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RotoBaller's Week 1 college fantasy football running back rankings for 2026. Set winning CFB fantasy lineups with these RB rankings for the top Power 4 players.
Week 1 of the 2026 college football season is here, and it's time to set those college fantasy football lineups before Thursday, Friday, and Saturday games begin! Many running back depth charts across the country still have uncertainty, but many are also headlined by big-name, must-start studs. These rankings will see major changes week-to-week as we get regular-season data, but for now, we're here to help with our Week 1 college fantasy football running back rankings for 2026.
RotoBaller's Week 1 CFB fantasy running back rankings include the top 70 ball carriers. These rankings will be updated throughout the week as injury news rolls in. Below, see where key chain-movers such as DeSean Bishop, Isaac Brown, Cam Cook, Bo Jackson, LJ Martin, Justice Haynes, Daniel Hill, Evans Dickens, and Turbo Richard stand, among all others.
Be sure to bookmark our college fantasy football news feed for the latest breaking news, injury updates, and more. CFB alerts are also available in our mobile app.
Week 1 College Fantasy Football Running Back Rankings
| Rank | Player Name | Team | Position |
| 1 | Caleb Hawkins | OKST | RB |
| 2 | DeSean Bishop | TENN | RB |
| 3 | Kewan Lacy | MISS | RB |
| 4 | Jadan Baugh | FLA | RB |
| 5 | Antwan Raymond | RUTG | RB |
| 6 | Cam Cook | WVU | RB |
| 7 | Darius Taylor | MINN | RB |
| 8 | Raleek Brown | TEX | RB |
| 9 | Aneyas Williams | ND | RB |
| 10 | Cameron Dickey | TTU | RB |
| 11 | Ja'Kyrian Turner | PITT | RB |
| 12 | Wayne Knight | UCLA | RB |
| 13 | Bo Jackson | OSU | RB |
| 14 | Jordon Davison | ORE | RB |
| 15 | Ousmane Kromah | FSU | RB |
| 16 | Isaac Brown | LOU | RB |
| 17 | Nate Sheppard | DUKE | RB |
| 18 | LJ Martin | BYU | RB |
| 19 | Justice Haynes | GT | RB |
| 20 | Dierre Hill Jr. | ORE | RB |
| 21 | Sedrick Alexander | VAN | RB |
| 22 | Wayshawn Parker | UTAH | RB |
| 23 | Jordan Marshall | MICH | RB |
| 24 | Mark Fletcher Jr. | MIA | RB |
| 25 | Jamal Roberts | MIZ | RB |
| 26 | Adam Mohammed | CAL | RB |
| 27 | L.J. Phillips Jr. | IOWA | RB |
| 28 | Fluff Bothwell | MSST | RB |
| 29 | Dilin Jones | LSU | RB |
| 30 | Makhi Hughes | HOU | RB |
| 31 | Joe Jackson | KSU | RB |
| 32 | Daniel Hill | ALA | RB |
| 33 | Samuel Singleton | FSU | RB |
| 34 | Nate Frazier | UGA | RB |
| 35 | Hollywood Smothers | TEX | RB |
| 36 | Carson Hansen | PSU | RB |
| 37 | DeJuan Williams | MD | RB |
| 38 | J'Koby Williams | TTU | RB |
| 39 | Kamari Moulton | IOWA | RB |
| 40 | Cam Edwards | MSU | RB |
| 41 | Sutton Smith | ARK | RB |
| 42 | Kwinten Ives | NEB | RB |
| 43 | Turbo Richard | IU | RB |
| 44 | Evan Dickens | BC | RB |
| 45 | Rueben Owens II | TAMU | RB |
| 46 | Waymond Jordan | USC | RB |
| 47 | Gideon Davidson | CLEM | RB |
| 48 | Kyson Brown | ASU | RB |
| 49 | Duke Watson | UCF | RB |
| 50 | Kendrick Raphael | SMU | RB |
| 51 | Dylan Edwards | KU | RB |
| 52 | Aiden Flora | ISU | RB |
| 53 | Caleb Komolafe | NU | RB |
| 54 | Kedrick Reescano | ARIZ | RB |
| 55 | Easton Miller | ISU | RB |
| 56 | Dawson Pendergrass | BAY | RB |
| 57 | Ty Clark III | WAKE | RB |
| 58 | King Miller | USC | RB |
| 59 | Khobie Martin | IU | RB |
| 60 | Micah Ford | STAN | RB |
| 61 | CJ Baxter | UK | RB |
| 62 | Jeremiah Cobb | AUB | RB |
| 63 | Jayden Limar | WASH | RB |
| 64 | Marcellous Hawkins | VT | RB |
| 65 | Matt Fuller | SC | RB |
| 66 | Ca'Lil Valentine | ILL | RB |
| 67 | Chris Johnson Jr. | CLEM | RB |
| 68 | Fame Ijeboi | PUR | RB |
| 69 | Keyjuan Brown | LOU | RB |
| 70 | Xavier Robinson | OU | RB |
Week 1 College Fantasy Football Running Back News, Outlooks
Kewan Lacy, Ole Miss
Ole Miss running back Kewan Lacy faces a stiff test in Week 1 against Louisville on Sunday, so his fantasy expectations need to be tempered a bit. Louisville allowed just 114.3 rushing yards per game a season ago and comes into the season ranked 24th, so this isn't the rosy matchup that many top fantasy players are getting this week.
