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Quincy Milton's 5 undervalued fantasy football running backs to target in 2026 drafts. His ideal mid-round targets who can become RB1s including Cam Skattebo and more.
Finding gold at the running back position can result in championships in fantasy football. Given how shallow the running back position is, finding one or even two RB1s will give you every advantage on Sundays. Every season there are a handful of running backs who sneak into the RB1 range despite not being drafted there.
Additionally, many fantasy players employ a zero-RB strategy. Doing so allows them to stock up on elite talent at other positions and hope that running backs drafted later hit in a big way. If you employ this strategy and find yourself an RB1, you can cruise to a fantasy championship as a nearly unstoppable force.
For this exercise, we will omit obvious players currently being drafted in, or near, the RB1 range. Outside that range, you can find reasons for or against a player's case to finish in the upper echelon of his position. Let's dive in and see who you could be sleeping on as a potential RB1 in fantasy in 2026.
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Cam Skattebo, New York Giants
FFPC ADP: 43 (RB18)
Cam Skattebo is an interesting prospect in 2026 due to his coming off of a gruesome ankle injury. Conventional wisdom would suggest that Skattebo will need several weeks of ramp-up time to get going. However, there is something about this guy that is just different. He has a toughness and will that is unrivaled in the league.
The Giants have Tyrone Tracy Jr. and Devin Singletary on the roster in addition to Skattebo. Both players are quality backs who could feasibly rotate in regularly. Still, from Weeks 4 through 7 in 2025, when Skattebo took over the backfield, he was consistently receiving 60-75% of the snaps. He was an animal on the ground and through the air, and he was en route to a potential RB1 season.
There is a new Giants regime in town, so we do not yet know what this offense is going to look like. However, Skattebo is certainly talented enough to finish as an RB1. As the offseason has worn on, I have grown less concerned about the injury as well. I am personally targeting Skattebo as a back-end RB2, but if he receives serious volume, he could easily finish as an RB1.
CAM SKATTEBO. POWERFUL TD.
KCvsNYG on NBC
Stream on @NFLPlus + Peacock pic.twitter.com/giI1kvy2l3— NFL (@NFL) September 22, 2025
Travis Etienne Jr., New Orleans Saints
FFPC ADP: 46 (RB19)
Travis Etienne Jr. has finished as RB1 twice in his career. Both times he did so were on the back of double-digit touchdowns. He could absolutely score 10 or more touchdowns in what appears to be an ascending Saints offense in 2026. Etienne struggled on a yards-per-carry basis during his time in Jacksonville, but he is very explosive in the open field.
Head coach Kellen Moore knows how to get the most out of his running backs. He is only a season removed from coordinating Saquon Barkley's magical run to 2,000+ rushing yards. He should have plenty of creative plays schemed up to cater to Etienne's strengths and get him the ball in space. I truly believe this could be a career year for Etienne.
Travis Etienne making moves through the whole defense. @FedEx
JAXvsSF on FOX/FOX Onehttps://t.co/HkKw7uXnxV pic.twitter.com/8VkYwLjsiF
— NFL (@NFL) September 28, 2025
One factor working against Etienne is the presence of Alvin Kamara. Kamara is not the same player he once was, but he will absolutely siphon receiving opportunities away from Etienne. Still, if the yardage and touchdowns go Etienne's way, then fantasy managers will be happy. He is being comfortably drafted as an RB2, and he definitely has upside to sneak into the top 12.
TreVeyon Henderson, New England Patriots
FFPC ADP: 59 (RB24)
TreVeyon Henderson made this list in 2025 after a stellar preseason put him on everyone's radar. He ultimately finished as the RB21, but he played half of the season, ceding significant snaps to Rhamondre Stevenson. Once Henderson was given substantial snaps in Week 9, his stock skyrocketed, and he began playing like an RB1.
When Stevenson reentered the lineup, Henderson cooled off. However, he displayed that he does not need many carries to make a massive impact. While he will not touch the ball 20-25 times per game, he will certainly surpass the roughly 10 touches he was receiving before Week 9. If Henderson settles into a rhythm of 15 to 18 touches per game, he will be plenty valuable in fantasy.
