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RotoBaller staff's league-winners for the 2026 fantasy football season at the running back position. Expert draft advice and targets from RotoBaller, including David Montgomery, James Cook, and more.
Finding league-winners at the running back position can be the difference between you winning or losing your fantasy football league.
In this piece, we will spotlight some of the top "league-winners" at the running back position who you can find within these parts of the draft from members of our RotoBaller fantasy football staff, including Adam Koffler, Dan Palyo, John Laghezza, Joey Pollizze, Mike Florio, and Matt Donnelly.
Who will be this season's league winners? Let's dive in!
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James Cook III, Buffalo Bills
Outside of Gibbs and Robinson, there might not be a safer running back on the board than Cook. And there's an upside case for even more in 2026.
In four seasons, Cook has missed just one game due to a minor toe injury. Health can be random at times, but it doesn't hurt (no pun intended) that he's running behind a top-five offensive line with a mobile Josh Allen at quarterback.
After signing a lucrative contract extension last offseason, Cook led all backs with 95.4 rushing yards per game and an elite 5.25 yards per carry on 309 rush attempts.
In 2024, he rushed just 207 times but still managed to churn out 4.87 yards per carry with a whopping 16 touchdowns.
He was a clear fantasy RB1 in both years. But he wasn't top five, and that's because of his lack of involvement in the passing game.
Last season, Cook ranked just 25th among running backs in route participation (37.1%). In 2024, just 33rd (35.2%). In both years, he averaged just 2.4 targets per game.
But that's going to change in 2026. Per Bills beat writer Alex Brasky, new offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael hinted at Cook being used more in the passing game this season.
"Anytime you can get the ball in his hands, you have an opportunity for a big play," said Carmichael. "I think he can bring value not only in the run game, but in the pass game as well."
And in a recent interview, Yahoo's Matt Harmon asked Cook about his potential increased involvement in the passing game.
There's been a ton of buzz out of Bills camp that James Cook and the RBs will be more involved in the passing game this season.
So, I asked the man himself.
What did his answer suggest? You decide. pic.twitter.com/OQgEBph5ja
— Matt Harmon (@MattHarmon_BYB) August 13, 2026
It seems pretty clear that Cook will see more than 2.4 targets per game this season.
And if the "coach speak" and the man himself hinting at more involvement weren't enough, Ty Johnson, one of the league's better passing-down backs, has a knee injury and has missed the last couple of weeks of practice.
Cook is also eligible to renegotiate his contract after this season, and you better believe he'll be looking for Gibbs, Robinson, and Jonathan Taylor-type money after a career year in 2026.
- Adam Koffler
David Montgomery, Houston Texans
The latest report that Monty may be heading for a 50-50 split for touches this season with Woody Marks makes me happy. Because I don't believe that for one second, and I hope some others buy into that coachspeak, so we can get a little discount on Montgomery.
I've got nothing against Marks; he has looked good this preseason and could be much better this year than last. But he's not built to handle the between-the-tackles grind of a 17-game season, and that's okay! That's why teams have moved to this shared backfield model, to maximize the strengths of backs like Marks who are better utilized in the passing game and to mix in for a handful of touches as a change of pace.
#Texans RB1 David Montgomery touchdown catch out of the backfield from C.J. Stroud @KPRC2 pic.twitter.com/jBV91ncANu
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) July 30, 2026
We know what David Montgomery can do, and just because he was in the smaller half of a platoon with Jahmyr Gibbs the last three seasons, it doesn't mean that he can't handle 250 touches this season. If anything, the 29-year-old back is fresher than some other backs his age with fewer miles on the tires.
We know Monty will be the goal line back, as that's an area where Marks really struggled. We also know that the offensive line should be improved this season. But he also should handle some work as a receiver, too. Our projections have him conservatively projected for 29 catches and 215 yards, but he's gone over the 300-yard receiving mark in four of his seven seasons in the league.
The Texans are a legitimate Super Bowl contender this year on the strength of their defense, and this offense's identity this season is likely going to be tied to running the football and utilizing play action in the passing game. DeMeco Ryans is going to feed Monty the football, rather than ask C.J. Stroud to go out and throw the football 50 times per game.
I know his ADP has been rising, but Monty is about as safe of a mid-round pick as you can make in drafts this season!
- Dan Palyo
Blake Corum, Los Angeles Rams
Corum is a stud. He's also in an elite offense. The only problem (in past years) is that he's been "stuck" behind Sean McVay's boy, Kyren Williams.
