Last season, injuries to running back weren’t as severe, but we know that at one of football’s most physical positions, situations can change rapidly. Fantasy football managers who stay prepared and understand which running back will be the next to be touched will always have an advantage.

It’s also important to understand which backups have the potential to improve a team’s depth with their talent, which backups can fill in if injuries strike, and which backups will make the most difference on less attractive backup boards.

Here are my rankings of the top backup running backs heading into Week 4 based on their 2025 fantasy potential.

1. David Montgomery, Lions

David Montgomery, Running Back – Detroit Pistons – No. 5 Week 3 @ Baltimore Grizzlies

Montgomery may have played only about 38% of the Lions’ offensive snaps, but he continues to find ways to contribute to his fantasy team. He’s relegated to a marginally underperforming RB2 position, but if Jameel Gibbs misses, he could leapfrog into the RB1 role.

2. Zach Charbonnet, Seahawks
   Charbonnet played significantly more snaps than Kenneth Walker III in the first two games, but his touches were far less efficient than Walker’s. Now that Walker’s foot injury has healed further over the summer, he’s re-established himself as a starter. Although Charbonnet missed Week 3 due to injury, it hasn’t affected his ranking as one of the NFL’s best backups.
3. Trevion Henderson, Patriots
   This ranking is difficult to assign due to the incredible play of the Patriots’ backfield. In Week 2, Lamond Stevenson appeared to be firmly at the top of the depth chart with 142 scrimmage yards and five catches in a win over the Dolphins. What a difference a week can make. In Week 3, Stevenson dropped the ball repeatedly, and Antonio Gibson also had a touchdown on the ground. This makes Henderson the most reliable option for the upcoming games and could potentially position him for a future starter. For now, we’re keeping Henderson on the roster because he’s a talented, draft-rich backup who could become a team leader in the near future.
4. Bayishul Tutem, Jaguars

Tutem has become the second-best running back behind Travis Etienne-Junior. While his attempts and touches dipped slightly in Week 3, the rookie scored a touchdown for the second consecutive game. More importantly, he showed a strong impact in limited playing time. Etienne is performing well, so Tutem won’t immediately take over the running back position, but he could be a starting option at third back/as a free agent. He’s one step away from fantasy stardom.

5. RJ Harvey, Broncos
   The good news for Harvey is that third-stringer Tyler Buddy barely saw the field in Week 3. The bad news is that his playing time went to starter J.K. Dobbins, not Harvey. Currently, Harvey isn’t strong enough to threaten Dobbins’s spot on the bench. Given the veteran’s extensive injury history, it seems only a matter of time before Harvey becomes the Broncos’ starter.
6. Blake Collum, Rams

Collum has firmly established himself as the Rams’ backup, having edged out rookie JaQuise Hunt. Collum hasn’t met Sean McVay’s 65-35 rushing yardage share target over Kyren Williams, but he’s been productive, racking up 97 scrimmage yards and a touchdown in the past two games. He adds to the flex options and could potentially become a conference champion if Williams gets injured.

7. Tyler Allgeier, Falcons
   The days of Allgeier rushing for over 1,000 yards as a rookie seem a long time ago. The arrival of Bijan Robinson has since extinguished Allgeier’s fantasy value as a starter. However, Allgaier remains an overqualified backup who offers flex value and could be a contender for a top-20 fantasy running back if Robinson is sidelined for some reason.