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Zach analyzes the top fantasy football RB committees, looking for fantasy football RB breakouts heading into Week 3 (2026). Read his key takeaways about six RB committees.
We're already two weeks into the new fantasy football season, and whether your team is riding high and undefeated or looking to crawl out of an early hole, it's important to keep up with the latest situations in backfields around the league. With multiple injuries already piling up, the running back landscape is shifting, and it's time to get your roster ready with bye weeks just around the corner. With multiple players sharing the load in many backfields, more depth options at RB are available for fantasy managers to consider.
With another full week of 32 teams in action in Week 3, let's take a look at how a few key situations with upside are playing out so far this season. 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 running back who is trending up to your fantasy lineup, check out the latest from each of these committees headed into Week 3.
What can we learn from the work distribution in Week 2, and how does it change our projections going forward? What follows are my breakdowns of the backfields in Denver, Green Bay, New York, Pittsburgh, Seattle, and Washington. We've got lots to get to, so let's jump in!
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Broncos Committee: Injuries Opening Doors
The Broncos started the year with J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey splitting the work in Week 1, while rookie Jonah Coleman played just three snaps. In Week 2, though, the timeshare significantly shifted due to injuries.
Harvey picked up a hamstring injury and was limited in practice before being listed as questionable and ultimately ruled out. Dobbins started and got most of the work early, but he also departed with a hamstring injury, opening the door for Coleman to step in and play most of the snaps down the stretch, with Tyler Badie also mixing in.
Coleman seized the opportunity and finished with 39 rushing yards on 10 carries and three catches for 19 yards. He scored his first NFL touchdown at a critical point in the game, and he looked very effective down the stretch with both Dobbins and Harvey out.
The rookie Jonah Coleman gives the Broncos a fourth quarter lead 🐴
JAXvsDEN on CBS/Paramount+
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/wpnL52qLn8— NFL (@NFL) September 20, 2026
How involved Coleman remains will be fascinating to watch. He played well enough to earn more time, even if Harvey and Dobbins return. He is a big back who can excel around the goal line, but he is also very strong on passing downs and has drawn praise from coach Sean Payton for his blocking and pass-catching.
Since those situations are especially important for fantasy production, Coleman is one of the top pickups on most leagues' waiver wires this week. There is a chance, though, that Dobbins, Harvey, or both are back in action this week, which would make any of the three backs hard to trust.
There's definitely excellent upside in the Broncos' run game, but the roles are very undefined if everyone is healthy, which makes it a high-risk situation. If either Harvey or Dobbins misses Week 3, though, Coleman will get another chance to step up in the timeshare. The Broncos host the Rams in an excellent Sunday Night Football matchup in Week 3.
Packers Committee: Was that a Kaleb Johnson takeover?
The Packers used a combination of MarShawn Lloyd and Chris Brooks in Week 1, with new acquisition Kaleb Johnson not getting onto the field at all. Neither back was very effective in the loss to the Vikings, but in Week 2, Lloyd did get into the end zone on one of his two catches for six yards. He also ran a little more effectively with 20 rushing yards on six carries.
However, Lloyd lost a costly fumble on the Packers' first play of the fourth quarter, and he did not get a single touch after that mishap. Instead, Johnson did most of the work and got the start in overtime. He started the Packers' game-winning drive with an 11-yard run and worked in tandem with Brooks to set up the walk-off field goal.
After the game, Coach Matt LaFleur seemed to indicate that Johnson could be more involved going forward.
Kaleb Johnson could earn more opportunities as his comfort in the offense and protection schemes grows.
Matt LaFleur: “I thought there were some good stuff. You know, I think, you know, you start off overtime and he rips off, was that a 12-yard run or something like that? Off… pic.twitter.com/aljQ8LTjzF
— MicNuggets (@micnuggetsnfl) September 20, 2026
Johnson played 27% of snaps in Week 2, matching Lloyd's total exactly. Brooks ended up with 46% of snaps and finished with 11 rushing yards on four carries and a 15-yard reception.
Lloyd, Johnson, and Brooks each have potential upside for as long as Josh Jacobs (personal) is out, which is still undetermined. In Week 2, Johnson looked like he had a good chance to seize the job and was the most effective of the three options. He hasn't been able to realize the potential that made him a third-round pick of the Steelers before last season, but he could be in a spot to thrive in the coming weeks.
Lloyd got most of the buzz coming into the season when it was clear that Jacobs would miss time, but he has not gotten anything going and now has fumble issues to overcome. He's hard to start in most leagues at this point, although he is worth holding unless a better option is on the waiver wire.
Giants Committee: More Than a Dart Throw?
The Giants lost on Monday Night Football to the Rams, and more importantly, they lost Jaxson Dart (knee) for an extended period of time, possibly the entire rest of the season. With Dart likely unavailable, the entire offense changes under Jameis Winston.
