Ranking the NFL's Best Running Back Duos Ahead of the 2025 Season
Star running backs Christian McCaffrey and Saquon Barkley won NFL Offensive Player of the Year in consecutive years, though the position also has great depth because of duos across the league.
Most teams have at least two running backs who can coexist in complementary roles or share touches as interchangeable playmakers on all three downs.
These collaborations have allowed the third-down pass-catching tailback to be a valuable asset in an offense. Short-yardage and goal-line specialists are also key contributors in critical situations.
Looking across the NFL, we narrowed down the top 10 running back duos based on productivity, the importance of the two players' roles and a forecast of what's to come in the upcoming season. Rookie inclusions are solely based on projections.
First, let's start with a few honorable mentions.
Honorable Mentions
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Jacksonville Jaguars: Travis Etienne Jr. and Tank Bigsby
Jaguars head coach Liam Coen denied reports about Etienne's availability on the trade block. Still, Jacksonville drafted Bhayshul Tuten in the fourth round and LeQuint Allen Jr. in the seventh round. Tuten could take some snaps from Etienne or Bigsby. So, this couple might be on shaky ground.
However, if Jacksonville retains Etienne and Bigsby, they could be as productive as Coen's former running back duo, Bucky Irving and Rachaad White.
Seattle Seahawks: Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet
The Seahawks' running back pair should be in the top 10, but Walker's rushing numbers have trended in the wrong direction since his 2022 rookie season.
Last year, he missed six games because of injuries. In Walker's absence, Charbonnet proved he can carry the majority load as the lead running back, averaging 72.2 rushing yards in his six starts.
If Walker and Charbonnet are more effective as a healthy tandem in the upcoming season, they will move into the top 10 next year.
Green Bay Packers: Josh Jacobs and Emanuel Wilson
Jacobs took over the bell-cow position in Green Bay's backfield, and Wilson carved out a role as a backup last season.
Jacobs is a proven workhorse running back who won the 2022 rushing title with the Las Vegas Raiders, but Wilson will have to fend off 2024 third-rounder MarShawn Lloyd for the No. 2 spot.
Wilson's uncertainty on the depth chart is why the Packers duo just missed the top 10 and landed in the honorable mention group.
10. Pittsburgh Steelers: Jaylen Warren and Kaleb Johnson
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The Pittsburgh Steelers' new tandem cracks the top 10.
Over the last three years, Jaylen Warren has shared the backfield with Najee Harris, and he's eclipsed 820 scrimmage yards in back-to-back seasons. The fourth-year veteran can coexist with rookie third-rounder Kaleb Johnson (6'1", 224 lbs), who's a big-bodied tailback like Harris.
According to Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Gerry Dulac (h/t Steelers Depot's Ross McCorkle), Johnson could take over the backfield as the lead ball-carrier in the upcoming campaign.
Regardless of who's the No. 1 running back, Warren and Johnson will handle enough touches to make an impact in complementary roles.
Johnson only caught 29 passes for 240 yards and three touchdowns in three collegiate terms. So, Warren can retain the primary pass-catching role out of the backfield. This new pair could be as good or better than the Harris-Warren combination.
9. Los Angeles Chargers: Najee Harris and Omarion Hampton
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The Los Angeles Chargers rank one spot ahead of the Pittsburgh Steelers' duo because of Omarion Hampton's upside.
The Chargers selected him in the first round of this year's draft after he eclipsed 1,503 rushing yards and scored 15 touchdowns in consecutive collegiate terms.
Unlike Steelers' rookie running back Kaleb Johnson, Hampton took on a consistent role in the short passing game over his last two collegiate years, hauling in 67 passes for 595 yards and three touchdowns in that time span.
Averaging 16.7 yards per catch through three terms at North Carolina, Hampton can be a more explosive playmaker in space than Najee Harris, who's not a big-play running back on the ground or as a pass-catcher, averaging 3.9 yards per carry and 6.4 yards per reception.
