Now that the 2025-26 NFL season is wrapped up, it’s funny to note where the hype was around the RB dynasty a year ago.
Plenty of experts and fantasy savants were talking about how excited they were for young guys like Ashton Jeanty and Jacory Croskey-Merritt. As it turned out, most of those rookies failed to make a big splash, the old guard continued to ball out (Jonathan Taylor, Derrick Henry e.g.), and a mid-tier running back won Super Bowl MVP (Kenneth Walker III). This might be a tough pill to swallow from a dynasty perspective, because guys like Bijan Robinson and Jonathan Taylor are already owned.
Therefore, anyone looking for a leg up in their league will have to look at the leftover backs and figure out who is going to have comeback years in 2026.
Tier 1: Elite RB Dynasty Anchors
Perhaps the biggest takeaway just from the entire season for running backs is that age didn’t matter at all. Derrick Henry, in particular, had to deal with doubters claiming that he would fall off at 32 years old. He responded to these haters by rushing for 1,595 yards on the season, second in the league.
Jonathan Taylor also padded his stats on a tremendous career with some bonkers single-game performances like his 244-yard game against Atlanta. Bijan Robinson isn’t that old yet, but he earned the crown for RB 1 with an astonishing year himself. These are definitely going to be the hold candidates in plenty of leagues, since all of them have at least a couple more years of guaranteed production, and they will continue to light up scoreboards.
Tier 2. Near-Elite/Ascending Stars
There were plenty of running backs last season that didn’t win every week, but at least could earn a ton of points if put in the right situation. Take a look at the Super Bowl MVP: Kenneth Walker III wasn’t taken in most drafts until about the fourth or fifth round. Once fellow back Zach Charbonnet went down to injury, though, he seemed unstoppable in the playoffs.
De’Von Achane would also fit this category since he was one of the better AFC running backs, held back by being on a poor team. In terms of specifically ascending stars, it might be too early to give up on Breece Hall. He was on a team with no playoff aspirations whatsoever and still managed to get over 1,000 yards rushing. Pro tip for anyone in a league where someone dropped Hall: pick him up as soon as possible.
Tier 3: Solid 1’s with questions
This is probably the tier where most dynasty players had their running backs fall into. Ask anyone who picked up Rico Dowdle, who had some of the biggest games for a running back in a season, only to split snaps with Chuba Hubbard later on. The Carolina running back situation is interesting in general because they probably want to keep both of their guys. Fantasy players would expect them to be great number one options on other teams, though.
Another running back with a big question mark next to him is Josh Jacobs. At 27, he should be going into the prime of his career. Jacobs failed to get over the 1,000-yard mark this year, however. D’Andre Swift did get over 1,000 yards on the season, but he will be tough to start next year with a talented Kyle Monangai right behind him. These are all players that owners are going to think about long and hard before they decide to hold.
Tier 4: 2’s with Upside
Plenty of rookies would fall into this category. Almost none of the first-year running backs made a splash in the regular season, but all of them could make a surprise next year. The poster child for this tier would be Ashton Jeanty, who was taken in the first round of many a fantasy football draft only to lag behind in production. The Raiders coaching staff is hoping that moving on from Chip Kelly will lead to some more opportunities for their young running back.
Cam Skattebo would have had a tremendous season if injury hadn’t cut it short. Sadly, he will still risk himself as a goal-line back, but if he can keep healthy, he could have a great second year. Quinshon Judkins had quietly broken through as a solid option, but his team rarely put him in a positive game script.
Tier 5: Depth, Streamers, and Stashes
This could be the most important tier because a key stash or stream can save a losing season. One running back to look out for in this category is Woody Marks of the Houston Texans. They should be going back to Joe Mixon once he is healthy, but Marks might continue to get work next season.
Omarion Hampton still deserves a shot, since he was at least able to pull off a 100-yard game before he fell to injury. Although the Broncos will be happy to get J.K Dobbins back, they will still be using RJ Harvey, who is another guy who can fill in for a week or even start long-term if Dobbins gets injured again.
Rookie and Prospect Watch
One guy every fantasy football player should have on their mind is Jeremiyah Love. It’s been a while since a running back with that mix of power and speed came out of Notre Dame. Demond Claiborne, with his shiftiness, could be the first big running back out of Wake Forest in a while. Jonah Coleman from Washington is another guy who mixes power with speed, being avery difficult for secondary defenders to bring down.
Buy/Sell/Hold Recommendations
It’s going to be a good season for a buyer since plenty of running backs failed to live up to expectations in the previous season. Hall, Jaylen Warren, Aaron Jones, and James Conner all performed less than average for a multitude of reasons. These guys might be being dropped in lots of leagues, but they are certainly worth picking up if available. It may be a good idea to sell off some of the running backs who are in committees.
This might be tough for Rico Dowdle fans who are hoping he gets another 200-yard game, but there is no way to guarantee his production in the future. One guy who should be held no matter what is Saquon Barkley. Much has been made of how his season didn’t compare with his past performances, but the Eagles are getting two new offensive coordinators. Rest assured, one of their big objectives will be finding ways to get Saquon the ball in open space.
Strategy Implications and Beyond
While receivers can certainly put numbers up in a hurry, running backs are still a vital position in fantasy football. The tough part about this position is that for dynasty, all the elite options (Robinson, Henry, etc.) are being held. Players should try to look for who is going to be consistent next season, because the players available won’t be worth 20 points each week.
Running back isn’t a position anyone should stream, but having backup plans in case one’s primary option goes down is a must. Whoever is going to be successful at picking running backs in 2026 might also depend on who is willing to restore faith in the right players.
