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Matt's running back (RB) fantasy football start 'em, sit 'em picks for Week 1 of 2026. His RB lineups advice for Week 1 fantasy football start/sit decisions.
Week 1 running back decisions can be some of the toughest calls of the season because workload, offensive roles, and game plans are still projections rather than established trends. However, there are a couple of players you don't need to overthink. If you drafted Jahmyr Gibbs or Bijan Robinson, these are set-and-forget running backs who belong in your lineup every week.
Once you move beyond Gibbs and Robinson, Week 1 becomes much more interesting. Fantasy managers will have to decide which running backs deserve a starting spot and which ones should remain on the bench. Some players have favorable matchups but questionable workloads, while others may have tremendous talent but face defenses capable of shutting down the run. That's where understanding opportunity becomes critical.
In this Week 1 Running Back Starts and Sits breakdown, we're separating the must-start players from the potential traps and identifying the backs who could give your fantasy lineup an early advantage.
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Week 1 - Potential Fantasy Football Booms
Omarion Hampton - RB, Los Angeles Chargers vs. Arizona Cardinals
Last season, the Arizona Cardinals allowed the third-most fantasy points per game to opposing running backs, allowing 22.0 fantasy points per game. For fantasy managers rostering Omarion Hampton, you have to be grinning from ear to ear as Hampton is poised to handle a heavy workload during the 2026 season.
Last season, on a per-game basis, Hampton averaged 15.12 fantasy points and was the RB13. Most rankings you see have Hampton projected in the RB10-13 range. However, due to injury, Hampton suited up for just nine contests last season.
Omarion Hampton goes 54 yards for the TD!
LACvsNYG on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXnxV pic.twitter.com/G9X4Jx5KPG
— NFL (@NFL) September 28, 2025
There was a time when no one knew what De'Von Achane was capable of doing in these fantasy streets, a time before Mike McDaniel unleashed Achane on opposing defenses. Even Raheem Mostert was fantasy relevant, rushing for 18 touchdowns in 2023. McDaniel has had a running back finish as an RB1 in three straight seasons. Now, we get to see exactly how McDaniel plans to exploit defenses with Hampton.
The Chargers are heavy favorites (around -10.5). Arizona is likely to fall behind, giving Hampton a high-floor rushing opportunity plus some receiving work.
Bucky Irving - RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Cincinnati Bengals
Before his injury last season (Weeks 1-4), Bucky Irving was third among all RBs in both receptions (19) and receiving YPG (48.3). Irving has been a really efficient receiver out of the backfield with a career 1.79 YPRR since entering the NFL, ranking second only to Christian McCaffrey. Most expect Kenny Gainwell to come in and be the receiving back, but Irving may hand the role over easily.
BUCKY IRVING 72-YARD TD
PHIvsTB on FOX/FOX Onehttps://t.co/HkKw7uXnxV pic.twitter.com/a4mwpvFFUz
— NFL (@NFL) September 28, 2025
When we last saw a healthy Irving, it was his rookie season, when he averaged 5.4 yards per carry and scored eight rushing touchdowns on his way to a 1,100-yard rushing campaign. In that rookie season, Irving also caught 47 of 52 targets for an additional 392 yards. He is fully cleared after offseason shoulder surgery and was described as “full-go” heading into camp -- no current injury designation for Week 1.
Cincinnati ranked 32nd in rushing yards allowed (147.1 per game) and 31st in yards per carry allowed (5.21); only the Giants allowed more yards per carry (5.52) than the Bengals (start Javonte Williams) in 2025, and they allowed the second-most fantasy points per game to the position (23.7).
Ashton Jeanty - RB, Las Vegas Raiders vs. Miami Dolphins
Should you be worried about the ankle? Probably. That said, I hope you add Mike Washington Jr. as an insurance policy. If Jeanty is deemed inactive, Washington is an easy pivot in a favorable matchup.
Last season, the Dolphins allowed 19.9 fantasy points per game to opposing running backs, the eighth most. They allowed 4.81 yards per carry and 1,822 rushing yards, and that was with Tyrel Dodson and Minkah Fitzpatrick, who are no longer with the team.
We’ve heard all offseason how Klint Kubiak was going to use two backs. Well, that hasn’t changed. Last season, Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet each averaged 11.4 fantasy points per contest, as Kubiak’s 2025 backfields averaged 16% more expected fantasy points per game than the Raiders’ 2025 backfield.
