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

Ranking The Five Best Fantasy Football Running Back Seasons of All Time

Christian McCaffrey - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

For years, running back was seen as the most important part of a fantasy football team. It’s why managers would routinely chase running backs early in drafts. That legendary upside is enough to single-handedly carry owners to a championship. In recent years, we’ve seen running back take a bit of a backseat to wide receivers. However, that changed this year, as we saw multiple backs have huge seasons. Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry both accrued over 2,000 scrimmage yards and scored double-digit touchdowns.

But where do their seasons rank among some of the greatest single-season running back performances? For our exercise today, we are going to highlight the five greatest fantasy football running back seasons of all time. The scoring criteria will be based on the following: full PPR scoring, one point for every 10 rushing and receiving yards, and six points for touchdowns. Now that we have our scoring settings, let’s crunch the numbers and get to work.

Make sure you’re following RotoBaller on X, and check out RotoBaller.com for all your fantasy football needs. Here are the five best running back seasons of all time for PPR fantasy football leagues.

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

 

5.) LaDainian Tomlinson - 2003 San Diego Chargers - 445.3 PPR Points

Tomlinson makes our list once again. This season didn’t quite match his historic 2006, but it’s nothing to sneeze at. The future Hall of Famer amassed 2,370 scrimmage yards, along with 18 total touchdowns, and caught 100 passes to boot.

He was undoubtedly one of the greatest backs to ever step on the field, and he was fun to watch every Sunday. It was even more enjoyable if you were lucky enough to have him on your fantasy football team.

 

4.) Priest Holmes - 2003 Kansas City Chiefs - 447 PPR Points

Holmes had some great seasons for the Chiefs in the early 2000s. His best one, though, was 2003. He ran for 1,420 yards on the ground, caught 74 passes along with another 690 receiving yards, and scored a whopping 27 total touchdowns.

Those 27 touchdowns broke Marshall Faulk’s then record of 26, but would eventually be broken by Shaun Alexander and then by LaDainian Tomlinson. Running back scoring was just out of control during these days. If you rostered a back who put up this kind of season, you had such a massive advantage over the rest of your league.

Holmes had some memorable performances in 2003 and carried many gamers to a fantasy football title. He was on pace for another huge year in 2004 before his season was cut short after eight games due to injury. 2003 would wind up being the last big statistical season of his career. His time as an elite fantasy football player was short, but man, did he make an impact for those smart enough to draft him.

 

3.) Marshall Faulk - 2000 St. Louis Rams - 455.9 PPR Points

Faulk was such a cheat code for fantasy gamers back in the day. He is one of three players to reach 1,000 yards rushing and receiving in the same season and is one of the most dynamic running backs in NFL history.

His 2000 season was a thing of beauty. He posted 1,359 rushing yards on just 253 carries. In addition, Faulk caught 81 passes for 830 yards and scored a then-NFL record 26 total touchdowns. The most remarkable part of Faulk’s 2000 season? He did all of this in 14 games!

Had he not missed two games, Faulk could very well have surpassed Tomlinson’s 2006 season. Even still, fantasy managers were more than pleased with the numbers Faulk delivered in 2000.

 

2.) Christian McCaffrey - 2019 Carolina Panthers - 469.2 PPR Points

McCaffrey couldn’t quite reach Tomlinson’s mark, but he came very close. He did so in large part by becoming only the third player in NFL history to register 1,000 yards rushing and receiving in the same season. 19 total touchdowns helped as well.

The all-purpose back also set an NFL record with 116 receptions. This is the most receptions by a running back in a single season in NFL history. McCaffrey has struggled with injuries since his historic 2019 but did post another strong season in 2023.

 

1.) LaDainian Tomlinson - 2006 San Diego Chargers - 474.3 PPR Points

Man, where do we begin with this campaign? If you’re young or a new fantasy football player, stop what you’re doing and search for LaDainian Tomlinson highlights on YouTube. This guy was just an absolute beast.

Tomlinson enjoyed many successful seasons as a pro, but his 2006 campaign was his best. He ran for over 1,800 yards, caught 56 passes for 508 receiving yards, and scored an NFL-record 33 total touchdowns.

He accomplished all of this on 404 touches. Tomlinson routinely had high touch totals throughout his career. He was just a special back. Given the way teams monitor running back touches in today’s game, we may never see another season quite like this one. That record of 33 total touchdowns feels like it could stand for quite some time.



