When it comes to running backs in fantasy football, there are the top guys, and then there's everybody else.
Atlanta Falcons back Bijan Robinson, Jahmyr Gibbs of the Detroit Lions and the San Francisco 49ers' Christian McCaffrey are simultaneously the top three ranked running backs and the top three overall consensus players in fantasy football this year. Not far behind them in overall rankings is Indianapolis Colts star Jonathan Taylor – he rounds out the top four in most running back rankings as well.
Behind the obvious top four heading into 2026, the rankings lose some clarity. How do some of the other talented – but not quite elite – fantasy producers stack up?
USA TODAY Sports has ranked the top 40 running back options in order for fantasy
football draft help. Here's how they stack up:
Running back fantasy rankings
1. Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons
The only reasons a player would/could pass on Robinson with the first pick in a redraft fantasy league are either a) they like Gibbs better or b) they confuse him for teammate and fellow RB Brian Robinson Jr. Bijan Robinson just had his second straight season with more than 1,400 rushing yards and led the NFL with 2,298 scrimmage yards. He's scored 26 touchdowns over the last two seasons combined. In 2026, he'll help lead an offense constructed by new head coach Kevin Stefanski.
2. Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions
Provided Robinson goes first, Gibbs should go second. While the Lions' offense generally struggled in the first season without former OC Ben Johnson, their lead running back did not have issues. Gibbs had 1,839 yards from scrimmage last year and scored 18 total touchdowns to earn his third straight Pro Bowl nod. With David Montgomery gone to Houston, Gibbs has less competition for touches and touchdowns – all due respect to Isiah Pacheco, who will miss at least four games with a back injury that landed him on IR.
3. Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers
McCaffrey led the 49ers in rushing yards last year. Obviously. Perhaps less obviously, he also led the 49ers in receiving yards. San Francisco's star back has always been a top-tier running back in terms of fantasy potential thanks to his outstanding dual-threat capabilities. The question each year is whether McCaffrey reaches that potential ceiling. Injuries have plagued him throughout his career, and now he's entering his age-30 season – historically a falling-off point for most NFL running backs' production. McCaffrey proved last year that he's still got "it" when he's on – it's just a matter of staying healthy.
4. Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts
Taylor balled out for a second straight year in 2025. After the 2024 season saw him cross the 1,500 scrimmage yard threshold for just the second time in his career, the 2025 season ended with Taylor leading the NFL in rushing (18) and overall touchdowns (20). He also reached 1,963 scrimmage yards last year, third-most in the NFL behind Robinson and McCaffrey. Like McCaffrey, if Taylor stays healthy, the sky's the limit for his fantasy output. That could be a challenge for Taylor after leading the NFL in rush attempts in 2026 (323) a year after tallying 303 carries in 14 games.
5. James Cook, Buffalo Bills
One year after leading the NFL in rushing touchdowns (16 in 2024), Cook led the NFL in rushing yards (1,621 last year). That gives him the edge over the rest of the running backs in contention for a top-five spot on this list. More good news for Cook is that the Bills kept former offensive coordinator Joe Brady around by hiring him to replace former head coach Sean McDermott. As with Taylor, Cook's primary concern in 2026 is his usage from a year prior. The Bills' lead back tallied 309 carries in 2025 – by far the most of his career. Without much backfield competition for touches, the heightened workload for Cook could lead to injury troubles.
6. Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles
After a nearly record-breaking year in 2024, Barkley's production dipped in 2025. And in a "down year" for the Eagles' running back, he tallied 1,140 rushing yards (plus 273 receiving yards) and nine total touchdowns. There's hope that Philadelphia's new offensive coordinator, Sean Mannion, will find a way to get Barkley back to the peak of his powers in Year 3 with the Eagles.
7. Ashton Jeanty, Las Vegas Raiders
Jeanty's first year in the NFL may have looked like a fantasy disappointment at first glance, but the Raiders' then-rookie still ranked in the top-20 range of weekly scoring average by the end of the year. That was with a subpar offensive line and downright bad quarterback play. In 2026, Jeanty will get blocking up front from the top free agent center and play in an offense that should be more multi-dimensional, thanks to better quarterback play. Jeanty will also play in a system built by offensive guru head coach Klint Kubiak, who is fresh off a Super Bowl win. The former No. 6 overall pick's ankle injury drops him down a couple of spots on the list, but Jeanty seems to be readying for a return by Week 1 and has a high ceiling going into 2026.
8. Omarion Hampton, Los Angeles Chargers
In nine games (six starts) as a rookie, Hampton averaged 4.4 yards per carry while holding a pace of nearly 1,500 scrimmage yards – and over 1,000 rushing yards. His ankle injury limited him to about half of a season and a diminished snap count upon his return. If Hampton manages to stay healthy this year and matches his pace from last year, he'd be a solid RB1 option in fantasy football. New Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel could further elevate that ceiling a year after he helped De'Von Achane put together a career year in Miami.
