Game Thursday
NYI8 hours ago

Cal Clutterbuck Announces Retirement
Pavel Zacha9 hours ago

Recovering From Small Procedure
Nikolaj Ehlers9 hours ago

To Miss At Least Two More Games
Miro Heiskanen9 hours ago

Still Out On Wednesday
John Klingberg9 hours ago

Enters Oilers Lineup For Game 2
Evander Kane9 hours ago

To Make Season Debut Wednesday Night
Gabriel Landeskog9 hours ago

Likely To Play In Game 3
Denver Broncos11 hours ago

Broncos Not Expected To Trade Up In Round 1
Houston Texans11 hours ago

Texans Trying To Move Up In Round 1 Of NFL Draft
Atlanta Falcons11 hours ago

James Pearce Jr., Mike Green Potential Top Targets For Falcons
Dallas Cowboys11 hours ago

Cowboys Could Add Wide Receiver Help With No. 12 Pick
New Orleans Saints11 hours ago

Saints Likely To Address Defense With No. 9 Pick?
11 hours ago

Rams Eyeing Trade Up For Tyler Warren, Colston Loveland?
Jaren Jackson Jr.17 hours ago

Posts Team-High 26 Points In Tuesday's Loss
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander17 hours ago

Notches 27 Points Despite Poor Shooting
Max Greyserman17 hours ago

Aiming For Similar Success At TPC Louisiana
Pascal Siakam17 hours ago

Scores Team-High 24 Points In Game 2 Win
Giannis Antetokounmpo17 hours ago

Posts Big Double-Double In Game 2 Loss
Lee Hodges17 hours ago

A High-Upside Player In New Orleans
PGA17 hours ago

Nico Echavarria Looks To Ride Off Of Elite Putting In New Orleans
Julius Randle17 hours ago

Leads Timberwolves In Scoring In Game 2
Gary Woodland17 hours ago

A Player Worth Watching In New Orleans
Luka Dončić17 hours ago

Luka Doncic Nets 31 Points In Lakers Win
Max McGreevy17 hours ago

Returns To The Zurich Classic Of New Orleans
Rasmus Hojgaard17 hours ago

In Search Of Consistency Ahead Of Zurich Classic
Jock Landale17 hours ago

Unavailable For Game 2
Sam Stevens17 hours ago

A Boom-Or-Bust Candidate In New Orleans
Jae'Sean Tate17 hours ago

Remains Out Wednesday
Nicolai Hojgaard17 hours ago

Looking To Turn Season Around At Zurich Classic
John Tavares18 hours ago

Collects Two Points In Overtime Win
Christiaan Bezuidenhout18 hours ago

Looks To Sway A Hot Putter In Teams Favor At Zurich Classic
Frederik Andersen18 hours ago

Posts 40th Postseason Win
Akshay Bhatia18 hours ago

Looking To Bounce Back At TPC Louisiana
Carson Young18 hours ago

Looks To Turn Things Around At TPC Louisiana
Kirill Kaprizov18 hours ago

Leads Wild To Valuable Road Win
Matthew Tkachuk18 hours ago

Returns With Three-Point Performance
Erik Van Rooyen18 hours ago

Looking For Momentum In Louisiana
Anthony Cirelli18 hours ago

Suffers Undisclosed Injury Tuesday
Gabriel Vilardi18 hours ago

May Return To Jets Lineup Thursday
John Klingberg18 hours ago

Ready To Return To Action
Evander Kane18 hours ago

Could Be An Option For Game 2
Andrew Novak1 day ago

Making Start At TPC Louisiana After Near Miss At Harbour Town
Ben Griffin1 day ago

Making Third Career Start At Zurich Classic
Taylor Moore1 day ago

Competing With A New Teammate In New Orleans
Wyndham Clark1 day ago

Making Return To New Orleans
Kurt Kitayama1 day ago

Teeing It Up Again In New Orleans
Collin Morikawa1 day ago

Back At Zurich Classic For Fifth Time
Thomas Detry1 day ago

Making Third Appearance At New Orleans Team Event
Terry Rozier1 day ago

Ruled Out For Wednesday
Damian Lillard1 day ago

Will Have His Minutes Monitored Tuesday
Jayson Tatum1 day ago

Listed As Doubtful For Game 2
Derek Forbort1 day ago

Recovering From Surgery
Martin Fehérváry1 day ago

Martin Fehervary To Miss Postseason Following Knee Surgery
Luke Glendening1 day ago

Available For Start Of Playoffs
Mitchell Chaffee1 day ago

Available Tuesday
Cody Glass1 day ago

Good To Go Tuesday
Brenden Dillon1 day ago

Won't Play In Game 2
Damian Lillard1 day ago

Cleared To Play Tuesday
Nikola Jokić2 days ago

Nikola Jokic Posts 19th Postseason Triple-Double
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF