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Fantasy football rankings - running backs (RB) Week 1 rankings early edition for 2026. Read the top-accuracy fantasy football RB rankings.
Hey RotoBallers! Week 1 kicks off Wednesday with the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots. We have been pumping out fantasy football content all draft season; now it's time to focus on setting those winning Week 1 lineups. Today, we focus on running backs and have ranked the top 90 2026 Half-PPR fantasy football running backs for Week 1. Below, you will find where vital RBs such as Breece Hall, Bucky Irving, David Montgomery, Cam Skattebo, J.K. Dobbins, Jaylen Warren, Quinshon Judkins, and Jadarian Price rank.
Our running back fantasy football rankings for Week 1 are put together by Nick Mariano. Below the rankings, you will also find a summary of the important RB fantasy football news for this week. There are always key injuries and developments to keep track of, so check back throughout the week for updates.
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Week 1 Running Back Rankings for Fantasy Football
Bookmark our PPR rankings, Half-PPR rankings, and standard (non-PPR) rankings
| RB Tier |
RB Rank |
Player Name |
Pos. | Overall Rank |
| 1 | 1 | Jahmyr Gibbs | RB | 1 |
| 1 | 2 | Bijan Robinson | RB | 3 |
| 1 | 3 | Christian McCaffrey | RB | 4 |
| 1 | 4 | Jonathan Taylor | RB | 7 |
| 1 | 5 | Derrick Henry | RB | 8 |
| 1 | 6 | Chase Brown | RB | 10 |
| 2 | 7 | Saquon Barkley | RB | 11 |
| 2 | 8 | Omarion Hampton | RB | 12 |
| 2 | 9 | De'Von Achane | RB | 13 |
| 3 | 10 | Javonte Williams | RB | 14 |
| 3 | 11 | James Cook III | RB | 16 |
| 3 | 12 | Kenneth Walker III | RB | 17 |
| 3 | 13 | Kyren Williams | RB | 19 |
| 3 | 14 | D'Andre Swift | RB | 24 |
| 3 | 15 | Ashton Jeanty | RB | 25 |
| 3 | 16 | Breece Hall | RB | 28 |
| 3 | 17 | Travis Etienne Jr. | RB | 30 |
| 4 | 18 | David Montgomery | RB | 31 |
| 4 | 19 | Cam Skattebo | RB | 33 |
| 4 | 20 | Bucky Irving | RB | 35 |
| 4 | 21 | Rhamondre Stevenson | RB | 38 |
| 4 | 22 | Jaylen Warren | RB | 44 |
| 5 | 23 | Quinshon Judkins | RB | 45 |
| 5 | 24 | Tony Pollard | RB | 50 |
| 5 | 25 | J.K. Dobbins | RB | 52 |
| 5 | 26 | Rico Dowdle | RB | 55 |
| 5 | 27 | Bhayshul Tuten | RB | 56 |
| 5 | 28 | Jeremiyah Love | RB | 57 |
| 5 | 29 | Jordan Mason | RB | 61 |
| 5 | 30 | Jonathon Brooks | RB | 68 |
| 5 | 31 | MarShawn Lloyd | RB | 70 |
| 5 | 32 | Chuba Hubbard | RB | 71 |
| 5 | 33 | Rachaad White | RB | 74 |
| 5 | 34 | Jacory Croskey-Merritt | RB | 81 |
| 5 | 35 | Jadarian Price | RB | 82 |
| 6 | 36 | Chris Rodriguez Jr. | RB | 83 |
| 6 | 37 | Kyle Monangai | RB | 86 |
| 6 | 38 | Blake Corum | RB | 88 |
| 6 | 39 | Kenneth Gainwell | RB | 95 |
| 6 | 40 | Tyler Allgeier | RB | 105 |
| 6 | 41 | Mike Washington Jr. | RB | 108 |
| 6 | 42 | Aaron Jones Sr. | RB | 112 |
| 6 | 43 | RJ Harvey | RB | 114 |
| 6 | 44 | TreVeyon Henderson | RB | 116 |
| 6 | 45 | George Holani | RB | 122 |
| 7 | 46 | Tyjae Spears | RB | 123 |
| 7 | 47 | Dylan Sampson | RB | 130 |
| 7 | 48 | Tank Bigsby | RB | 131 |
| 7 | 49 | Brian Robinson Jr. | RB | 132 |
| 7 | 50 | Roschon Johnson | RB | 141 |
| 7 | 51 | Keaton Mitchell | RB | 143 |
| 7 | 52 | Woody Marks | RB | 146 |
| 7 | 53 | Malik Davis | RB | 155 |
| 7 | 54 | Najee Harris | RB | 156 |
| 7 | 55 | Ray Davis | RB | 159 |
| 7 | 56 | Justice Hill | RB | 166 |
