It's a two-man race to be the top pick in fantasy football drafts in 2026. That also means it's a two-man race to be this preseason's top running back.
Jahmyr Gibbs and Bijan Robinson have both broken away from their NFL cohort -- both in terms of production and paychecks. The former first round picks each signed record-setting contract extensions, with Robinson emerging as the game's highest-paid tailback of all time before being usurped by Gibbs days later. But their respective teams' trust in them isn't limited to big salary cap hits; both the Atlanta Falcons and Detroit Lions let trusted platoon-mates leave in the offseason, handing unquestioned RB1 duties to their young stars.
So which is RB1 across the entire league? Hoooo buddy, tough call.
We've got a consensus on 1a. 1b was pretty obvious as well. After that? Well, it's at least a little bit of mayham. Let's break it down.
Christian: Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons
The race comes down to the pair of backs who earned real-life first round status in 2023, then reset the running back market in 2026. Both Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs shined in 2025. Both lost high profile platoon mates (Tyler Allgeier and David Montgomery, respectively) while replacing them with less effective runners (Brian Robinson and Isiah Pacheco). Each is primed for a massive fantasy season.
Thus, it’s a great time to have the second pick in your fantasy drafts and a slightly stressful one if you’re at No. 1.
I play in PPR leagues, which tilts the scale in the Atlanta star’s favor. 2025 saw him break out; 103 targets, 79 catches, 820 yards and a 56.3 percent success rate when targeted. Those are all career highs, but the most important one may be the final one. That 56 percent was how often he gained at least 40 percent of yards required on first down, 60 percent on second down, and 100 percent on third or fourth down.
Those are the plays that make his quarterbacks lives easier. In 2026, those quarterbacks are Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa, both of whom are in dire need of an easy button.
Drake London and Kyle Pitts will pull some offensive focus, but the depth chart behind them is barren. More importantly, Allgeier’s departure means more touches near the goal line. Last season, Robinson had 35 red zone carries to Allgeier’s 32 despite finishing the season with more than twice as many handoffs as his understudy as a whole. Robinson wasn’t as effective in a compressed field –his -0.35 expected points added (EPA) per carry were significantly worse than Allgeier’s -0.05. Thus, Allgeier tallied seven touchdowns from inside the red zone compared to Robinson’s five.
In 2026? He’ll be backed by the other B. Robinson, who had only 13 red zone carries to Christian McCaffrey’s 73 last year. More opportunities will abound.
While you can make a similar argument about Gibbs, he had 20 more red zone handoffs than Montgomery last season, which means swapping in Pacheco should have a modest effect on his touchdown numbers. The Lions do boast a key advantage – they get to the red zone way more often because their offense runs smoothly compared to a Falcons team perpetually at risk of driving into a ditch – but Robinson should shore up the one weakness in his fantasy game.
Otherwise, Robinson is just the more effective player from a fake football standpoint. He averages more yards per carry, rushes per game and yards after contact. He has a higher target share (20 percent to 17). He gets stuffed in the backfield less often. Both these guys should be great in 2026. Robinson might just be a little better.
Yaj: Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons
Full disclosure, I have drafted Bijan Robinson in the past three fantasy seasons with picks No. 7, 3 and 1 (last season). He’s my favorite running back in the NFL hands down, both in terms of potential role and skillset.
If I had the first pick, (I have the 10th so no chance) I would undoubtedly be selecting Mr. Robinson again. Christian did a wonderful job pointing out the reasons to draft him over Jahmyr Gibbs, so I won’t take up much of your time on this one.
I do take pause with his workload last year (dangerously close to that dreaded 400 touch threshold the experts warn you about). Even so, anyone with a pair of functioning eyes can clearly see that Bijan is in a class of his own. He could have a prime McCaffrey-type season with his increased role in the offense. Don’t overthink this one.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Who's the top fantasy football RB: Bijan Robinson or Jahmyr Gibbs? The definitive answer