Under offensive coordinator Greg Roman's tutelage, watch out for Hampton (6'0", 220 lbs) and Harris (6'1", 242 lbs) to be a bruising ball-carrying duo that leads a top-10 rushing offense.
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8. Buffalo Bills: James Cook and Ray Davis
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James Cook and Ray Davis come in front of the Pittsburgh Steelers tandem because both running backs have NFL production.
The former has earned Pro Bowl nods in consecutive years, and the latter racked up the third-most rushing yards (442) among rookie running backs last year.
Even though the Buffalo Bills signed running back Ty Johnson to a two-year extension, Davis will likely maintain the primary backup role after he finished third on the team in scrimmage yards (631) last season.
Yes, quarterback Josh Allen plays a significant role in the Bills' ground game, but Cook and Davis combined for 1,898 scrimmage yards and 24 touchdowns last season.
The Bills must sort out a contract issue with Cook. For now, though, he and Davis rank eighth. Cook has the Pro Bowl accolades, and Davis has the intriguing upside with the ability to run and catch out of the backfield.
7. Minnesota Vikings: Aaron Jones Sr. and Jordan Mason
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This offseason, the Minnesota Vikings acquired Jordan Mason from the San Francisco 49ers.
And head coach Kevin O'Connell has a clear vision for his role.
"I do think Jordan's gonna bring something to the table in those short-yardage situations, those goal-line situations, goal-to-go, where we've really left a lot to be desired as a football team," he told reporters.
Aaron Jones Sr. can still accumulate over 1,100 scrimmage yards while splitting touches with a backup as he did with the Green Bay Packers, sharing the backfield with Jamaal Williams and A.J. Dillon.
With Mason in the fold, the Vikings can preserve Jones, who's going into his age-31 term. While the ninth-year veteran may see fewer scoring opportunities in the red zone, he's still an underrated dual-threat lead running back with at least 1,190 scrimmage yards in five of the last six campaigns.
Last season, Mason rushed for 789 yards and three touchdowns, which included three 100-yard rushing performances. The former 49ers backup has shown he has RB1 potential, and that's why the Vikings rank one spot above the Bills tandem.
6. San Francisco 49ers: Christian McCaffrey and Isaac Guerendo
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When healthy, Christian McCaffrey is still one of the league's top running backs. He won the rushing title in 2023 but only played in four games because of injuries last year.
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters that the three-time Pro Bowler is "as healthy as he can be" right now, but he also noted that the team must "protect him from himself."
In translation, the 49ers feel good about McCaffrey's health amid organized team activities, but he will probably see a lighter workload compared to his healthy prime years.
So, Isaac Guerendo could have a sizeable role as the No. 2 tailback following a productive year as the third-stringer.
Last year, the 24-year-old ran for 420 yards and four touchdowns, averaging five yards per carry in 16 contests. He started in three outings in place of McCaffrey and Jordan Mason.
Now, Guerendo can spell McCaffrey on a more consistent basis, though he may eventually face competition from rookie fifth-rounder Jordan James for the backup role.
The 49ers edged the Vikings for the sixth spot because McCaffrey is far more accomplished than Aaron Jones Sr., coupled with the projection that backups Mason and Guerendo may have similar roles.
5. Atlanta Falcons: Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier
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Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier have paired together for two years, and both players have a 1,000-plus rushing yard season on their resumes, which separates this duo from tandems in the bottom five and the honorable mentions.
Moreover, Robinson is an ascending ball-carrier who finished third in rushing yards (1,456) last season and is already one of the league's top pass-catching running backs with 119 receptions for 918 yards and five touchdowns in two seasons. Whereas Aaron Jones Sr. and Christian McCaffrey are lead ball-carriers who will probably see fewer touches slightly past their prime years.
Allgeier is a reliable No. 2 tailback who's yet to fumble the ball, an impressive feat with 533 rush attempts on his resume.
