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Dan identifies six Zero RB fantasy football running backs to target in drafts. Some names include Kenneth Gainwell, Keaton Mitchell, Tony Pollard, and more.
It won’t be long until NFL teams are kicking off their training camps heading into the 2026 NFL season. That means fantasy drafts are just around the corner.
There are many ways to attack a fantasy draft. The current trend for many is to load up on running backs early to try to identify players who get volume on the ground and through the air to break fantasy football. For fantasy managers brave enough to utilize the Zero RB strategy, that is leading to excellent wide receiver value.
This article will explore six ideal Zero RB fantasy football draft targets heading into the 2026 season. Let’s dive in.
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Rico Dowdle, Pittsburgh Steelers
Rico Dowdle was inconsistent in his one season with the Carolina Panthers, but was able to provide stretches of fantasy production. Surprisingly enough, few running backs in the NFL have been as productive as Dowdle the last two seasons.
Running backs with back-to-back seasons of 1,000 rushing yards and 200 receiving yards:
Bijan Robinson
Jahmyr Gibbs
Saquon Barkley
James Cook
Rico Dowdle— Dan Fornek ↗️ (@fornekdf) January 5, 2026
The veteran running back finished as the RB23 in PPR points per game (12.7) thanks to a torrid eight-game stretch from Weeks 5 to 12 that saw him handle 146 carries for 788 yards and four touchdowns, plus 22 receptions (on 28 targets) for 213 yards and a touchdown. Dowdle was the RB6 during that run, averaging 19.0 points per game with two 28.0+ PPR performances.
Dowdle struggled to maintain his efficiency down the stretch and ultimately hit free agency again in 2026. He was quickly scooped up by the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are now led by his former head coach, Mike McCarthy.
McCarthy has made it clear he’s a fan of Dowdle as a player, famously describing him as a “bowling ball full of butcher knives” as a runner. In Pittsburgh, Dowdle will be running behind a strong offensive line with a quarterback who will check the ball down quickly.
Veteran running back Jaylen Warren will surely take his share of the workload (especially in the pass game), but it won’t be surprising to see Dowdle lead this backfield in touches if he can stay healthy.
J.K. Dobbins, Denver Broncos
J.K. Dobbins looked like one of the steals of fantasy drafts over the first 10 weeks of the 2025 regular season. Dobbins was the RB24 in PPR points per game during that stretch, averaging 11.6 points thanks solely to his role as a volume rusher for the Denver Broncos. Dobbins averaged 15.3 carries and 77.2 rushing yards per game while scoring four touchdowns.
The advanced metrics were impressive for Dobbins as well. Among 52 running backs with at least 40 carries, Dobbins ranked 14th in success rate (45.8%), 15th in stuff rate (11.5%), 20th in avoided tackle rate (24.8%), and 10th in explosive run rate (13.7%). Unfortunately, he once again suffered a season-ending injury that cut his campaign short.
Dobbins’ success was even more apparent after his injury, as the team's run game struggled to maintain consistency. The Broncos recognized his importance this offseason, re-signing him to a two-year, $16 million contract. The move signals that as long as Dobbins is healthy, he will maintain the lead role behind one of the best offensive lines in the NFL.
The Broncos backfield is set to be a frustrating three-headed monster with Dobbins, RJ Harvey, and Jonah Coleman set to all play roles in 2026. However, we can safely assume that Dobbins will be the lead back in this offense based on his 2025 role and the team’s urgency in retaining him this offseason.
Blake Corum, Los Angeles Rams
Los Angeles Rams running back Blake Corum went from a massive fantasy disappointment in 2024 as a rookie to a pleasant fantasy surprise in 2025.
Corum got off to another slow start, averaging just 4.8 attempts on a 21% snap share in the first six weeks. However, his role picked up from there. Starting in Week 7, Corum saw more opportunities (10.6 carries per game) on a 33% snap share.
