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RotoBaller's Week 3 college fantasy football running back rankings for 2026. Set winning CFB fantasy lineups with these RB rankings for the top Power 4 players.
The Week 3 college football slate is just ahead, and it's time for an updated look at the Week 3 college fantasy football running back rankings. Hopefully, you were able to secure some big risers on the waiver wire and have a stable of productive running backs to work with. We're here to help you nail your lineup calls.
RotoBaller's Week 3 CFB fantasy running back rankings include the top 90 ball carriers. These rankings will be updated throughout the week as injury news rolls in. Below, see where key chain-movers such as Daniel Hill, Jamal Rule, Jeremy Payne, Kamari Moulton, Bo Jackson, Evan Dickens, LJ Martin, and more 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 3 College Fantasy Football Running Back Rankings
| Rank | Player Name | Team | Position |
| 1 | Nate Sheppard | DUKE | RB |
| 2 | Wayshawn Parker | UTAH | RB |
| 3 | Wayne Knight | UCLA | RB |
| 4 | DeSean Bishop | TENN | RB |
| 5 | Jadan Baugh | FLA | RB |
| 6 | Caleb Hawkins | OKST | RB |
| 7 | Jamal Rule | NEB | RB |
| 8 | Kamari Moulton | IOWA | RB |
| 9 | Jeremy Payne | TCU | RB |
| 10 | Adam Mohammed | CAL | RB |
| 11 | Joe Jackson | KSU | RB |
| 12 | Justice Haynes | GT | RB |
| 13 | Ja'Kyrian Turner | PITT | RB |
| 14 | Turbo Richard | IU | RB |
| 15 | Darius Taylor | MINN | RB |
| 16 | Jamal Roberts | MIZ | RB |
| 17 | Kewan Lacy | MISS | RB |
| 18 | Daniel Hill | ALA | RB |
| 19 | Bo Jackson | OSU | RB |
| 20 | Fame Ijeboi | PUR | RB |
| 21 | J'Koby Williams | TTU | RB |
| 22 | Mark Fletcher Jr. | MIA | RB |
| 23 | Nate Frazier | UGA | RB |
| 24 | Raleek Brown | TEX | RB |
| 25 | Evan Dickens | BC | RB |
| 26 | Jordon Davison | ORE | RB |
| 27 | Mekhi Nelson | NEB | RB |
| 28 | Cam Cook | WVU | RB |
| 29 | Aneyas Williams | ND | RB |
| 30 | Duke Watson | UCF | RB |
| 31 | Ousmane Kromah | FSU | RB |
| 32 | Marcellous Hawkins | VT | RB |
| 33 | Abu Sama III | WIS | RB |
| 34 | Kedrick Reescano | ARIZ | RB |
| 35 | Hollywood Smothers | TEX | RB |
| 36 | LJ Martin | BYU | RB |
| 37 | Dierre Hill Jr. | ORE | RB |
| 38 | Aiden Flora | ISU | RB |
| 39 | Micah Ford | STAN | RB |
| 40 | Gi'Bran Payne | CIN | RB |
| 41 | Dawson Pendergrass | BAY | RB |
| 42 | DeJuan Williams | MD | RB |
| 43 | King Miller | USC | RB |
| 44 | Fluff Bothwell | MSST | RB |
| 45 | Antwan Raymond | RUTG | RB |
| 46 | Jordan Marshall | MICH | RB |
| 47 | Sedrick Alexander | VAN | RB |
| 48 | Kwinten Ives | NEB | RB |
| 49 | Caleb Komolafe | NU | RB |
| 50 | Isaac Brown | LOU | RB |
| 51 | Dilin Jones | LSU | RB |
| 52 | Ca'Lil Valentine | ILL | RB |
| 53 | Kyson Brown | ASU | RB |
| 54 | Ismail Mahdi | ARIZ | RB |
| 55 | Waymond Jordan | USC | RB |
| 56 | Samuel Singleton | FSU | RB |
| 57 | Jabree Coleman | SC | RB |
| 58 | Micah Welch | COLO | RB |
| 59 | Carson Hansen | PSU | RB |
| 60 | Anthony Woods | UCLA | RB |
| 61 | Makhi Hughes | HOU | RB |
| 62 | Cameron Dickey | TTU | RB |
| 63 | Jeremiah Cobb | AUB | RB |
| 64 | Agyeman Addae | UCF | RB |
| 65 | Jekail Middlebrook | UVA | RB |
| 66 | Kendrick Raphael | SMU | RB |
| 67 | Rodney Fields Jr. | KSU | RB |
| 68 | Isaiah Mozee | NEB | RB |
| 69 | Demon June | UNC | RB |
| 70 | Rueben Owens II | TA&M | RB |
| 71 | Isaiah Augustave | SC | RB |
| 72 | Nolan James Jr. | ND | RB |
| 73 | Easton Miller | ISU | RB |
| 74 | Dylan Edwards | KU | RB |
| 75 | Matt Fuller | SC | RB |
| 76 | Cole Tabb | CIN | RB |
| 77 | Xavier Brown | UVA | RB |
| 78 | Tylik Hill | SYR | RB |
| 79 | CJ Baxter | UK | RB |
| 80 | Ty Clark III | WAKE | RB |
Week 3 College Fantasy Football Running Back News, Outlooks
Daniel Hill, Alabama
Alabama running back Daniel Hill has delivered two good fantasy showings across two weeks and will look to keep things rolling as the competition stiffens. Across two games, Hill has rushed for 151 yards and three touchdowns across 27 carries. He has four receptions for an additional 22 yards.