| 7 | 57 | Samaje Perine | RB | 168 |
| 7 | 58 | Chris Brooks | RB | 169 |
| 7 | 59 | Braelon Allen | RB | 174 |
| 7 | 60 | Emmett Johnson | RB | 175 |
| 8 | 61 | Kimani Vidal | RB | 182 |
| 8 | 62 | Sean Tucker | RB | 188 |
| 8 | 63 | Jonah Coleman | RB | 190 |
| 8 | 64 | Jaylen Wright | RB | 202 |
| 8 | 65 | Sione Vaki | RB | 203 |
| 8 | 66 | Alvin Kamara | RB | 204 |
| 8 | 67 | Tyrone Tracy Jr. | RB | 207 |
| 8 | 68 | Seth McGowan | RB | 218 |
| 8 | 69 | Kaelon Black | RB | 222 |
| 8 | 70 | Isaiah Davis | RB | 227 |
| 8 | 71 | Kyle Juszczyk | RB | 230 |
| 8 | 72 | Kaleb Johnson | RB | 234 |
| 8 | 73 | Kendre Miller | RB | 237 |
| 8 | 74 | Ollie Gordon II | RB | 244 |
| 8 | 75 | Jacob Saylors | RB | 246 |
| 9 | 76 | Emanuel Wilson | RB | 248 |
| 9 | 77 | Kaytron Allen | RB | 250 |
| 9 | 78 | Devin Singletary | RB | 257 |
| 9 | 79 | Jordan James | RB | 260 |
| 9 | 80 | LeQuint Allen Jr. | RB | 263 |
| 9 | 81 | Ty Johnson | RB | 265 |
| 9 | 82 | Demond Claiborne | RB | 268 |
| 9 | 83 | Brashard Smith | RB | 270 |
| 9 | 84 | Nicholas Singleton | RB | 272 |
| 9 | 85 | DJ Giddens | RB | 275 |
| 9 | 86 | Will Shipley | RB | 279 |
| 9 | 87 | Dylan Laube | RB | 281 |
| 9 | 88 | Bam Knight | RB | 290 |
| 9 | 89 | Tahj Brooks | RB | 291 |
| 9 | 90 | J'Mari Taylor | RB | 293 |
Week 1 Running Back News
Rhamondre Stevenson, New England Patriots
New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson is expected to see plenty of snaps in Wednesday night's opener against Seattle, according to Chad Graff. Head coach Mike Vrabel pointed to Stevenson's pass protection Monday, saying "the protection for me is what stands out" when discussing what he values in the veteran's game. That part of Stevenson's skill set could keep him on the field regardless of how the carries are divided.
He played 14 games last season, rushing for 603 yards and seven touchdowns on 130 carries while adding 32 catches for 345 yards and two more scores. TreVeyon Henderson's ankle injury could open the door to even more work, but Stevenson already has a strong case for a heavy snap count because New England trusts him to protect the quarterback.
D'Andre Swift, Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears running back D'Andre Swift (abdomen) was back at practice on Monday, according to The Chicago Tribune's Brad Biggs. The Bears held a brisk, 50-minute practice session, but it was good to see both Swift and Kyle Monangai (knee) back on the field. Swift was pulled from last Thursday's practice early with abdominal cramps, so the 27-year-old should be just fine for the Week 1 regular-season opener this Sunday against the Carolina Panthers. Monangai's status is a bit more uncertain after he suffered a hyperextended knee back on Aug. 16 in training camp.
If Monangai is out or limited, Swift could see an even larger piece of the backfield pie to kick things off against Carolina this weekend, making him a must-start low-end RB1/high-end RB2 option as Chicago's starting RB. Swift finished as the RB14 in half-PPR scoring last year, producing 1,087 rushing yards and nine touchdowns on 223 carries while adding 34 receptions for 299 yards and another score through the air in 16 regular-season games. Swift could have an even better year in 2026 if the Bears' offense can take another step forward in head coach Ben Johnson's second season in the Windy City.