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

NASCAR1 hour ago

Bubba Wallace Wrecked at Las Vegas, but Showed Promising Speed
Alex Bowman1 hour ago

Recovered From Loose Wheel to Finish Seventh
Austin Cindric1 hour ago

Won Stage 1, but Loose Wheel Foiled Victory Bid
William Byron1 hour ago

Lost Las Vegas Race on Strategy, but Still Expanded Points Lead
Ryan Preece1 hour ago

Earned Best Career Non-Drafting Oval Finish at Las Vegas
Mookie Betts6 hours ago

Won't Play In Tokyo Series Against Cubs
Tee Higgins6 hours ago

Becomes Highest-Paid WR2 In NFL History
Ja'Marr Chase6 hours ago

Bengals Make Ja'Marr Chase The Highest-Paid Non-QB In NFL History
Brandin Podziemski7 hours ago

On Track To Return Tuesday
Christian Braun7 hours ago

Tagged As Probable On Injury Report
Aaron Gordon7 hours ago

Listed As Questionable For Monday
Jamal Murray7 hours ago

Iffy For Monday
Nikola Jokić7 hours ago

Nikola Jokic May Sit Out Meeting With Warriors
Quinten Post8 hours ago

Uncertain For Monday
Stephen Curry8 hours ago

Questionable To Play On Monday
Vince Williams Jr.9 hours ago

Returning On Monday
Coby White9 hours ago

Tagged As Probable For Monday
Josh Giddey9 hours ago

Doubtful For Monday
Gary Trent Jr.9 hours ago

Cleared For Sunday
Scotty Pippen Jr.9 hours ago

Listed As Questionable For Monday
Ja Morant9 hours ago

Won't Play Monday
Aaron Nesmith10 hours ago

Questionable Versus Minnesota
Tyrese Haliburton10 hours ago

On The Injury Report For Monday Night
Michael Tonkin10 hours ago

Will Open Season On Injured List
Aaron Wiggins10 hours ago

Returns To Action Against Bucks
Michel Otañez10 hours ago

Michel Otanez Shut Down From Throwing
Myles Turner10 hours ago

Questionable Against Minnesota
Kyle Kuzma10 hours ago

Ready To Play Sunday
Pascal Siakam10 hours ago

Won't Play On Monday
Damian Lillard10 hours ago

Good To Go Sunday
Giannis Antetokounmpo10 hours ago

Available Against OKC
Brandon Marsh10 hours ago

Exits Early Sunday
Royce Lewis11 hours ago

Expected To Begin 2025 On Injured List
Miami Dolphins11 hours ago

Ryan Stonehouse Signs With Dolphins
Sam Darnold11 hours ago

Could Opt Out After One Season
Mark Andrews11 hours ago

Unlikely To Be Cut
Igor Shesterkin12 hours ago

Remains In Rangers Crease Sunday
John Gibson12 hours ago

Still Out On Sunday
Nick Bjugstad12 hours ago

Returns For Utah Sunday
Filip Chytil12 hours ago

Questionable For Sunday
Jiri Kulich13 hours ago

In Concussion Protocol
Adam Pelech13 hours ago

Out On Sunday
Zach Hyman13 hours ago

A Game-Time Call Sunday
Bailey Falter13 hours ago

Ready To Go For Monday
Yu Darvish13 hours ago

Dealing With Fatigue
Clarke Schmidt13 hours ago

Won't Start On Monday
Mark Leiter Jr.13 hours ago

Should Be Ready For Opening Day
David Bednar14 hours ago

Not Officially Named Closer
Yoán Moncada14 hours ago

Yoan Moncada Could Land On Injured List
Atlanta Falcons14 hours ago

Keith Taylor Signs With Falcons
Atlanta Falcons14 hours ago

Storm Norton Back With Atlanta
Ronnie Rivers15 hours ago

Re-Ups With Rams
Mason Adams15 hours ago

Diagnosed With Flexor Strain
Joey Gallo15 hours ago

White Sox Release Joey Gallo
Sean Burke16 hours ago

Named Opening Day Starter
Jung Hoo Lee16 hours ago

Expected To Remain Sidelined For A Few Days
Max Kepler16 hours ago

Exits Early On Sunday After Collision
Eiberson Castellano16 hours ago

Could Win Bullpen Job
Kyle Freeland16 hours ago

Rockies Name Kyle Freeland Their Starter For Opening Day
Royce Lewis16 hours ago

Exits Early On Sunday
Ramón Urías16 hours ago

Ramon Urias Expected To Return On Thursday
Emmanuel Rivera17 hours ago

Dealing With Sore Shoulder
New York Jets17 hours ago

Derrick Nnadi Signing With Jets
Washington Commanders18 hours ago

Eddie Goldman Joins Commanders On One-Year Deal
Cooper Rush18 hours ago

Agrees On Two-Year Deal With Ravens
Baltimore Ravens20 hours ago

Ben Cleveland Remaining With Ravens
Seattle Seahawks20 hours ago

Shemar Jean-Charles Signing With Seahawks
Velus Jones Jr.21 hours ago

Signs With Saints
Christopher Bell22 hours ago

Quest For Four Wins In A Row Just Got More Difficult
Kyle Larson22 hours ago

Should Contend For Another Win At Las Vegas
Ryan Blaney22 hours ago

Once Again The Chalk DFS Pick At Las Vegas
Ross Chastain22 hours ago

Fastest In Practice At Las Vegas
Chris Buescher22 hours ago

Has Sneaky Upside This Weekend
Quinton Byfield22 hours ago

Scores In Sixth Straight Contest
Chase Elliott23 hours ago

May Be A Sneaky DFS Option For Las Vegas Lineups
Artemi Panarin23 hours ago

Extends Point Streak To Eight Games
Pyotr Kochetkov23 hours ago

Shuts The Door On Flyers On Saturday
William Byron23 hours ago

Expect William Byron To Compete For The Win At Las Vegas
Tyler Reddick23 hours ago