Jeanty was productive last season thanks to his pass-catching ability. While the ankle injury could restrict his ability to cut, he should still be productive as a receiver out of the backfield. In that case, Jeanty has a solid floor in PPR formats if active.
Week 1 - Potential Fantasy Football Busts
Rhamondre Stevenson - RB, New England Patriots at Seattle Seahawks
The love for Rhamondre Stevenson heading into the 2026 season is legit. We are talking about a back who averaged 4.6 yards per carry last season and essentially took over the Patriots backfield when it mattered the most.
Here’s the thing: one of those contests down the stretch was in the Super Bowl against this very same Seattle Seahawks team. In that game, Stevenson was held to 23 rushing yards on seven carries, averaging 3.3 yards per attempt. Stevenson saved face in fantasy thanks to five receptions for 40 yards and a touchdown.
TreVeyon Henderson 65-YARD TD.
BUFvsNE on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/XricJljnG9
— NFL (@NFL) December 14, 2025
While Stevenson got the touches late in the season, TreVeyon Henderson was a factor early on. Henderson averaged 5.1 yards per carry in the regular season, finishing just shy of 1,000 yards rushing while adding 35 receptions for an additional 221 yards. While Stevenson had more receiving yards, Henderson led the Patriots in rushing in what was a 50/50 split in the backfield for the majority of the season.
Expect the Patriots to return to a committee approach in the backfield and ride the hot hand when possible. Playing on Wednesday night is hard enough; facing the Seahawks, who allowed the third-fewest rushing yards, the fewest yards per carry, the fewest rushing touchdowns, and sported the lowest fantasy points per game against running backs, makes this a must-avoid matchup.
Quinshon Judkins - RB, Cleveland Browns at Jacksonville Jaguars
I’m not a doctor, but I am smart enough to know when it’s best to fade a player for a week and see how he handles the load after he returns to the lineup following a significant injury. There’s a lot of significance there.
Judkins had surgery on December 23, 2025, to repair a fractured fibula and dislocated right ankle, neither of which sounds ideal on their own, let alone together. Judkins was cleared and has no injury designation, but that doesn’t simply stop any concerns.
The one thing I'd watch is workload, not whether he can play. Judkins briefly missed practices in August with what Browns coach Todd Monken described as "a little something nagging, nothing big," but he returned to practice shortly afterward. It may take a few weeks until Judkins can effectively handle a full workload, and even then Dylan Sampson will be the primary option in the passing game out of the backfield.
This week's matchup is as tough as it gets. No team allowed fewer rushing yards last season than the Jacksonville Jaguars (1,151), holding opposing backs to 3.86 yards per carry. This is a game in which the script could flip quickly and negatively as the Browns play catch-up against an opportunistic Jaguars secondary.
Jadarian Price - RB, Seattle Seahawks vs. New England Patriots
In 2025, New England allowed a −1.02 defensive rushing EPA per game; it also allowed the third-fewest fantasy points per game (14.1), the fifth-fewest rushing yards, and the sixth-fewest yards per carry (3.93). A significant portion of Price’s fantasy value depends on volume rather than established receiving production, which could prove to be difficult in his first NFL start.
Reports indicate Price will handle early down work, but George Holani is expected to handle third downs, short-yardage, and goal-line snaps. That limits Price’s receiving opportunities and especially his touchdown upside.
While we all want the heavy-workhorse workload for Price, we also need to be aware that Price missed time in camp with muscle/upper-leg soreness. He did not play a single preseason snap, so the Patriots will be his “welcome to the league” moment. Seattle deliberately kept him out.
Head coach Mike Macdonald cited the team's lack of healthy running backs and said they didn't want to expose their first-round pick to unnecessary preseason hits. Price participated in practice and eventually worked with the first-team offense.
With so much uncertainty surrounding Price’s debut and the game happening on Wednesday, it’s best to look elsewhere and watch this unfold from afar.
Who Should I Start Tool
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Week 1 Player Decisions. Today's focus is on specific players: Omarion Hampton, Quinshon Judkins, Bucky Irving, Ashton Jeanty, Jadarian Price, Rhamondre Stevenson. 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 circles), 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 Omarion Hampton, Quinshon Judkins, Bucky Irving, Ashton Jeanty, Jadarian Price, Rhamondre Stevenson:
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