Kyle Monangai, Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears running back Kyle Monangai (knee) was back at Monday's practice, according to Brad Biggs of The Chicago Tribune. It was a brisk, 50-minute practice, but it is notable that Monangai was back on the field. Backfield mate D'Andre Swift said that Monangai "looked good" while doing some running before last Wednesday's practice following a hyperextension of his right knee in training camp practice back on Aug. 16. The 24-year-old was being considered week-to-week as early as last week, so although he has returned to practice on Monday, it is not a guarantee that he will be active for Sunday's Week 1 season opener against the Carolina Panthers.
However, with Swift also returning to practice on Monday, the Bears' backfield is looking much healthier entering the season opener. When fully healthy, Monangai, a seventh-rounder last year, will continue to be the primary change-of-pace option behind Swift after he recorded 783 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 169 carries in 2025 as a rookie. If Monangai is active on Sunday, he should be viewed as an RB4/flex option at risk of being on a snap count. If Monangai is inactive against Carolina, Roschon Johnson is expected to serve as the backup to Swift.
De'Von Achane, Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins running back De'Von Achane touched the ball 305 times in 2025, and team beat reporter Kyle Crabbs believes another 300-plus touches are on the table again in Miami's new-look offense. Appearing on NFL Spotlight with Ari Meirov on Monday, Crabbs acknowledged that the mobility of quarterback Malik Willis could cap Achane's targets after seeing 170 opportunities in the passing game over the past two seasons, but he believes the quality of targets could improve with more potential use out of the slot.
Crabbs also profiles Miami as a run-heavy team, with Achane standing significantly above the rest of the team's runners, which include Jaylen Wright and Ollie Gordon II. Achane is RotoBaller's RB11 and should be viewed as a locked-in RB1 option when the Dolphins travel to Vegas to face the Raiders in Week 1.
Who Should I Start Tool
Compare up to four players and we'll tell you who to start...
Week 1 Player Decisions. Today's focus is on specific players: Breece Hall, Bucky Irving, David Montgomery, Cam Skattebo, J.K. Dobbins, Jaylen Warren, Quinshon Judkins, D'Andre Swift, Kyle Monangai, De'Von Achane, and Jadarian Price. These are some of the most common searches for fantasy football lineups in Week 1.
Using The Tool. This is a simple tool but very powerful. The first step is to enter the player names that you want to compare. In the first box, search for the first player name. In the second box, search for the second player name. Compare up to four NFL players at once, and then click the Who To Start? button to see who the recommended starts are based on weekly fantasy football matchups.
Improvements For Who Should I Start? You may have noticed that our 'Who Should I Start?' tool has gotten an overhaul. We've added lots of great features for you to give you as much information as possible to win your fantasy football matchups each week. You'll see NFL player tiles with headshots and bye weeks, stats, projections, strength of schedule, player news, and enhanced search results with data to compare with a slick new interface. We hope you enjoy!
How It Works. Each week, our RotoBaller staff puts together their weekly fantasy football rankings and projections based on their research. That information is the core data that is powering the decision-making in this tool. When you search for player names, you will only see those players who are ranked. If someone is out for the week, they will not appear in the search results.
Scoring Formats. Fantasy football managers play in various types of leagues, and this tool allows you to choose whether it's PPR scoring, Half-PPR scoring, or Standard (Non-PPR) scoring. The second thing you want to do is select the scoring format. There are three small radio buttons (small circle), so click on the scoring format you prefer. The results may vary based on the scoring format you select.
Popular Week 1 Searches. Curious to see some tough lineup decisions for Week 1 (2026)? Below you will find a list of some popular Who Should I Start? searches that RotoBaller readers are looking at this week. Click any of the links to see the result and recommendation.
Popular Week 1 Searches - Start/Sit Player Comparisons
Below are some popular searches and comparisons from our Who To Start tool for Week 1 for Breece Hall, Bucky Irving, David Montgomery, Cam Skattebo, J.K. Dobbins, Jaylen Warren, Quinshon Judkins, D'Andre Swift, Kyle Monangai, De'Von Achane, and Jadarian Price:
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