4 Bell Cow Fantasy Football Running Backs: Top One-Man Backfields to Target in Drafts (2026)

June 12, 2026

Adam identifies four bell cow fantasy football running backs in one-man RB committees to target and draft in 2026. Draft these RBs: Travis Etienne Jr., David Montgomery, Bhayshul Tuten, Rachaad White.

This article is back for the third year in a row. Alvin Kamara and Javonte Williams were hits in the 2025 edition, while Joe Mixon and James Conner were not so much (but that was mostly due to injury).

As always, with many of my articles, I won't highlight the obvious players who fit the description. We've heard about Jahmyr Gibbs in a workhorse role sans David Montgomery. The Chiefs paid Kenneth Walker III to be the guy. Definitely draft those guys in 2026.

Instead, we'll take a look at four bell-cow running backs going outside the top 14 at the position this season. These guys are set to take on a workhorse role in 2026, and as such, should be priority draft targets in fantasy football.

Travis Etienne Jr., New Orleans Saints

Underdog ADP - 29.4 (RB15)

Quickly after the free-agency period started, the Saints signed Etienne to a four-year, $52 million deal. His $28 million guaranteed is more than the Dolphins gave De'Von Achane.

That came after an underwhelming season from Kamara and the rest of the running back room (Devin Neal, Kendre Miller, Audric Estime, Evan Hull).

As a team, the Saints finished second to last in yards per rush attempt (3.7), ahead of only the lowly Raiders. Only 30.1% of their total yards came on the ground.

Enter Etienne, who's coming off a really good year in Jacksonville. And the best part about this landing spot? Head coach Kellen Moore has a long track record of heavily leaning on one running back.

From 2018 to 2021, it was Ezekiel Elliott. In 2023, with the Chargers, it was Austin Ekeler. Then, in 2024 with the Eagles, it was Saquon Barkley. Last season, it was Kamara. In 2026, it'll be Etienne.

Here's Moore quite literally explaining all the reasons why his new feature back will get a lot of playing time this season.

"Explosiveness and I think his ability to play every down in football."

Saints Head Coach Kellen Moore tells @TheKostos what he expects Travis Etienne to bring to New Orleans' offense this season. pic.twitter.com/RDVHHzbgJl

— You Better You Bet (@YouBetterYouBet) June 4, 2026

Despite Kamara's struggles last season, he still touched the ball nearly 16 times per game on a 65% snap share. And he still had a route participation rate north of 50%.

The Saints didn't really have much else behind Kamara, but that's exactly why they went out and prioritized Etienne this offseason. To become Moore's next bell-cow back.

The Saints are both an underrated and ascending offense. Tyler Shough showed flashes as a rookie, and the team spent the eighth overall pick on Jordyn Tyson.

Before the bye week last season, the Saints had a 2-8 record and averaged just 15.5 points per game. After the bye, they went 4-3 and scored 21.2 points per game.

If you're looking for a surefire bell-cow back on an ascending offense outside of the first couple of rounds in 2026, Etienne is your guy.

David Montgomery, Houston Texans

Underdog ADP - 49.8 (RB21)

Like Moore, here's another head coach who loves to use one running back as much as possible. DeMeco Ryans enters his fourth season as head coach of the Houston Texans. In each one of his first three seasons, he's given one back as much work as they can handle.

In 2023, it was Devin Singletary for the second half of the season. He averaged 18.9 opportunities per game after the team's bye week. In 2024, it was Mixon with the fifth-highest opportunity share among running backs (77.7%).

Then last season, fourth-rounder Woody Marks was thrust into a feature role with Mixon disappearing and Nick Chubb getting hurt. Marks wasn't very successful despite the hefty workload. Per Fantasy Points Data, he ranked dead last in missed tackles forced per attempt (0.06) and yards per carry on zone runs (3.18) among backs with at least 100 rush attempts.

And PFF agreed, as Marks was graded as the eighth-worst rusher in the league last season (68.9). That led the Texans to prioritize Montgomery in free agency. They didn't give the 29-year-old as much as the Saints gave Etienne (and rightfully so), but they still handed him $10 million guaranteed.

And to back that up, here's NFL Network's Cameron Wolfe reporting that the Texans intend to use Montgomery as a three-down back.

My NFL players spin on Love Island bombshells entering the villa:

Nuggets on 3 players making their arrivals on new teams set to bring plenty spice & shake up the villa (or the AFC).

- #Ravens EDGE Trey Hendrickson
- #Texans RB David Montgomery
- #Broncos WR Jaylen Waddle pic.twitter.com/GwNNWluKXS

— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) June 9, 2026

That includes the passing game, which is notable considering that it was one of Marks' strengths coming out of college. It's been a few years since Montgomery was a feature back, but we have Gibbs to thank for that.

The seven-year vet can still get it done at a high level in all facets of the game, and the Texans seem prepared to deploy him as such in 2026.

