As the 2025 season approaches, the connection between the quarterback and running back will play a massive role in shaping their team’s success. From veterans to rising stars, the league boasts some of the most dynamic QB-RB duos, all primed to make massive impacts on the field.
This list ranks the top 10 quarterback and running back combinations based on their 2024 performance and potential for the upcoming season.
Each duo brings a unique blend of talent and experience that could be the key to their team’s offensive success in 2025.
Top 10 QB-RB duos ahead of the 2025 NFL season
10. Joe Burrow/ Chase Brown
Joe Burrow is a perennial Pro-Bowler who will be ranked as a top quarterback for many years. Chase Brown stepped in as the starting running back mid-season in 2024 and had a surprisingly good year. Now in 2025, his role will increase mightily, making this duo much more potent and potentially better.
9. Brock Purdy/ Christian McCaffrey
If this list were for 2023, this duo would be in the top three. However, 2024 was a difficult year for the entire 49ers team, especially Christian McCaffrey. McCaffrey struggled with an Achilles injury all year long, an injury that hopefully will not impact his 2025 campaign.
8. C.J. Stroud/ Joe Mixon
Joe Mixon came out of the gates hot in 2024, but ended his campaign a little less impressively. Still, C.J. Stroud and Joe Mixon rank amongst the best duos in the NFL, with Stroud in many top 10 QB conversations and Mixon in top 10 conversations as well.
7. Jordan Love/ Josh Jacobs
Josh Jacobs was sixth in rushing yards in 2024, and he did this with Jordan Love dealing with injuries throughout the season. Now in 2025, if both can stay healthy and the improvements along the offensive line and receiving core pay dividends, this duo could be in for a big year.
6. Matthew Stafford/ Kyren Williams
Matthew Stafford has continued to defy the odds despite his older age. In recent years, Kyren Williams has developed to become a top back in the league. This duo, paired with a great offensive line and receiving core, will dominate in 2025 if healthy.
5. Baker Mayfield/ Bucky Irving
In 2024, Baker Mayfield had a career year. This great year paired nicely with a mid-season breakout from rookie Bucky Irving. Now in 2025, the duo has a full offseason of continuity and first-team reps together, and are expected to be even better this season.
4. Josh Allen/ James Cook
The league awarded Josh Allen with MVP honors in 2024, a testament to just how great a season he had. Cook does not rank amongst the elite tier running backs; however, he is for sure an upper-echelon running back in the league. The duo has great chemistry and should be in for another great year in 2025.
3. Jared Goff/ Jahmyr Gibbs
Whether it is David Montgomery or Jahmyr Gibbs, this ranking stands still. Goff has turned into a machine in Detroit, and he has the weapons to go toe-to-toe with any roster. Gibbs and Goff create for a duo that consistently dominates in both the rushing game and pass attack.
2. Jalen Hurts/ Saquon Barkley
When the Eagles signed Saquon Barkley, everyone knew that the league was screwed. And in 2024, we saw that come to fruition. Jalen Hurts has developed into an elite dual-threat quarterback, and with the dominance of Saquon, this offense is nearly impossible to stop.
1. Lamar Jackson/ Derrick Henry
Lamar Jackson, a multi-time MVP, and Derrick Henry, a former Offensive Player of the Year and five-time Pro Bowler, bring more than just an impressive trophy case. As the league witnessed in 2024, this pairing is electric on the field, and they enter 2025 as one of the favorites to capture a Super Bowl title.