Hey!
Running backs are going EARLY this fantasy season. It’s like it’s 2015 all over again.
You can’t afford to wait on the position anymore, you have to get at least 1 back early on in your drafts.
Here are the 10 best running backs for the 2026 fantasy season:
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#10 Omarion Hampton
Hampton only played 9 games in his rookie season, but when Najee Harris was out, Hampton dominated. In his 3 healthy lead-back games he hit 21.9, 25, and 16 fantasy points on 80% of the snaps.
Mike McDaniel arrives and is now in town, an RB1 maker 3 years running. And the Chargers OL gets Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater back…
#9 Kenneth Walker
He lands in Kansas City as the clear workhorse. His "down" year was still 1000+ rushing yards, and he turned into a workhorse in the playoffs on his way to a Super Bowl MVP.
The Chiefs have hinted they want to use Walker in a Christian McCaffrey type role…
#8 De'Von Achane
He’s one of the most explosive players in the NFL.
18.1 points per game last season with 1350 rushing yards (5th) and 12 TDs while ranking 1st in explosive plays.
But his situation changed: no more Tua checkdowns, no more Mike McDaniel, and he now has a mobile QB in Malik Willis who should steal goal-line carries…
#7 Chase Brown
He was an RB1 last year and a healthy Burrow only raises his ceiling.
With Burrow and Flacco from Week 6 on, Brown averaged 17.3 points per game and was a PPR monster. No new RB competition was added heading into 2026…
#6 Saquon Barkley
Saquon was the RB1 in fantasy just 1 year ago, 2025 was a down year but it was largely a scheme problem, not a Saquon problem.
Sean Mannion is now the new OC, and reports say Saquon is far more involved in the passing game again, that would unlock a different level of upside for him…
#5 James Cook
Cook led the entire NFL in rushing yards last season with 1621 rushing yards and 14 TDs (5th). He ran through stacked boxes for 4.9 yards per carry.
No RBs were added this offseason and Buffalo should remain a ground-and-pound offense…
#4 Jonathan Taylor
JT carried the ball more than anyone and led the NFL in total TDs.
Through Week 13 with Daniel Jones healthy, he led the league at 23.3 points per game and his receiving game usage hit career highs. Expect similar in 2026…
#3 Christian McCaffrey
CMC just put up one of the best seasons of his career with over 2000 total yards.
He was the RB1 on 21.5 points per game with 129 targets (1st), 95 red zone touches (1st), and 17 total TDs.
The body is the only risk, but when healthy he averages 21.7 points per game…
#2 Bijan Robinson
One of the biggest workhorses in football is entering his prime at 24. He was the RB3 last season with a 79.1% snap share (4th) and 103 targets (2nd at RB).
Tyler Allgeier out-touched him at the goal line last year but he’s now gone. Bijan is a stud ready for a huge 2026…
#1 Jahmyr Gibbs
Gibbs just finished as the RB3, and with David Montgomery gone, he's my pick for the overall RB1.
In games without Monty across 2023 and 2024, he averaged 28.3 points per game. Absurd production.
Dan Campbell is already calling him a workhorse, don’t overthink this one…
— Sal
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