Lacy is a huge fantasy asset coming into the season after rushing for 1,567 yards and 24 touchdowns across 306 carries a season ago; he caught 29 passes for 177 yards. While the matchup is a bit tougher, Lacy should still be started in all fantasy leagues and is expected to deliver a solid fantasy output, but this isn't likely to be his top showing of the season. Expect better offensive showings ahead for Lacy and Ole Miss, which is ranked ninth.
Isaac Brown, Louisville
Louisville running back Isaac Brown (undisclosed), who missed a few fall practices with an injury, will play in Week 1 against Ole Miss. "I think Isaac is ready to go," head coach Jeff Brohm said. "He's fresh and ready to go. He's had a good camp. I feel confident he's ready to go." Needless to say, this is great news for the Cardinals and Browns' fantasy managers.
When healthy, Brown is one of the best running backs in college football. The Florida native broke out as a freshman in 2024, totaling 1,325 scrimmage yards and 12 touchdowns in 13 games. He was limited to just nine games a season ago, but he tallied 884 rushing yards and led the country in average yards per carry (8.8). It's tough to know what the Ole Miss run defense will look like early in the season, but last year, it surrendered 149.1 rushing yards per game. Either way, Brown is a must-start in all matchups.
Raleek Brown, Texas
Texas running back Raleek Brown makes his team debut against Texas State on Saturday, so he's set up well in that favorable matchup. Brown transferred in from Arizona State, where he rushed for 1,141 yards and four touchdowns across 186 carries last season; he also had 239 receiving yards and two scores across 34 receptions. Texas also has transfer Hollywood Smothers in the backfield, and it could lead to a split backfield this coming season.
The Longhorns are a high-powered offense, so both backs could shine as fantasy assets, and especially so in matchups like Texas has for Week 1. Looking back to last year, Texas State allowed 164.8 rushing yards per game, and Texas should achieve that with ease this Saturday. Despite being in a split backfield, fantasy owners can confidently start Brown in Week 1, and likely in most matchups going forward.
Antwan Raymond, Rutgers
Rutgers running back Antwan Raymond is set to open his 2026 season on Thursday night against Massachusetts, setting him up for a big spike week to begin the college fantasy football campaign. A first-round pick in preseason drafts, Raymond is expected to be one of the most productive running backs in the nation after tallying 244 carries, 1,241 rushing yards, 18 receptions, 255 receiving yards, and 15 total touchdowns in 2025.
Last season, UMass ranked 134th out of 136 FBS teams in rushing yards allowed per game (221.3). While last season's stats aren't everything, thanks to massive roster turnover in college football, it's difficult to imagine the Minutemen improving drastically in that area. Regardless, the Scarlet Knights have a significant talent advantage in this Week 1 meeting. Needless to say, Raymond is an easy must-start and could contend to lead all running backs in fantasy points.
Jamal Roberts, Missouri
Missouri running back Jamal Roberts is set for a large workload in Missouri's season opener against Arkansas Pine Bluff on Thursday night. With Missouri's All-American running back, Ahmad Hardy (leg), still recovering from a gunshot wound, Roberts is set for a big week of fantasy production. Roberts had a tremendous 2025 campaign rushing for 753 yards and six touchdowns, averaging 10.1 fantasy points per game in a part-time role behind Hardy.
As a team, Missouri ranked eighth in all of college football, averaging 228.3 rushing yards per game last season. Arkansas Pine Bluff was one of the worst FCS defenses last year, allowing 38.2 points per game. Roberts should be ranked as an RB1 until Hardy returns from injury, and he could easily finish as the overall RB1 in Week 1.
Aneyas Williams, Notre Dame
Notre Dame running back Aneyas Williams is listed on top of the depth chart heading into Week 1's matchup with Wisconsin. Williams played in a limited role behind Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price last season, rushing 24 times for 224 yards and five touchdowns.
While Williams is listed as RB1, there are four players listed behind him as RB2. Nolan James Jr., Kedren Young, Jonaz Walton, and Javian Osborne could all see action in what could be a far more committee backfield than we are used to. After all, not even Jeremiyah Love could secure this backfield for himself. Given that Williams was such a high draft pick in college fantasy this season, it may be hard not to start him. That being said, proceed with caution. This game could be lower-scoring than many think, and Williams could see carries split with four other backs.