TreVeyon Henderson takes off for 55 yards and a touchdown!
NEvsTB on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/xZtvUZTvId
— NFL (@NFL) November 9, 2025
Reports from camp suggest that Henderson still has some cleanup to do in pass protection. That will keep him from being the majority snap earner, but this should be closer to a 50/50 split. Keep in mind that Stevenson only surpassed 35% of the snaps twice in his first eight games last season. It would be shocking to see that continue.
While I am not actively targeting Henderson as an RB1 in 2026, I would be ecstatic to have him as an RB2 with upside for much more. Fortunately, he is being drafted around his finish from 2025. That feels like his floor, and he may be worth reaching a couple of spots to ensure you grab him.
Jadarian Price, Seattle Seahawks
FFPC ADP: 65 (RB26)
Jadarian Price's range of outcomes is wide. He is entering one of the run-heaviest offenses in the NFL. Opportunities will be there. Additionally, Price is competing with only George Holani for the top running back spot in Seattle, with Zach Charbonnet still recovering from an ACL tear. He is a first-round pick whom the Seahawks would like to get on the field quickly.
The main factor working against Price is his college production profile, or lack thereof. While playing behind generational talent Jeremiyah Love at Notre Dame, Price never notched a 1,000-yard season. He also only caught 15 passes in college, which is very important in fantasy. Still, Price rushed for 6.0 yards per carry during his collegiate career, and his tape suggests that he is much better than his production.
.@NDFootball RB Jadarian Price was cruising for a 4.5u on his first run.
2026 NFL Combine on @nflnetwork
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/z5wadFLqZO— NFL (@NFL) February 28, 2026
I am willing to forgive Price's lack of college production considering who his running mate was. This is a guy who could be the No. 1 back on a good offense that wants to run the ball. He is well worth his price in the RB30 range. If he ends up receiving the majority of the work and sees a bump in targets, Price's explosiveness could easily land him in the RB1 range at season's end.
Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Washington Commanders
FFPC ADP: 115 (RB41)
This is a deep sleeper selection. Jacory Croskey-Merritt is perfect for fantasy managers looking to employ a zero RB strategy. He is practically free in drafts in the double-digit rounds. As a fantasy community, we could be severely sleeping on JCM despite Washington's running back room being a bit crowded.
The 2025 seventh-round pick racked up 805 rushing yards and eight touchdowns in 2025. Let's not forget those eight scores came in a lackluster offense that was missing quarterback Jayden Daniels for much of the season. Croskey-Merritt was also relatively efficient, averaging 4.6 yards per carry. He only received 175 carries, and his efficiency speaks to his explosiveness.
Jacory Croskey-Merritt named Week 15 @pepsi Zero Sugar Rookie of the Week 👏 pic.twitter.com/cgupfkpXc2
— NFL (@NFL) December 18, 2025
There is a lot of room for growth here too. For starters, Chris Rodriguez Jr. and his 112 carries have left for Jacksonville. Rodriguez also scored six touchdowns of his own. A couple of those could go to Croskey-Merritt.
JCM also caught just nine passes in 2025. The presence of Rachaad White will not allow that number to jump up too high, but even 25 to 30 receptions would be a massive upgrade. Either way, there is a path to something close to a workhorse role for Croskey-Merritt.
Croskey-Merritt is not someone worth building a team around if you are not going zero RB, but there is a reason for optimism. This offense should be better with a healthy Daniels. The team is also leaning into a heavier running scheme with David Blough replacing Kliff Kingsbury as the offensive coordinator. Croskey-Merritt seems entrenched as the No. 1 back, so the opportunities should be there.
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Below are some popular searches and comparisons from our Who To Draft tool for 2026 drafts for Cam Skattebo, Jadarian Price, Jacory Croskey-Merritt, TreVeyon Henderson, Travis Etienne Jr.:
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