Is One Of The Top DFS Options For Las Vegas
Anthony Cirelli23 hours ago

Strikes Twice On Saturday
Denny Hamlin23 hours ago

Could Denny Hamlin Be A Quality Driver For DFS At Las Vegas?
Alex Ovechkin23 hours ago

Scores Goal, Adds Assist In Victory
Connor Dewar23 hours ago

Scores Twice On Saturday
NASCAR23 hours ago

Bubba Wallace Could Be A Solid DFS Option For Las Vegas
Brad Keselowski23 hours ago

Qualifies Deep In The Field For Las Vegas
Erik Jones23 hours ago

Is Erik Jones Worth Rostering At Las Vegas This Week?
Daniel Suarez24 hours ago

Should Fantasy Managers Roster Daniel Suarez At Las Vegas?
Carson Hocevar24 hours ago

Showcases Speed And Can Be Worth Rostering At Las Vegas
Ryan Preece24 hours ago

Is Ryan Preece A DFS Fade For Las Vegas Lineups?
Joey Logano1 day ago

Likely To Lead At Las Vegas, But Will He Lead Enough For DFS Consideration?
Jordan Mason1 day ago

Vikings Acquire Jordan Mason From 49ers, Sign Him To Two-Year Deal
Dee Eskridge1 day ago

Sticking With Dolphins
JuJu Smith-Schuster1 day ago

Returning To Chiefs
Tennessee Titans1 day ago

Chidobe Awuzie Released By Titans
Parris Campbell1 day ago

Headed To Dallas
Jiri Kulich1 day ago

Sustains An Upper-Body Injury Saturday
Tyler Myers1 day ago

Set To Return Against Blackhawks
Nikita Kucherov1 day ago

Good To Go Against Bruins
Yegor Chinakhov1 day ago

Rejoins Blue Jackets Lineup Saturday
Joel Armia1 day ago

Expected To Return On Saturday
Brady Tkachuk1 day ago

Available Saturday
Adam Fox1 day ago

Ready To Rejoin Rangers Lineup
Philadelphia Eagles2 days ago

Patrick Johnson Rejoins Philadelphia
Los Angeles Rams2 days ago

Larrell Murchison Back With The Rams
Eeli Tolvanen2 days ago

Scores Twice In Victory
Roman Dolidze3 days ago

Set For A Rematch
Marvin Vettori3 days ago

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Chidi Njokuani3 days ago

Looks For His Third Win In A Row
Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos3 days ago

Looks For His 12th UFC Win
Kurt Holobaugh3 days ago

An Underdog At UFC Vegas 104
Alexander Hernandez3 days ago

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Cody Gibson3 days ago

Looks For His Third Consecutive Win
Da'Mon Blackshear3 days ago

A Favorite At UFC Vegas 104
Brendson Ribeiro3 days ago

Searching For Second UFC Win On Saturday
Diyar Nurgozhay3 days ago

Set To Make His UFC Debut
MMA3 days ago

Seung Woo Choi In Dire Need Of Victory
Kevin Vallejos3 days ago

Makes Debut At UFC Vegas 104
Jacob Bridgeman5 days ago

Use Caution For Jacob Bridgeman At TPC Sawgrass
Nicolai Hojgaard5 days ago

Looks To Stay Consistent Heading Into PLAYERS Championship
Karl Vilips5 days ago

Makes PLAYERS Championship Debut After First PGA Tour Win
Taylor Pendrith5 days ago

A Sneaky Play At TPC Sawgrass
Sahith Theegala5 days ago

Out Of Form Ahead Of The PLAYERS Championship
Matt Fitzpatrick5 days ago

A Shaky Play Heading Into PLAYERS
Scottie Scheffler5 days ago

Eyeing Three-Peat At TPC Sawgrass
Aldrich Potgieter5 days ago

A Risky Play At TPC Sawgrass
Si Woo Kim5 days ago

Looks To Keep Building Momentum At The PLAYERS
Denny McCarthy5 days ago

Looks To Continue Solid Play At TPC Sawgrass
Collin Morikawa5 days ago

Poised For Another Strong Performance At TPC Sawgrass
Robert MacIntyre5 days ago

A Risky Play With Upside At The PLAYERS Championship
Jordan Spieth5 days ago

Looking To Change Fortunes At TPC Sawgrass
Cameron Young5 days ago

Avoid Cameron Young At The PLAYERS Championship
Michael Kim5 days ago

Continues Incredible Form Ahead Of The PLAYERS Championship
Justin Thomas5 days ago

Looking For More Magic At TPC Sawgrass
Xander Schauffele5 days ago

Continues Competitive Return At The Players Championship
Rory McIlroy5 days ago

Looks To Reverse Recent History At TPC Sawgrass
PGA5 days ago

Victor Hovland Looking To Find Form At The PLAYERS Championship
Brian Harman5 days ago

A Sleeper Pick At The PLAYERS Championship
Min Woo Lee5 days ago

A Hard Name To Trust At The Players Championship
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF