2026 Fantasy Football Running Back Rankings: Post-NFL Draft

May 5, 2026

RotoBaller's updated 2026 fantasy football running back rankings for redraft leagues. These 2026 tiered RB rankings are for after the 2026 NFL Draft.

Having a stable of productive running backs is one of the easiest paths to fantasy football success in all formats, especially in redraft leagues. Following the 2026 NFL Draft, it's time to take a look at the newest pecking order of ball carriers entering next year's campaign. We're still several months away from the 2026 season, but it's never too early to take part in drafts or at least take an early look!

These post-NFL Draft 2026 fantasy football RB rankings are put together by Nick Mariano, a top-accuracy industry ranker and the lead forecaster here at RotoBaller. In the rankings set, see where key players like James Cook III, Omarion Hampton, Jeremiyah Love, Jadarian Price, Kenneth Walker II, and Chase Brown stand, among all others.

In addition to these rookie rankings, in our 2026 fantasy football rankings dashboard, you will also find our team's Dynasty League rankings and Rookie Rankings. Bookmark those pages, and use them to prepare for all of your 2026 fantasy football drafts.

2026 Fantasy Football Running Back Rankings

2026 Fantasy Football Running Back Outlooks

Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons

Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson has posted fantasy finishes of RB9, RB4, and RB3 through his first three seasons, and it's possible he's yet to reach his true ceiling. As a rookie under head coach Arthur Smith, Robinson ceded meaningful touches to a capable backup in Tyler Allgeier.

In years two and three, under the defensive-minded Raheem Morris, Robinson's usage spiked, particularly in the passing game, but Allgeier still averaged 153.5 touches. With Allgeier out the door in free agency, he's been replaced by Brian Robinson Jr., who handled only 92 carries in 2025 as the primary backup to Christian McCaffrey.

And with new head coach Kevin Stefanski coming from Cleveland, where Nick Chubb would routinely see 25 opportunities per game in his prime, things could be shaping up for the incumbent Robinson to take yet another leap on his superstar trajectory. At RotoBaller's dynasty RB1, he's nearly impossible to acquire via trade, but managers lucky enough to roster the 24-year-old Robinson should still enjoy several more seasons of league-winning production.

Chase Brown, Cincinnati Bengals

For the third time in his young career, Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown has to be listed among the dynasty offseason winners after the team added no competition through either free agency or the NFL Draft. A fifth-round pick in 2023, Brown earned the Bengals' RB1 spot by the start of his second season, and after back-to-back top 12 finishes, he is once more in line to handle a bellcow role on one of the league's most potent offenses.

Like many of his Bengals teammates, the third-year back struggled in the early stages of 2025, held back by shoddy quarterback play as Joe Burrow missed nine games with a Grade 3 turf toe injury, but by the end of the season, Brown was a legitimate fantasy league-winner. After failing to reach 50 rushing yards through any of his first six games, Brown paced as the RB6 over the final 12 weeks of the season, good enough for an overall RB8 finish.

Yet, with the constant perceived threats to his job security, he heads into his age-26 season as RotoBaller's dynasty RB13. While the price to acquire is by no means cheap, especially with his value back on the rise following another quiet Bengals draft, Brown could be the exact piece needed to push contending managers into title contention.

Javonte Williams, Dallas Cowboys

Dallas Cowboys running back Javonte Williams was one of the surprise success stories of the 2025 season, recording 1,338 yards from scrimmage and 13 touchdowns on 287 touches across 16 games. The Cowboys rewarded Williams this past offseason with a new three-year, $24 million contract. For the second straight year, Williams figures to play a workhorse role in the Dallas backfield.

Behind Williams, the unproven trio of Malik Davis, Jaydon Blue, and Phil Mafah currently projects as the next men up on the team's running back depth chart. While Williams' 2025 production seemingly came out of nowhere, it may simply have been a product of him finally getting back to full health after the devastating knee injury that he suffered in 2022. Williams' value in dynasty formats is on the rise as he enters his age-26 season.

Cam Skattebo, New York Giants

New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo doesn't face any additional competition following the NFL Draft. There had been some speculation that the Giants could be a landing spot for Jeremiyah Love or another top running back prospect, but that never came to fruition. It appears that New York remains satisfied with a backfield of Skattebo, Tyrone Tracy Jr., and Devin Singletary. Now, the big question is whether Skattebo will be able to establish himself as the lead back in this offense.

He looked like the future of the Giants' backfield in the first half of his rookie campaign last year, but a season-ending ankle injury changed the narrative. Tracy had a very strong second half of the season in his absence, and now, Skattebo will likely need to compete in camp to win the starting job over Tracy.

Even if that happens, both backs will be heavily involved, so Skattebo will need to capitalize on all the touches he gets. Fortunately, he's both a physical runner and a capable receiver, so he can earn snaps on any down. After averaging 16.0 fantasy points (PPR) per game when healthy last season, Skattebo now finds himself as the RB22 in RotoBaller's latest dynasty fantasy football rankings

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