9. Chase Brown, Cincinnati Bengals
Brown had a very solid outing in 2024 but really broke out in 2025. The Bengals' lead back put up his first 1,000-yard rushing season in his third year and set new career highs in receptions (69), receiving yards (437) and receiving touchdowns (5). He finished eighth among running backs in yards from scrimmage and tied Bijan Robinson for 15th overall in total touchdown count. Thanks to the Bengals' outstanding passing game, the workload hasn't been too heavy for the young running back either, which has largely kept him healthy so far in his career.
10. De'Von Achane, Miami Dolphins
Achane's aforementioned 2025 season was outstanding. In his third season, the Dolphins' lead running back led the NFL with 5.7 yards per carry by tallying 1,350 yards on 238 attempts, both career highs. He also caught 67 passes for 488 yards and totaled 12 touchdowns in the air and on the ground, helping him finish fifth in average fantasy points per game among RBs. So why not top-five billing this year? Miami hit a full reset, parting ways with its GM and firing its head coach early in the offseason. New GM Jon-Eric Sullivan stripped down the Dolphins' roster, and now Achane remains one of the only skill-player holdovers from the old regime. Will he succeed to the same level as he did in 2025 within a new offense and as one of the Dolphins' only offensive weapons? It's not likely, but the potential he showed off last year still earns him a top-10 spot.
11. Kenneth Walker, Kansas City Chiefs
The reigning Super Bowl MVP has joined a team looking to re-prioritize its running game in 2026. Walker's 2025 season was his first time playing in all 17 games and his first 1,000-yard effort since his rookie year. With no backfield partner like Zach Charbonnet to poach touches, Walker's first year with the Chiefs has a chance to be his best yet in fantasy.
12. Derrick Henry, Baltimore Ravens
Henry was 30 when he signed his two-year, $16 million deal with the Ravens in free agency in 2024. Two years (and another two-year extension) later, and it's clear Henry's still got it. The 10-year veteran has scored 16 rushing touchdowns and recorded over 1,500 rushing yards in back-to-back seasons. The biggest concern for "King Henry" is how long he can keep this up. He's entering his age-32 season off of two straight seasons with more than 300 carries, which tends to be a strong indicator of impending injury or veteran running back regression. But Henry has long proven he is a one-of-one type back as a 6-foot-3, 252-pound tackle-shedding machine.
13. Jeremiyah Love, Arizona Cardinals
Love was the first running back off the board in the 2026 NFL Draft at No. 3 overall. The Cardinals clearly have big plans for their rookie; the main question is when he'll debut. Love is dealing with an ankle injury that could keep him out of Week 1, though NFL Media's Mike Garafolo reported he's "50/50" to make it back in time. The rookie out of Notre Dame appears to be a special kind of player through a limited NFL sample size – he put up 58 yards on 11 carries prior to his injury in his pro debut.
14. Kyren Williams, Los Angeles Rams
Williams' 2025 season was his third straight with more than 1,300 scrimmage yards and at least a dozen touchdowns. The Rams were the fourth-best team by rushing EPA and the best by rushing success rate in 2025 as head coach Sean McVay started deploying three-tight end sets to great effect. The main thing to watch with Williams is the rising competition for touches. The fourth-year back recorded more than 100 fewer snaps in 2025 than he had one year prior, despite playing in one fewer game. The reason? Fellow Rams running back Blake Corum saw a leap in snaps and touches in 2025 after a quieter rookie year in 2024.
15. Breece Hall, New York Jets
Hall crested the 1,000-rushing-yard mark for the first time in his career last year – his fourth season in the NFL. The Jets showed their commitment to the running back by signing him to a lucrative three-year extension in the offseason. Can new offensive coordinator Frank Reich boost Hall's production even further?
16. Javonte Williams, Dallas Cowboys
Williams was a top-12 running back in average fantasy points last year in all scoring formats – standard, half-PPR and PPR. His first year with Cowboys head coach/offensive play-caller Brian Schottenheimer was also his first with more than 1,000 rushing yards and double-digit touchdowns (Williams had 11 in 2025). Last year served as a re-breakout season for Williams three years after a brutal knee injury, and it sets high expectations for the Cowboys' running back after he earned himself a three-year extension.
17. Cam Skattebo, New York Giants
As a rookie, Skattebo ranked in the top 10 of running backs in average fantasy points per game across all scoring formats. The main issue was that the Giants' running back only played in eight games in 2025 before a bad ankle injury ended his season early. Coming off the injury and in a backfield he shares with Tyrone Tracy Jr. and Devin Singletary, it's unclear what Skattebo's production could look like in 2026. For now, he profiles as a mid-tier RB2.
