Fantasy Football League-Winning Rookie Running Backs: Jeremiyah Love, Jadarian Price, Emmett Johnson

April 11, 2026

Dominick breaks down three rookie running backs from the 2026 NFL Draft, Jeremiyah Love, Jadarian Price, Emmett Johnson, and how they could be league-winners in fantasy football.

Running the ball is a young man’s game.

NFL teams now would rather run a young RB into the ground than pay a veteran who is coming up on 30. This is why rookie backs are so important and why finding one is a key skill in gaining an advantage in your fantasy league.

Here are three running backs who could lead your roster to a victory this season in fantasy football.

Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame|

As with all these running backs, the key will be where they go in the draft. But Love is the best RB in the 2026 draft. According to scouts, he is a better prospect than Ashton Jeanty was in 2025, and he can be the next Jahmyr Gibbs in the NFL.

This is high praise for Love, who was great at Notre Dame. He retained his greatness even in 2025 when sharing time with teammate Jadarian Price.

Love, who was a two-year starter at Notre Dame, led the FBS in total touchdowns with 40 over those two years, and he also averaged 6.9 yards per carry in those seasons. This ability to find room behind the Irish offensive line saw Notre Dame average more than 40.0 points per game in 2025. This was the first time this had happened at Notre Dame in 113 years.

Love did not participate much in the combine. He only got measured and did the 40-yard dash. But his time was an impressive 4.36, showing his speed.

.@NDFootball RB Jeremiyah Love followed it up with a 4.36u on his second run.@MoveTheSticks' second overall prospect is showing off out there.

2026 NFL Combine on @nflnetwork
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/jqQad1xRaD

— NFL (@NFL) February 28, 2026

He will be a weapon in the run game and the pass game for whichever team drafts him high in the first round. Love, who finished his two years with 2,497 rushing yards and 35 rushing TDs, added 55 receptions for 517 yards and five receiving TDs. He can be a league winner as he adds to these impressive stats in the NFL. He will certainly cost a pretty penny to draft, but he is worth it.

Jadarian Price, RB, Notre Dame|

We now move on to Love’s teammate at Notre Dame and RB2, projected by Dane Brugler of The Athletic.

Price, who has an innate ability to run the ball, is not as advanced in receiving as his teammate is. Price played for Notre Dame for three seasons. Combined, he only caught 15 passes for three receiving TDs. He was also the consummate committee back as he combined for 333 carries in 28 games while on the field with Love.

Although not the full-time back, Price finished 2024 with 746 yards and seven TDs while averaging 6.2 yards per carry. In 2025, he finished with 674 yards and 11 TDs and averaged 6.0 yards per carry.

Price will not be the dominant force of Love. He will be in the mold of the new committee backs coming into the league. But in this role, he can thrive. At just 203 pounds, you do not want Price to be overly utilized. Having him in a shared system will keep him fresh and allow him to get past worn-out defenders at the end of games.

Price will not go as high as Love for obvious reasons. But in a class where he is RB2, he is still going to go in fantasy drafts. So, if you want him on your team, he must be drafted.

Jadarian Price ➡️ Broncos?

The Notre Dame RB on how well his meeting with Sean Payton and Denver went:@heykayadams | @Jadarian15 | @Broncos pic.twitter.com/DtoSEI9iKp

— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) March 18, 2026

Emmett Johnson, RB, Nebraska|

The RB4 in Dane Brugler’s ranks, Johnson came in at 5’10” and 202 pounds at the combine. He raised his weight to 205 pounds at the combine, but he is still on the smaller side.

Despite this size, Johnson was one of the key contributors to a Cornhuskers team that finished the 2025 football season with a 7-6 record and a 44-22 Las Vegas Bowl loss to Utah.

EMMETT JOHNSON -- WHAT A RUN!

(down inside the one) pic.twitter.com/FHzGS7z3Sj

— CBS Sports College Football 🏈 (@CBSSportsCFB) November 28, 2025

Although Johnson has a slight lower body and his top-end speed is not elite, he does have immense strength in his compact frame and is extremely good at his stop-and-go ability to evade tacklers. The issue Johnson may face in the draft is that much of his production came in just one year.

During his first three college seasons, Johnson finished with 207 total carries for 1,009 yards and three TDs. His 46 receptions through his first three seasons were tied with his output in just 2025. He also beat his career rushing statistics with 251 carries, for 1,451 yards and 12 TDs.

Some coaches will see him as a one-year star, unaware of how he can follow it up. This is why he is being mocked in drafts in any position from the third round through the sixth and seventh rounds.

He is a bit slow at 4.56 in the 40-yard dash for being only 205 pounds. This makes his health important. If he loses his elusiveness and ability to start and stop, he will fail to be any sort of weapon for his offense. But with his receiving ability, he will get plenty of time on the field as a rookie.

While not a particularly exciting RB start, he will make a nice flex some weeks in a multiple flex league. He also will not cost much and will not be selected in every draft.

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