National Football League

2025 Week 16 RB Rankings: Fantasy Sleepers, Streamers, Busts

Published Dec. 16, 2025 11:07 a.m. ET

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It's Week 16 of the NFL campaign, and if you're searching for fantasy rankings -- specifically regarding running backs -- you've come to the right place! De'Von Achane leads the way this week as the highest projected running back, projected for 23.5 points (PPR). See the rankings below for the rest of the top projected running backs in fantasy football this week.

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Who are the top RBs to start for fantasy in Week 16 of the NFL season?

De’Von Achane remains a top option for the Dolphins in their matchup with the Bengals. He posted 12 carries for 60 yards and added 7 receptions for 67 yards in his last outing. Cincinnati has allowed steady production to running backs, making Achane an appealing play.

James Cook is another strong start as the Bills take on the Browns. He continues to see a consistent workload and carries a projection of 15.2 fantasy points in Week 16. Cleveland has had difficulties containing opposing ground games, which boosts Cook’s outlook.

Kenneth Gainwell profiles as a sleeper for the Steelers against the Lions. He has seen an uptick in touches and produced 13 carries for 80 yards along with 7 catches for 46 yards in his most recent performance. His involvement makes him a viable flex option.

Which fantasy RB sleepers should I stream for Week 16?

For Week 16, several running back sleepers are in play for fantasy managers looking for streaming options. Alexander Mattison leads the list as he faces the Panthers. His touches have increased in recent weeks, and Carolina has struggled against running backs. The Panthers have allowed 432 rushing yards across their past five games, which puts Mattison in flex consideration.

Michael Carter is another name to target after taking over as Arizona’s lead back when Bam Knight exited with an ankle injury. Carter handled 18 touches and produced 13.4 fantasy points against Houston. With James Conner and Trey Benson out for the season, he becomes a priority streaming option unless Knight is cleared to return.

Kimani Vidal is also worth monitoring for the Chargers. He led the team in snaps while Omarion Hampton handled more touches in his second game back. Vidal finished with 13 touches and 5.8 fantasy points, and Los Angeles continues to operate with a committee approach that offers a reasonable floor for both backs.

Which running backs rank as fantasy Week 16 busts?

Alvin Kamara is a fade against the Buccaneers. His production has been inconsistent, and Tampa Bay has held its own against opposing backs. With an ADP of 4.11 tied to expectations he has not consistently met this season, he is a risky play.

Derrick Henry also carries sit potential in a tough matchup with the Ravens. Baltimore has stifled running backs all year, and Henry’s week-to-week results have varied. The matchup limits his upside.

Miles Sanders is another back to avoid as he faces the Giants. New York has been solid against the run, and Sanders has dealt with injuries throughout the season. His ADP of 6.04 reflects a level of consistency that has not been present.

Week 16 RB Fantasy Football Rankings

Rank	Player	Matchup	Proj. Fantasy Pts. (PPR)	Proj. Fantasy Pts. (Standard)
1	De'Von Achane	Dolphins vs. Bengals	23.5	18.3
2	Bijan Robinson	Falcons at Cardinals	22.2	18.2
3	Christian McCaffrey	49ers at Colts	21.4	16.6
4	Jahmyr Gibbs	Lions vs. Steelers	20.4	16.4
5	Saquon Barkley	Eagles at Commanders	18.4	15.6
6	Jonathan Taylor	Colts vs. 49ers	18.2	15.3
6	Chase Brown	Bengals at Dolphins	18.2	14.2
8	James Cook	Bills at Browns	17.2	15.6
9	Josh Jacobs	Packers at Bears	16.5	13.7
10	Derrick Henry	Ravens vs. Patriots	16.2	14.5
11	Quinshon Judkins	Browns vs. Bills	14.4	11.8
12	Bucky Irving	Buccaneers at Panthers	14.1	11.9
13	Breece Hall	Jets at Saints	13.9	12.3
14	Travis Etienne	Jaguars at Broncos	13.6	11.7
14	TreVeyon Henderson	Patriots at Ravens	13.6	10.3
16	Emari Demercado	Cardinals vs. Falcons	13.5	9.8
17	Ashton Jeanty	Raiders at Texans	13.4	10.4
18	Jaylen Warren	Steelers at Lions	12.8	10.3
18	Javonte Williams	Cowboys vs. Chargers	12.8	10.9
20	Rico Dowdle	Panthers vs. Buccaneers	12.7	10.8
21	David Montgomery	Lions vs. Steelers	12.5	10.3
22	RJ Harvey	Broncos vs. Jaguars	12.4	9.8
23	Tyrone Tracy Jr.	Giants vs. Vikings	11.9	9.8
24	Kenneth Gainwell	Steelers at Lions	11.6	8
25	Aaron Jones	Vikings at Giants	11.4	9.4
26	D'Andre Swift	Bears vs. Packers	11.2	9.6
26	Kyren Williams	Rams at Seahawks	11.2	9.6
28	Kenneth Walker III	Seahawks vs. Rams	10.8	9.3
29	Omarion Hampton	Chargers at Cowboys	10.6	9.3
30	Tony Pollard	Titans vs. Chiefs	10.2	8.7
31	Kimani Vidal	Chargers at Cowboys	9.7	8.5
32	Devin Singletary	Giants vs. Vikings	9.5	8
33	Kareem Hunt	Chiefs at Titans	9.4	7.9
33	Michael Carter	Cardinals vs. Falcons	9.4	6.8
35	Jacory Croskey-Merritt	Commanders vs. Eagles	8.8	8.1
35	Kyle Monangai	Bears vs. Packers	8.8	7.6
35	Tyjae Spears	Titans vs. Chiefs	8.8	6.8
38	Chuba Hubbard	Panthers vs. Buccaneers	8.6	6.8
38	Jordan Mason	Vikings at Giants	8.6	7.8
40	Zach Charbonnet	Seahawks vs. Rams	8.1	7.4
41	Woody Marks	Texans vs. Raiders	7.8	6.6
42	Rhamondre Stevenson	Patriots at Ravens	7.7	6.1
43	Jeremy McNichols	Commanders vs. Eagles	7.1	5.7
44	Blake Corum	Rams at Seahawks	7	6.5
45	Emanuel Wilson	Packers at Bears	6.7	5.4
46	Rachaad White	Buccaneers at Panthers	6.2	5
47	Tyler Allgeier	Falcons at Cardinals	5.7	5.2
48	Isiah Pacheco	Chiefs at Titans	5.6	5
49	Nick Chubb	Texans vs. Raiders	5.5	4.9
50	Alvin Kamara	Saints vs. Jets	5.4	4.7
51	Devin Neal	Saints vs. Jets	4.8	4.6
52	Dare Ogunbowale	Texans vs. Raiders	4.6	4.1
52	Isaiah Davis	Jets at Saints	4.6	3.8
54	Samaje Perine	Bengals at Dolphins	4.3	3.2
54	Bhayshul Tuten	Jaguars at Broncos	4.3	3.5
56	Jaleel McLaughlin	Broncos vs. Jaguars	4.1	3.3
56	Brian Robinson Jr.	49ers at Colts	4.1	3.9
58	Ty Johnson	Bills at Browns	3.9	2.6
59	Jaylen Wright	Dolphins vs. Bengals	3.5	3.2
60	Keaton Mitchell	Ravens vs. Patriots	3.4	2.5