On the other hand, Allgeier offers little in the short passing game with 47 catches for 420 yards and two touchdowns. Because of his limitations in that area, the Atlanta Falcons duo falls short of the top-four spots.
4. Philadelphia Eagles: Saquon Barkley and A.J. Dillon
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Saquon Barkley won the rushing title and nearly broke Hall of Famer Eric Dickerson's single-season rushing record (2,105) last season.
Despite Barkley's heavy workload on the ground, he still caught 33 passes for 278 yards and two touchdowns, and 12 of his receptions moved the chains for first downs.
This offseason, the Philadelphia Eagles signed a proven complementary running back in A.J. Dillon. His 6'0", 247-pound frame allows him to move human piles in short-yardage situations or mow over defenders after the catch.
As primarily a backup running back with the Green Bay Packers between 2020 and 2023, Dillon made plays in the short passing game, hauling in 86 passes for 763 yards and two touchdowns. Though he sat out the 2024 campaign with a neck injury, his skill set should allow him to get the nod over Will Shipley for the No. 2 spot on the depth chart.
Assuming Dillon is back to 100 percent, he will be one of the league's most productive No. 2 running backs. His pass-catching ability will allow him to see the field on third downs.
3. Carolina Panthers: Chuba Hubbard and Rico Dowdle
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The Carolina Panthers will field the most underrated running back duo. They have the only tandem that racked up 1,000-plus rushing yards apiece last season.
Chuba Hubbard registered career highs in rushing yards (1,195) and touchdowns (10). Meanwhile, Rico Dowdle accumulated a career-high 1,079 rushing yards and two touchdowns with the Dallas Cowboys.
Dowdle could have posted a more impressive rushing total for the season if the Cowboys featured him in the first half of the campaign.
Nonetheless, Hubbard and Dowdle are both capable of hitting the century mark on the ground in any given week. The latter should see more targets in the passing game, though.
Last year, Dowdle caught 39 passes for 249 yards and three touchdowns, while Hubbard hauled in 43 passes for an inefficient 171 yards and a touchdown.
If Dowdle becomes a reliable outlet for Bryce Young, the Panthers' top two tailbacks could eclipse 1,000 scrimmage yards in the upcoming term.
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Bucky Irving and Rachaad White
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We saw how well Bucky Irving and Rachaad White work together last season. They combined for 2,520 scrimmage yards and 17 touchdowns.
As a ball-carrier, White took a backseat to Irving, who led 2024 rookies in rushing yards. Yet he finished with 1,006 scrimmage yards and led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers backfield in touchdowns (nine).
They are a unique duo because they're a proven interchangeable pair on all three downs. They can run between the tackles on early downs, and their catch and receiving yard totals from last year are similar.
The Buccaneers had to refill the offensive coordinator position for a third consecutive offseason after Liam Coen accepted the Jacksonville Jaguars' head coaching job, but they promoted from within, bumping Josh Grizzard up from the pass game coordinator role.
Tampa Bay has maintained some continuity within the offensive coaching ranks, which will bode well for Irving and White's chemistry.
1. Detroit Lions: Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery
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Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery have been a highly productive pair for consecutive seasons. So, they're the clear-cut No. 1 running back duo with distinctive numbers.
They have eclipsed 1,115 yards and scored double-digit touchdowns in their seasons together. Gibbs is a home-run playmaker with two Pro Bowl seasons in as many years. Montgomery doesn't have those accolades, but he has two 1,000-plus rushing yard campaigns and has caught 207 passes for 1,698 yards and four touchdowns.
Like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Detroit Lions lost their offensive coordinator, Ben Johnson, but Gibbs and Montgomery—nicknamed Sonic and Knuckles—have a well-established chemistry as key playmakers in the offense.
Gibbs' Pro Bowl years and Montgomery's six seasons of steady production vaulted the Lions duo over the Buccaneers' tandem.
College football statistics are courtesy of cfbstats.com.
Maurice Moton covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @MoeMoton.
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