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Zach analyzes the top fantasy football RB committees, looking for fantasy football RB breakouts heading into Week 2 (2026). Read his key takeaways about five RB committees.
The fantasy football season got off to a high-scoring start in Week 1, and several teams were especially impressive with new-look or overhauled offenses. While there weren't many running back injuries, several spots stood out as places to find value as teams rotate running backs through as part of a timeshare at the position. With multiple players sharing the load, more depth options are available for fantasy managers to consider.
With another full week in Week 2, it's time to start making adjustments and getting your fantasy squad in top shape. Matchups, game flow, and injuries can impact who plays each week and for how long, with coaches always looking for a "hot hand" to ride. If you're also looking to add a surging running back to your fantasy lineup, check out the latest from each of these committees headed into Week 2.
What can we learn from the work distribution in Week 1, and how does it change our projections going forward? What follows are my breakdowns of the backfields in Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, Minnesota, Chicago, and Carolina, along with a few other situations to watch closely at the bottom of the post. We've got lots to get to, so let's jump in!
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Rams Committee: Crying for Kyren?
One of the most disappointing Week 1 losses was the Rams' defeat in Australia, where the team came out flat and fell to the 49ers. As they did most of last season, the Rams split work in the backfield between Kyren Williams and Blake Corum.
Williams remains the clear primary option, especially near the end zone and on passing downs. He played 39 snaps (64%) and finished with 11 carries for 41 yards and a touchdown. He also caught all three of his targets after running 19 routes and finished with 24 more receiving yards.
KYREN WILLIAMS WITH THE FIRST TD IN MELBOURNE 🇦🇺
SFvsLAR on Netflix pic.twitter.com/CjFycKPGBm
— NFL (@NFL) September 11, 2026
Corum only ran one route, but he almost matched Williams' rushing workload, taking 10 carries for 54 yards on his 14 snaps (23%). Corum was more efficient than Williams, but since Williams gets the receiving and red-zone work, Corum's ceiling is limited.
Once the game was decided, Ronnie Rivers played the final series, rushing for 19 yards on five carries and adding a five-yard reception as well. Rivers seems to clearly be the RB3, but won't figure into the rotation unless the game is lopsided.
The Rams will look to bounce back in Week 2 as they come back to the United States and host the Giants, who held up well against the Cowboys offense in Week 1. Williams is a solid RB2 even though he doesn't get all the work, since he does catch passes and score touchdowns.
Corum should be held if possible as well, although he's a little hard to start until he gets more work in those especially productive fantasy situations.
Steelers Committee: Rotating Roles
The Steelers got a win in Week 1, taking down the Falcons, 20-13. With Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr. both unavailable, Cooper Rush started for Atlanta, and the Steelers defense carried the day. Aaron Rodgers still attempted 40 passes in coach Mike McCarthy's Steelers debut, while the run game was limited in its effectiveness.
Jaylen Warren led the way with 10 carries for 46 yards, but he played only 25 snaps (37%). Warren was also targeted six times in the passing game, giving him 16 touches during his 25 plays on the field. He did have a fumble, but other than that, he looked like the better option in the Steelers backfield for this week.
Rico Dowdle actually got more plays on the field, playing 39 snaps (58%), but he managed only 15 rushing yards on his eight carries and added six more yards with two catches on five targets.
The two backs rotated fairly evenly in this contest, rotating drives after Warren started both halves. Warren will need to clean up his fumble issues, but if he does, he could claim even more of the timeshare.
For Week 2, the Steelers head to New England to take on a solid Patriots defense looking to bounce back from their Week 1 loss. Warren is the better play of the two backs, but he's best used as an RB3 or FLEX play since he isn't getting enough of the work to be a top-20 option.
Dowdle does still have big-game upside and clearly has the trust of the coaching staff, so he remains a good depth option to hold onto at this point, even though he's a high-risk, touchdown-dependent FLEX play in Week 2.
Vikings Committee: Aaron Jones Sr. Keeping Up
The Vikings had to go a little more run-heavy in their game against the Packers after losing Kyler Murray (concussion) to injury. Both Aaron Jones Sr. and Jordan Mason had solid fantasy days since they found the end zone in the team's 39-22 win.
Aaron Jones gives the Vikings the lead!
GBvsMIN on CBS/Paramount+
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/BiCfrUeIuC— NFL (@NFL) September 13, 2026
Jones played 30 snaps (46%) against his old team and took 12 carries for 40 yards and that score. He didn't catch his one target and ran nine routes.
Mason played 29 snaps (45%) and took his 15 carries for 59 rushing yards to go with his rushing touchdown. He also ran exactly nine routes but was not targeted in the passing game.
Throughout the preseason, the buzz was that Mason was outplaying Jones and would take over a larger share of the work. While he still offers slightly more upside, it looks like a very even timeshare at this point. In Week 2, the Vikings visit the high-scoring Bears and may try to keep Chicago's offense off the field by leaning heavily on Jones and Mason.