Bhayshul Tuten, Jacksonville Jaguars

Underdog ADP - 58.7 (RB25)

The Jaguars let Etienne walk in free agency and only replaced him with career backup Chris Rodriguez Jr. Rodriguez has shown an ability to get upfield and pick up some tough yards with the Commanders, but unlike Etienne and Tuten, he's a one-dimensional back.

He has graded well as a runner, but not so much as a pass-catcher or pass-blocker. In fact, Rodriguez has caught just six balls on seven targets in his three-year career compared to 198 rush attempts. Tuten, meanwhile, showed flashes as a rookie as a runner, receiver, and pass protector.

Highest success rates by a rookie RB since 2021

[on 75+ carries]

1. Bhayshul Tuten - 59.8%
2. Rhamondre Stevenson - 57.4%
3. Isiah Pacheco - 55.6%
4. Bucky Irving - 55.4%
5. Jaleel McLaughlin - 53.9%
6. Jacory Croskey-Merritt - 53.7%
7. Jaylen Warren - 53.2%@FantasyPtsData

— Ryan Heath (@RyanJ_Heath) May 20, 2026

A lot of those passing-down snaps will go to LeQuint Allen Jr., who was graded as the best pass-blocker in the league as a rookie last season. But don't let that dissuade you from drafting Tuten. He's been getting rave reviews during OTAs and minicamp with Rodriguez sidelined after a foot procedure earlier in the offseason.

5 Observations on Jaguars Minicamp Day 1: Bhayshul Tuten Continues to Shine https://t.co/LNaIDazzAz

— John Shipley (@_John_Shipley) June 9, 2026

The Jags expect to get Rodriguez back for training camp in July, but he'll have missed multiple months of organized activities at that point. Despite his familiarity with Liam Coen dating back to their days at Kentucky, that matters. With every practice day missed, that's just another opportunity for Tuten to seize control of the backfield. And so far, he's done just that.

For the Tuten hive, here he is talking about how he'd run faster than his combine 40 time of 4.32 if he were to run it again.

At the end of today's interview with #jaguars RB Bhayshul Tuten we talked about his speed!

Says he'd be faster than his 4.32 combine time if he ran a 40 now, thinks Brian Thomas Jr. would give him the best run for his money on the team + said BTJ looks "more fluent and faster"… pic.twitter.com/LuChBxyMkB

— Rachel Phillips (@rachphillipstv) June 10, 2026

This man is oozing with confidence heading into the 2026 season. With the Jaguars offense continuing to ascend in Year 2 under Coen, expect Tuten to have a breakout season as the team's bell-cow back.

Rachaad White, Washington Commanders

Underdog ADP - 117.9 (RB38)

Last year, people thought I was crazy buying back into Javonte Williams. But much like White, Williams' ADP was sitting around 120 as the 39th RB off the board. Just like Williams last season, White finds himself in a very good situation heading into the 2026 season.

Yes, the Commanders only gave him $1.7 million guaranteed, but that's more than any other running back on the team (which includes Jerome Ford, Jeremy McNichols, and rookie Kaytron Allen).

We also learned recently that second-year back Jacory Croskey-Merritt, White's biggest "competition" in the backfield, has been working off to the side during OTAs with an undisclosed injury.

Jacory Croskey-Merritt Continues to Work Off to the Side During OTAs https://t.co/llC0XlagC3

— RotoBaller NFL (@RotoBallerNFL) June 10, 2026

New Commanders offensive coordinator David Blough is also bringing a new offense to Washington. He wants Jayden Daniels to play more under center, which will help with play-action concepts.

Jayden Daniels is learning a new offense and playbook.

So far, so good.

OC David Blough said, "just trying to open his eyes maybe under center to some of the play action concepts...we are not creating essentially new concepts. We are just asking him to do different things." pic.twitter.com/7EngISWyeJ

— Scott Abraham (@Scott7news) June 2, 2026

To thrive in that kind of system, you have to have a back who is highly capable as a receiver and a pass protector. For years, White has been regarded as one of the best backs in the league as a receiver and pass protector. He's also no stranger to shouldering a hefty load in the NFL.

In 2023, White toted the rock 272 times and was targeted 70 times. His 16.1 weighted opportunities that season ranked fourth most among running backs. He's not necessarily thought of as the best pure runner; however, he received the fourth-highest PFF run grade last season (87.2) behind only Walker, Achane, and Zach Charbonnet.

Now, add in the fact that White was a college teammate of Daniels back at Arizona State in 2020 and 2021. In their second season together, White caught 43 of Daniels' 197 completions (21.8%).

So, not only are these two comfortable working together, but in order for Washington to optimize its offense in 2026, it is going to need to disguise looks and have a running back who can "do it all."

My thoughts from practice today. A lot of work for the running backs and tight ends, and players like Chig and Rachaad White could be primed for big contributions in the new schemehttps://t.co/u7vWF4F7JP

— Zach Selby (@ZachSelbyWC) June 9, 2026

That's White, which means there's a good chance you're drafting a bell-cow back with the 118th pick in 2026 fantasy football drafts.

More Fantasy Football Analysis