He even had a four-game stretch from Weeks 13 to 16 where he was the RB9 in PPR points per game (16.6) thanks to 44 carries for 328 yards and five touchdowns.
Corum finally found a way onto the field and performed well enough to earn at least a similar role in 2026. He finished as the RB1 in rushing success rate (51.0%) and EPA (15.91) in his second year.
If Kyren Williams is healthy, Corum will struggle to be a consistent fantasy producer outside of touchdowns. But if Williams gets hurt, Corum can be a weekly top-12 RB finisher, making him an ideal Zero RB target.
Tony Pollard, Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans were linked heavily to running back Jeremiyah Love throughout most of the predraft process this offseason. They never got the chance to draft him after he was selected by the Arizona Cardinals with the third overall pick.
That should lock veteran running back Tony Pollard into a big workload again in 2026. In his two seasons with the Titans, Pollard has averaged 251.0 carries, 1,080.5 yards, and 5.0 touchdowns per season while adding 49.0 targets, 37.0 receptions, and 222.0 receiving yards per season. Pollard has handled at least 71% of the Titans' rushing attempts the last two seasons.
Tony Pollard 65-yard TOUCHDOWN.
TENvsCLE on FOX/FOX Onehttps://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/UZ9c5ifvfN
— NFL (@NFL) December 7, 2025
Tyjae Spears will once again have a role as an explosive pass-catching back with big play upside, but he has yet to stay healthy in his career. The Titans also drafted explosive Penn State running back Nicholas Singleton in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Singleton is recovering from a broken foot he suffered at the Senior Bowl and will need time to develop as a rookie, so his role should be minor unless there is an injury.
The Titans have an uninspiring offensive line, but Pollard should get more than enough volume to be a top-30 fantasy running back with weekly top-24 upside.
Kenneth Gainwell, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Kenneth Gainwell was one of the big surprises in fantasy in 2025 after signing a one-year contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Among running backs with at least eight games played, Gainwell finished as the RB20 in PPR points per game (13.0) with five top-10 finishes on the season.
The veteran running back was efficient as a runner (114 carries for 537 yards and five touchdowns), but did most of his damage through the air (85 targets, 73 receptions, 486 receiving yards, and three touchdowns).
KENNETH GAINWELL HOW
TD STEELERS 😱
PITvsDET on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/sZg9uFqkMF
— NFL (@NFL) December 21, 2025
Gainwell hit free agency again this offseason, this time signing a two-year, $14 million contract to replace Rachaad White in Tampa Bay. Gainwell should absorb most of his role in the pass game immediately, but he has even more upside given Bucky Irving’s health questions.
Irving was limited to just 10 games in 2025 and still has not been cleared from the shoulder surgery to address that issue. If Irving is injured, Gainwell could be in line for a high-volume rushing role behind a strong offensive line in a good offensive environment.
Keaton Mitchell, Los Angeles Chargers
One of the more interesting free-agency signings during the 2026 offseason was running back Keaton Mitchell. Mitchell didn’t sign a huge contract (two years, $9.5 million), but he was one of the first signings announced once free agency initially kicked off.
Mitchell carved out a role as a rookie undrafted free agent in 2023 before suffering a late-season ACL injury. He wound up playing just 13 games his first two seasons, totaling 62 carries for 426 yards and two touchdowns while adding 10 receptions for 121 yards. Mitchell bounced back in 2025, handling 59 carries for 341 yards and a touchdown while adding nine receptions for 63 yards.
New offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel has plenty of experience turning explosive speed at running back into big fantasy production. The fact that he prioritized Mitchell in free agency suggests that he will have some sort of role in the backfield.
Mitchell won’t get the bulk of the backfield touches thanks to Omarion Hampton and would likely be in a timeshare with veteran Kimani Vidal if Hampton were injured. But his playmaking ability, combined with an excellent offensive play-caller, makes him extremely appealing in the late rounds.
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