Mason brings a little more upside and big-play ability, so he's a slightly better FLEX option or RB3 in Week 2. Jones is a little more established and seems a little more involved in the passing game, but both backs really need to get into the end zone to be strong fantasy options.
They each got four red-zone touches in Week 1, so the timeshare continues even near the goal line. Both backs are definitely worth holding in their current split, with the potential for either to emerge as an RB2 if they can take over the lion's share of the work.
Bears Committee: Roaring Success
The Bears had the highest point total of any team in Week 1, racking up 59 points in their road win in Carolina. Coach Ben Johnson's goal of chasing the scoring record seems a lot less crazy after that showing, and the running back rotation was a big part of their success against the Panthers. No running back room in the NFL had more fantasy points than the Bears, and both options ended up with big days.
D'Andre Swift had 18 carries for 124 yards and three touchdowns to lead the way as one of the best running backs of the week. He caught his only target for 10 yards as well while playing 43 snaps (57%).
Kyle Monangai played 32 snaps (43%) and took 10 carries for exactly 100 yards while scoring the longest touchdown of the game with this 61-yard scamper.
61-yard Kyle Monangai TD!
CHIvsCAR on FOX/FOX One
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/ni8sWMbta3— NFL (@NFL) September 13, 2026
In Week 2, the Bears face the Vikings, who totally shut down the Packers' ground game in Week 1. The Bears have enough offensive work to go around, and both running backs will remain involved. Swift is clearly the top option, but Monangai will get enough work to also be startable when he finds the end zone, especially on long runs like he had last week.
Swift is a solid RB2 with RB1 upside, while Monangai is a low-end RB3 with FLEX or even RB2 upside if he gets into the end zone. If you drafted Swift, you definitely will take his big game and hope for more of the same, while it makes sense to wait on playing Monangai to make sure his role is consistent if you have the roster flexibility to do so.
Panthers Committee: Chuba Hubbard Holds On
On the other side of that high-scoring matchup, the Panthers running backs also worked in a timeshare with upside.
Most of the production in Week 1 came from Chuba Hubbard, who played the vast majority of snaps with 48 (71%) and a team-high four touches in the red zone. Hubbard found the end zone as a rusher and as a receiver, finishing with 38 receiving yards on three catches and 49 rushing yards on 10 carries to go with his two touchdowns.
Chuba Hubbard ties it to keep up this high-scoring game
CHIvsCAR on FOX/FOX One
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/lsGTF5Wnda— NFL (@NFL) September 13, 2026
No other running back had any red-zone touches, but Jonathon Brooks did play 13 snaps (19%), and AJ Dillon played seven snaps (10%) on the closing drive with the game decided.
Brooks showed off his upside with a 48-yard catch and added four rushes for 14 more yards. He still brings sizzle and long-term upside as long as he's healthy, but he'll need to get more work before he can be a reliable starter in most leagues.
Hubbard will remain the top option for fantasy in Carolina as the focus of the offense in Week 2 when they take on the Falcons in Atlanta. He is a strong RB2 with RB1 upside even if he continues to share some time with Brooks.
At the same time, Brooks is a home-run threat who brings a high ceiling but is high-risk in his limited role. Until he proves he can stay healthy and contribute in a bigger role, he's best stashed on the bench for now in all but the very deepest of leagues.
Other Committees to Watch
Washington Commanders: The Commanders split work fairly evenly between Jacory Croskey-Merritt (49% of snaps) and Rachaad White (41%). Croskey-Merritt got much more work with 16 carries for 63 yards and a touchdown, while White had seven carries for 22 yards. Croskey-Merritt seems to be the primary back, with White as a change-of-pace play. However, Croskey-Merritt fumbled, which could cause him to lose work if it continues to be a problem.
Seattle Seahawks: Rookie Jadarian Price (48%) and George Holani (46%) split playing time fairly evenly as well, but Price was far more productive with 52 rushing yards, compared to 29 for Holani. Holani is the reliable option, but Price brings more home-run potential and upside. As he settles in, he'll likely take more of the load, although Holani still has touchdown-reliant upside.
Denver Broncos: On Monday Night Football, the Broncos had to play from behind against the Chiefs, which led to limited rushing opportunities (only 11 running back carries). J.K. Dobbins (43%) got 36 yards on his eight carries, while RJ Harvey (51%) had just 18 yards on three carries. Harvey saved his day with four catches for 23 yards, though, making him the slightly better option even though Dobbins got more carries.
Green Bay Packers: With Josh Jacobs out, the Packers turned to MarShawn Lloyd (44%) and Chris Brooks (56%), while Kaleb Johnson (0%) was not a factor. Lloyd had 13 carries for 37 yards, and Brooks had seven carries for 29 yards, neither inspiring much confidence. Each back had one target and no catches as well, and until one emerges, it's hard to use any Packers backs against the Jets in Week 2.
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