However, after posting the best Expected Points Added (EPA) per rush attempt last season (+0.11) and earning the trust of his head coach, one can reasonably expect Corum's workload to increase in 2026.
Blake Corum rumbles 48 yards for the TD!
LARvsAZ on FOX/FOX Onehttps://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/aroS7jo0iI
— NFL (@NFL) December 7, 2025
Per PlayerProfiler, Corum was second among running backs in explosive rating last season (122.9), whereas Williams ranked just 25th (100.5).
Where Williams gets the edge over Corum, however, is in the receiving department.
In 2025, King Kyren ran 420 routes with a PFF receiving grade of 64.7 (26th among qualified running backs). Corum, on the other hand, ran just 157 routes and received the second-lowest receiving grade (36.9) among qualified backs.
While small, Corum's route participation did increase slightly after the Rams' bye week last season. He went from an 11.9% route participation rate to an 18% route participation rate.
His 27.8% route participation in the Conference Championship Game was a season high. Meanwhile, Williams' route participation that game was just 36.1%.
At a minimum, the trend was favorable for Corum as the season progressed. That's great, but he doesn't even need that receiving work to be successful in this offense.
The Rams have the highest projected implied total per game in 2026 and will play with the lead in most games.
That's awesome news for Corum, especially considering Williams is the back more likely to be on the field in trailing game scripts.
If this team is as good as we think they'll be in 2026, Corum is going to be a big part of that. And if anything were to happen to Williams during the season that would force him to miss time, you're looking at a league winner.
Let's give Corum 15 rush attempts per game and see what happens!
- Adam Koffler
Bhayshul Tuten, Jacksonville Jaguars
In the same ADP range as Montgomery, we have Bhayshul Tuten, who is set to take over as the primary bellcow in the Jacksonville backfield.
Or is he?
There's a lot of discussion about how Tuten will be used, with concerns about Chris Rodriguez Jr. usurping some touchdowns in a short-yardage role and LeQuint Allen Jr. stealing some catches as the third-down back.
But I'm not buying it! The Jags were quite comfortable letting Travis Etienne Jr. walk in free agency because I think they know what they have in Tuten. Just because he had a fairly small role as a rookie, that doesn't mean that he won't have a major role and a vast majority of the touches this season.
Bhayshul Tuten More Involved in Passing Game in Jacksonville https://t.co/skv3h7lQef
— RotoBaller NFL (@RotoBallerNFL) August 24, 2026
Reports out of camp have been very favorable, with beat reporters suggesting that he looked dynamic in live sessions, and just another one surfaced yesterday that he broke off an impressive long run. C-Rod definitely runs hard and will get some touches, but I think this is Tuten's backfield, and he is still going to get plenty of receiving work even if Allen works in on some passing downs.
Liam Coen used Etienne as a weapon in the pass game last year, and Irving in Tampa the year before. Tuten has a lot of appeal in the fifth round as a back who could easily outperform his ADP if he indeed does get the bulk of the running back touches in what should be a very good Jacksonville offense this year.
- Dan Palyo
Cam Skattebo, New York Giants
Face facts. Anytime you're drafting RBs in this environment outside of the top two drafting rounds, players will have warts. So, what are we looking for in a potential RB1 finish?
If we're boiling it down to a combination of volume, pass-catching ability, and goal-line touches, then Cam Skattebo is an optimal pick in a healthy season.
It took the wild rookie out of ASU all of one game to usurp Tyrone Tracy Jr. for NYG's starter job, and he'd easily be going in the second round if not suffering a severe season-ending right ankle dislocation, fibula fracture, and deltoid ligament rupture in Week 8 against the Eagles last season. Ouch.
Yes, an injury that gruesome causes concern, but for all intents and purposes, he's healthy right now. We've seen the backflip to prove it. And not for nothing, no one can reliably predict injuries -- just ask the millions of people who faded Christian McCaffrey going into 2025.
Anyway, Skattebo stands a chance to be that RB to take a leap up boards next year if the stretch between Weeks 2-7 was any indication. Ranking as the NFL's overall RB8 during that time frame (including two top-5 weekly finishes), Skattebo checked all the aforementioned boxes by combining volume (19.5 touches/game) with receiving prowess (22.6% target/route), plus literally all the goal-line work (95% goal-to-go snaps).