18. Travis Etienne Jr., New Orleans Saints
Etienne hit the ground running within Jaguars head coach Liam Coen's offense and put together one of the best seasons of his career in 2025. Then Jacksonville let him walk in free agency. Now, Etienne is the heir apparent to veteran star Alvin Kamara in New Orleans. Kamara's production plummeted in his age-30 season in 2025, and he missed the final six games with an MCL sprain. With Kamara sustaining another sprained MCL in training camp, Etienne has a chance to seize hold of the starting job early in Year 1 within head coach Kellen Moore's offense.
19. D'Andre Swift, Chicago Bears
Swift's first year back with Bears head coach – and his former Lions OC – Ben Johnson was a massive success. The Bears' new lead back had the best year of his career with 1,087 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns. In fantasy terms, Swift finished the year as a top-14 running back – borderline RB1 status – in average points per game among backs with at least 10 games played. With more familiarity in Year 2 of Johnson's Bears offense for both Swift and Chicago's offensive line, the seventh-year back has a chance to push himself into true RB1 status in 2026.
20. David Montgomery, Houston Texans
As the "Knuckles" to Gibbs' "Sonic" in Detroit's backfield for the last three years, Montgomery was an excellent fantasy producer despite the shared touches. In addition to averaging more than four yards per carry each year with the Lions, Montgomery also caught a couple dozen passes every season to keep his scrimmage yard total above 900 for three straight years. The former Lions back also scored plenty of touchdowns in Detroit – 33 across three seasons. Montgomery projects as Houston's new lead back in 2026, but questions remain about how much the Texans will use second-year Woody Marks and how well the offensive line will hold up.
21. Quinshon Judkins, Cleveland Browns
Judkins is the lead running back on a team that has a lot of uncertainty at its quarterback position. Expect the Browns to lean more heavily on Judkins and their run game in 2026.
22. TreVeyon Henderson, New England Patriots
Henderson tallied more yards per game, more yards per attempt and more touchdowns than fellow RB Rhamondre Stevenson as a rookie. But he still took fewer snaps than Stevenson despite playing in three more games. Perhaps 2026 is the year Pats OC Josh McDaniels hands the keys to Henderson and unleashes him upon the NFL.
23. Bucky Irving, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Irving missed seven games in 2025 after a breakout rookie season in 2024. But he also averaged fewer yards per carry when healthy than he had under former Bucs OC Liam Coen. In 2026, Rachaad White is gone to Washington, leaving Irving in sole control of Tampa Bay's backfield. Time will tell if new OC Zac Robinson can get Irving back to the form he had in a 1,122-yard, eight-touchdown rookie year.
24. Bhayshul Tuten, Jacksonville Jaguars
Tuten's 2025 rookie season was not especially compelling, with zero starts in 15 games, 307 rushing yards and seven total touchdowns. But the Virginia Tech product who once ran a 4.32-second 40-yard dash at the NFL combine is now the projected lead back in head coach Liam Coen's offense. A breakout could be coming for Tuten in Year 2.
25. Jadarian Price, Seattle Seahawks
Price joined former Notre Dame teammate Jeremiyah Love as the one other running back to come off of the board in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. The rookie will slide into a starting role in new Seahawks OC Brian Fleury's offense after Kenneth Walker's departure and while Zach Charbonnet works his way back from the ACL tear he suffered in the playoffs.
26. Jaylen Warren, Pittsburgh Steelers
In his first season not splitting carries with Najee Harris, Warren's production got the boost many expected. He set career highs in rushing yards (958), scrimmage yards (1,291) and total touchdowns (8). The only concern now is that he's facing another shared-carry situation after Pittsburgh signed Rico Dowdle, who played under new Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy in Dallas.
27. Tony Pollard, Tennessee Titans
Pollard's second year in Tennessee last year was also his fourth straight year with more than 1,000 rushing yards. But in the three years since his Pro Bowl season that featured 12 touchdowns, he's never reached the same heights of scoring. Pollard's reception and receiving yards totals also dipped in 2025 – his first year with quarterback Cam Ward.
28. Chuba Hubbard, Carolina Panthers
Hubbard lost his lead back role to Dowdle in 2025 after a calf injury and put up some of the worst numbers of his career as a result. Despite speculation he might lose that gig to Jonathon Brooks in 2026 due to a training camp hamstring injury, head coach Dave Canales said Hubbard is nearing a return. Meanwhile, Brooks had to work out on the side of practice on Tuesday, Sept. 1 with an apparent ailment of his own.