Bama's top back should be expected to keep producing big fantasy scores, and that makes him an appealing fantasy asset. He's a waiver wire add going into Week 3, when Alabama will host Florida State. The matchups won't get any easier in SEC play later in the season, but the top back for a top-end team is a fantasy player worth rostering and utilizing, so look into adding Hill before it's too late.
Fame Ijeboi, Purdue
Fame Ijeboi has jumped out to an impressive start to the 2026 season, recording over 200 yards rushing on an average of 5.3 yards per carry through Purdue's first two games of the season. Ijeboi went off for 114 yards rushing and three touchdowns during a Week 2 overtime loss at the hands of Wake Forest, doing so while receiving a heavy workload of 27 carries.
He also finished the game with six receptions for 42 yards, proving he is a dual threat out of the backfield and a player fantasy managers should consider adding to their starting lineup this week. Ijeboi went from RB48 in Rotoballer's Week 2 rankings to RB47 with Week 3 approaching. It was a small jump, but we may see him climb even higher after this week's matchup against UCLA, which allowed San Diego State to rush for 144 yards in Week 2.
Ja'Kyrian Turner, Pitt
Pittsburgh running back Ja'Kyrian Turner (undisclosed) is questionable for the team's Week 3 game against Syracuse on Thursday. He last played in Week 1, rushing for 39 yards across 11 carries, while catching four passes for 69 yards and a score. Without Turner around in Week 2 against UCF, Damon Ferguson Jr. led the team with 20 carries for 59 yards and a score.
La'Vell Wright had 13 carries, going for just 35 yards. Quarterback Mason Heintschel also factored into the running game, gaining 13 yards across seven attempts. Getting Turner back could be a big boost for the Panthers' offense, which managed just 12 points and 315 yards without him last week. In Syracuse's first two games, the defense has surrendered 12 points and just 204 yards per contest, so this will be a bit of a stiff test for the Pittsburgh offense.
Matt Fuller, South Carolina
A 125-yard performance from running back Matt Fuller helped power South Carolina to a 45-9 non-conference victory over Towson this past Saturday. Now, the Gamecocks' running back has a chance to continue his upward trajectory with another strong effort in a more difficult matchup against Mississippi in Week 3.
Fuller has averaged 9.5 yards per carry through his first two games, but will go up against a Bulldogs' defense that has allowed its opponents to rush for just 75.5 yards per game, which is the 20th-best mark in the entire country. Fuller is likely to face tougher sledding in this week's matchup. However, through two games, his performance has been encouraging enough for waiver-wire consideration.
J'Koby Williams, Texas Tech
Texas Tech wide receiver J'Koby Williams has started the year strong with a touchdown run in each of the first two games, and he'll look to make it three straight with a score when taking on Houston in Week 3. Along with the two touchdowns, Williams has gained 187 yards across 33 total carries; he also has 10 receptions for 73 yards.
His scores came against Abilene Christian and Oregon State, and the matchups will get tougher moving forward, starting with the ranked matchup against Houston. Williams is a rising fantasy player after the first two weeks, and he's still on the rise as Week 3 games near. Fantasy owners lacking in the running back department should at least look into the possibility of adding the Red Raiders' RB.
Gi'Bran Payne, Cincinnati
Coming off two consecutive 100-plus-yard performances, running back Gi'Bran Payne will look to stay hot as Cincinnati takes on Miami of Ohio at home this week. The Bearcats' running back carried the ball 14 times for 108 yards in Cincinnati's season opener against Boston College before ripping off 8.5 yards per carry on his way to a 102-yard, two-touchdown effort against Western Carolina in Week 2.
Payne will now take on a Redhawks' defense that allowed Pitt to rush for 166 yards in Week 1. The Cincinnati ball carrier is ranked RB74 in RotoBaller's Week 3 rankings and is projected to score 7.7 fantasy points against Miami (OH).