Name your worries surrounding Skattebo, and I'd likely echo them. I get it. The thing is, the fantasy RB market has never been more competitive, and we have to pick our poison. At least Skattebo's projections will include all of the Giants' goal-line TDs, which is more than we can say for some of the other backs at a similar price.
No backflips but Cam Skattebo looked all the way back in his few carries over the weekend. pic.twitter.com/L0rP47QIVW
— Ryan Paganetti (@RyanPaganetti) August 17, 2026
- John Laghezza
Jonathon Brooks, Carolina Panthers
Jonathon Brooks is gaining a ton of hype and for good reason. I have not been able to quit him since he ran for over 1,100 yards and 10 TDs in just 10 games in his final year of college. Brooks, if he can get back to his pre-injury form, is a special runner who drew very lofty player comps coming out of college.
Originally, we thought Chuba Hubbard, who we did see lose the starting gig in 2025, would begin the year as the starter. The expectation was Brooks could steal the lead gig as the season went on, but Hubbard is now week-to-week with a hamstring injury. The runway for Brooks to be the lead back from the get-go has now opened up.
I originally had Brooks ranked over Hubbard, but after the news, I moved him into the tier with Henderson, Price, and others such as David Montgomery, Judkins, and D'Andre Swift. That may seem high, but the upside is immense with Brooks.
- Mike Florio
D'Andre Swift, Chicago Bears
Fantasy managers should want to draft as many players from the Chicago Bears as possible this year. After going from the 28th overall offense in 2024 to the ninth overall offense in 2025, there is a strong chance that this Bears offense takes another step forward in 2026 in Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson's second season together in Chicago.
That should help running back D'Andre Swift continue to be a high-end RB2 fantasy option.
Swift is coming off one of his better fantasy seasons. He finished as the RB15 in PPR formats and averaged 14.3 PPR fantasy points across 16 contests. The 27-year-old ran for 1,087 yards and nine touchdowns while also adding 34 catches for 299 yards and one touchdown through the air. Those numbers helped him post consistent numbers throughout the year, as he finished as a top-20 fantasy RB in eight of the final 12 weeks.
D'Andre Swift ties it up again!
CHIvsSF on NBC
Stream on @NFLPlus + Peacock pic.twitter.com/ktNXWAGdn7— NFL (@NFL) December 29, 2025
Even though Kyle Monangai will be heavily involved and could see somewhere between 40-45% of snaps each week, Swift is still going to be a viable fantasy running back every week. He is still the lead back on a Bears offense that could be even better than it was a season ago. The former Pro Bowl ranked top-15 among all RBs in yards per reception, explosive rating, breakaway runs, and run blocking rating in 2025.
With Monangai in danger of missing the start of the season due to a knee injury, Swift could greatly outperform his current ADP.
- Joey Pollizze
Rhamondre Stevenson, New England Patriots
Currently, backfield mate TreVeyon Henderson is coming off the fantasy draft board six spots ahead of Rhamondre Stevenson when referencing running back ADP. Based on what we witnessed last season, this could either be Stevenson hatred going too far or too many drafters are drinking from the Henderson Kool-Aid once again.
Rhamondre Stevenson all the way for his 3rd TD of the day!
MIAvsNE on FOX/FOX Onehttps://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/TVDFICTHCZ
— NFL (@NFL) January 4, 2026
Henderson has a tonne of upside, but when it mattered the most, New England turned the backfield over to Stevenson. During the regular season, Stevenson had a modest edge in snap share.
Still, in the playoffs, Stevenson's snap share was 70.3%, and from Week 16 through the Super Bowl, Stevenson averaged 9.1 fantasy points and 58.5 scrimmage yards per game more than Henderson, producing 2.32 more yards rushing per attempt in the process (5.51 to 3.19).
Even if Henderson and Stevenson split touches, Stevenson still maintains a significant role in the backfield after finishing with 603 rushing yards (4.6 per carry) and 365 receiving yards (6.6 yards per target).
Stevenson should be viewed as a weekly flex option or an RB3 based on his current ADP, and as a player who can produce 11-plus fantasy points weekly with some spike weeks from time to time; that said, any injury to Henderson and Stevenson’s value will push him into RB1 territory.
- Matt Donnelly
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2026 Player Decisions. Today's focus is on specific players - Bhayshul Tuten, David Montgomery, James Cook, Blake Corum, Rhamondre Stevenson, Cam Skattebo, Jonathon Brooks. These are some common searches for 2026 fantasy football drafts.
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