29. Rhamondre Stevenson, New England Patriots
A toe injury Stevenson suffered last year cost him a few games. It also lost him a small share of carries when he returned, as then-rookie TreVeyon Henderson came into his own. Stevenson should still have a significant role in New England's offense in 2026, as he out-snapped Henderson 533-501 despite his missed time. Stevenson also averaged more yards per reception than Henderson last year, suggesting some upside as a receiving back in the Pats' offense – and in PPR scoring formats.
30. Rico Dowdle, Pittsburgh Steelers
Dowdle has recorded two straight 1,000-yard seasons with two different teams across his last couple of years. He'll try to make it three in a row with three teams as he competes with the incumbent Warren for touches. Dowdle has the advantage of familiarity with the head coach and his offense, having played under McCarthy during their time together in Dallas.
31. Blake Corum, Los Angeles Rams
Will Corum continue to encroach on Williams' share of touches in 2026? After head coach Sean McVay made the run game a priority in 2025, Corum's role could continue to grow this year, helping keep Williams fresh.
32. Kyle Monangai, Chicago Bears
Monangai may not start the season healthy after his knee injury sustained in August, but his encouraging performance as a rookie – 947 scrimmage yards, 4.6 yards per carry and five touchdowns – makes him an enticing depth add in fantasy.
33. J.K. Dobbins, Denver Broncos
Before Dobbins' first season with the Broncos ended early because of a Lisfranc injury, he was averaging five yards a carry. He proved his strong 2024 with Los Angeles was no fluke, but concerns about his injury troubles remain. Dobbins still remains an interesting flex option in Denver's offense, which will now be called by OC Davis Webb instead of HC Sean Payton.
34. RJ Harvey, Denver Broncos
Much of Harvey's rookie fantasy production in 2025 came from his 12 touchdowns. His 3.7 yards per carry and 4.6 yards per touch were both worse rates than Dobbins last year, which makes Harvey the slightly riskier play for fantasy output. But given Dobbins' injury concerns and Harvey's scoring aptitude, the latter could be a valuable flex piece all season.
35. Jonathon Brooks, Carolina Panthers
The Panthers' 2024 second-round pick was projected to be Carolina's long-term answer at running back. Instead, Brooks missed most of 2024 while recovering from a torn ACL he suffered in college, only to tear it again in Week 14 and miss all of 2025. Brooks was not a full participant in Panthers practice on Sept. 1. If he returns to full health soon and manages to stay healthy, he'll have another chance to take Hubbard's lead back job after Hubbard lost it to Dowdle last year.
36. Rachaad White, Washington Commanders
After an excellent 2023, White struggled over the last two seasons while splitting snaps and touches with Bucky Irving. Now, White is in Washington with a chance to be the Commanders' lead back. White's pass-catching upside (205 catches for 1,450 receiving yards and 11 caught touchdowns in his career) makes him especially intriguing in PPR-scoring leagues.
37. Aaron Jones, Minnesota Vikings
Jones is entering his age-32 season and 10th year in the NFL, and time seems to be catching up to the Vikings' veteran running back. He's averaged the fewest yards per carry of his career over the last two years (still a strong 4.5 and 4.2), and his rushing success rate in 2024 (49.8%) and 2025 (50%) also marked two of the worst three seasons of his career. Jones has also played in all 17 games twice in the last four years, with hamstring injuries knocking him out for handfuls of games in 2023 and 2025. There's still some juice left in the tank, but Jones can't be relied on as a true fantasy RB1/2 anymore.
38. Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Washington Commanders
Croskey-Merritt was a pleasant surprise for Washington as a rookie last year. With Austin Ekeler tearing his Achilles and Chris Rodriguez failing to hold onto the starting role, "Bill" Croskey-Merritt – a seventh-round pick – emerged as an unlikely hero in the run game. He finished with 805 yards and eight touchdowns while leading the NFL in rushing success rate (53.7%). His biggest concerns: fumbles (4), lack of receiving output (nine catches on 13 targets) and share of touches as he splits time with White.
39. Jordan Mason, Minnesota Vikings
In 2025, Mason led Vikings RBs in carries (159), rushing yards (758), yards per carry (4.8), 20+ yard rushes (four) and touchdowns (six). The only problems are that 1) those output numbers (yards, TDs) aren't great for fantasy purposes and 2) with Jones back healthy, Mason's touches might diminish.
40. Josh Jacobs, Green Bay Packers
Jacobs could be a top-15 running back in fantasy given his talent and history of producing. But will he play this year? If so, when? After Jacobs was placed on the commissioner's exempt list on Aug. 30, he's ineligible to practice or play in games indefinitely. The Packers running back faces two misdemeanor charges – battery and criminal damage to property – and whether he'll face discipline from the league is still unknown.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ranking fantasy football running backs 1-40 ahead of 2026
