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Brett introduces the All Bench RB Strategy for 2026 fantasy football leagues. He also includes picks for his top running backs to stash for this strategy.
We are in the heart of draft season, and that means I have to get my yearly All-Bench RB strategy piece out there for all you Rotoballers. As per usual, let’s start with what an All-Bench running back strategy is. This approach has you stash as many running backs as you can on the bench. The main support for this strategy is the historically high turnover at the running back position.
Running backs turn over more frequently because of the quantity and severity of their injuries, shorter and smaller contracts, and shorter careers. The associated opportunity when capitalizing on this turnover is absolutely massive. Even if we are being conservative in saying that the RB1 gets 55% of the touches, we must compare that with a 20%-30% corresponding target share for a WR1. So, even with the advent of running back committees, there is a greater consolidation of touches for RBs than wide receivers.
This is why the impact of stashing a running back on your bench, who could step in as the RB1, is so much greater than that of a wide receiver. I like to call these bench RBs "Lotto Tickets" for this very reason. Here are more details about this league-winning strategy and how it can succeed for the 2026 fantasy football season.
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Why Use The All-Bench RB Strategy In 2026?
2026 is the season to try out the All-Bench RB. Why? Because 2025 had a surprisingly low injury rate for RBs, and the NFL continues shifting towards more running back committees.
The low injury totals for RBs in 2025, especially elite RBs, resulted in an extremely great season for them and, in turn, a greater preference among this year's drafters to take them early. Just how atypical was last season for injuries?
In 2025, the total numbers showed 75 wide receivers injured compared to 45 running backs. Even more importantly, there were more injuries among the top 24 wide receivers compared to the top 24 RBs. Bijan Robinson, Jahmyr Gibbs, Christian McCaffrey, Derrick Henry, Jonathan Taylor, Kyren Williams, Chase Brown, James Cook III, Kenneth Walker III, R.J. Harvey, and David Montgomery all played all 17 games!
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Four others played 16 games out of the top 24. Omarion Hampton, James Conner, Chuba Hubbard, and Isiah Pacheco were the only RBs to miss significant time. When we look at the top 24 wide receivers, we have nine out of 24 who played 17 games compared to 13 of 24 for running backs. That’s a 17% difference.
Now zoom into the top 12 of each position; no running back missed more than two games, compared to three wide receivers: CeeDee Lamb, Malik Nabers, and Brian Thomas Jr.!
On top of the injury dynamic of 2025, the continued move towards running back committees in the NFL is compounding the shift towards RBs early. In the top 24 RBs, there are six committees, and that number explodes with RB3s, where 11 of 12 have dubious scenarios. Where some may see this as a challenge, I see opportunity!
Are Fantasy Managers Really Drafting RB Early?
The proof is in the pudding! Thus far, mock drafts and early drafts, along with ADP movements, are showing the greatest number of RBs (26) drafted in the first 60 picks in the last five years.
The data is also showing that 16 of the first 30 picks are RBs, with only 11 WRs. For now, it seems as if Zero-RB and Hero-RB lovers are taking a breather, and that leaves us a lot of valuable running backs to stash in the middle and late rounds.
Which Running Backs Should I Stash on My Bench?
Before I give you a list of my favorite RB stashes, I want to give you my key criteria. Most importantly, include RBs that have a clear path to taking the lead role should an incumbent injury or underperformance occur.
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We also must look a bit beyond RB 24 to exclude those that will most likely be starters and/or flexes for managers. That's why you won't see names like Montgomery, TreVeyon Henderson, Tony Pollard, or Jonathon Brooks.
Without further ado, here are the names we’ve all been waiting for (I have highlighted my favorites):
Top RB Bench Candidates (In order of ADP)
- Rhamondre Stevenson
- Jaylen Warren
- J.K. Dobbins
- Kenny Gainwell
- Rico Dowdle
- Chuba Hubbard
- Rachaad White
- R.J. Harvey
- Blake Corum
- Aaron Jones Sr.
- Kyle Monangai
- Jacory Croskey-Merritt
- Woody Marks
- Tank Bigsby
- Jordan Mason
- Chris Rodriguez Jr.
- Brian Robinson Jr.
- Isiah Pacheco
- Ray Davis
- Mike Washington Jr.
- Tyler Allgeier
- Dylan Sampson
- Tyjae Spears
- Jordan James
- Kimani Vidal
- Jaylen Wright
- Samaje Perine
- MarShawn Lloyd
An All-Bench RB strategy can change your entire fantasy football season. Imagine getting the top one or two waiver wire adds of the season without having to use any FAAB. Of course, there is an opportunity cost, but in my opinion, it is a cost and risk that is worth taking.
In 2023, there were five of these lotto tickets that cashed: Kyren Williams, Jerome Ford, Zack Moss, Gus Edwards, and Ty Chandler.
In 2024, there were also five that cashed: Brown, Bucky Irving, Hubbard, Zach Charbonnet, and Rico Dowdle. Last year, with very few RB injuries, there were three who substantially cashed: Kenneth Gainwell, Woody Marks, and Blake Corum.
If you can hold four to five of these guys on your bench each week, you increase your chances of hitting on a bench RB that could get you into the playoffs or win you a ship!
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Popular Player Comparison Searches - Who To Draft
Below are some popular searches and comparisons from our Who To Draft tool for 2026 drafts for Rhamondre Stevenson, Rachaad White, Rico Dowdle, J.K. Dobbins, Woody Marks, Tyler Allgeier, Ray Davis:
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