Cam Skattebo still seemed like the top running back, playing 61% of the snaps in Week 1 and 59% of snaps in Week 2. However, coach John Harbaugh typically rotates multiple running backs into the game, and in Week 2, Najee Harris entered the mix. Harris didn't play in Week 1, but in Week 2, he got 14% of snaps, including a pair of key red-zone touches. Skattebo had 12 carries for 36 yards, while Harris managed just six yards on his four carries.
While Tyrone Tracy Jr. did not play any snaps despite overcoming his illness from earlier in the week, Devin Singletary remained involved with 26% of snaps and nine yards on three carries.
Skattebo still has the most upside and ability to make plays in this offense, but the offense may be much less effective without Dart, which makes the situation unclear. If you drafted Skattebo, you can continue to play him, but watch his red zone chances carefully since he does lose value if Harris or Singletary gets those critical opportunities.
Cam Skattebo with the moves 😮💨@NYGvsLAR on ESPN
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/JsOpYbQQhB— NFL (@NFL) September 22, 2026
Steelers Committee: Rotating Roles
The Steelers offense struggled in Week 2, managing only three points against the Patriots. They fell to 1-1 coming into a pair of divisional games against the Bengals and the Browns in the next two weeks.
For the second straight week, Jaylen Warren led the way on the ground, taking his 11 carries for 43 yards after 10 carries for 46 yards in Week 1. Warren also finished second on the team in receiving yards with 24 on his two catches. After only playing 37% of snaps in Week 1, he played 71% of snaps in Week 2.
Rico Dowdle played 58% of snaps in Week 1, but he left in Week 2 after playing just 26% of snaps. He was carted to the locker room with a toe injury and is considered day-to-day, according to the latest reports.
Rico Dowdle Considered Day-to-Day With Toe Injury https://t.co/jJ2W0bIgyh
— RotoBaller NFL (@RotoBallerNFL) September 22, 2026
He could miss Week 3's matchup with the Bengals, leaving Warren to carry the workload. The Bengals have been very solid against the run, though, so Warren will still be touchdown-reliant based on his effectiveness and role in the offense. If the Steelers still want to rotate another option with Warren, veteran Travis Homer or rookie Eli Heidenreich could get a few more snaps and potentially work their way into the rotation going forward.
Seahawks Committee: Is Jadarian Price still right?
The Seahawks improved to 2-0 by rolling over the Cardinals in Week 2, although most of their success came from relying on superstar receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba instead of the running game.
In the bigger picture, the team continues to await the return of Zach Charbonnet (knee), who is on the PUP list and out for at least two more weeks. While Charbonnet is out, rookie Jadarian Price and George Holani are splitting the work. With Price banged up after suffering a chest injury, Emanuel Wilson also entered the mix in Week 2, leading the backfield with 92 rushing yards on 21 carries.
It was crazy how much the Cardinals were dreading trying to tackle Emanuel Wilson in the fourth quarter. Just bouncing off guys, running through arm tackles left and right. #Seahawks pic.twitter.com/60OhN4N7MQ
— Corbin K. Smith (@CorbinSmithNFL) September 21, 2026
Most of Wilson's work came in the fourth quarter with a big lead and Price on the sideline, but he ran effectively enough to definitely deserve attention and could rotate in more until Charbonnet returns.
Price seems to have avoided major injury, according to Mike Macdonald, but if Price misses any time, Wilson would be a great play next week on the road at the Commanders. Week 4 is another favorable matchup against the Chargers, so Wilson definitely brings appeal as a short-term waiver wire add, given Price's uncertainty.
Long-term, Price also probably has enough value to be held on to since he will likely remain the top option when he's healthy. He's also the most likely running back to mix with Charbonnet further down the road. The star rookie may be hard to start if his shoulder injury limits his reps this week, but he brings enough upside to still be viable in very favorable matchups over the next two weeks.
Commanders Committee:
On the other side of that matchup in Washington, D.C., the Commanders are mixing running backs as well. In Week 1, Jacory Croskey-Merritt played the most snaps, but in Week 2, it was Rachaad White who got most of the work. Both backs will have more potential responsibility in the offense for at least the next few weeks after Jayden Daniels' (elbow) injury.
Daniels led the team with 69 rushing yards before his departure, and White was also effective on his seven carries for 43 yards. White also added value out of the backfield as a safety valve in the passing game, finishing with six catches on six targets for 40 more yards.
White showing some great skill and agility on this catch, spin, and run.
A new weapon emerges in Washington...#RaiseHail pic.twitter.com/AeFz0YQ3ph
— Chad Ryan (@ChadwikoTWW) September 20, 2026
Croskey-Merritt only totaled 43 yards on his team-high 12 carries but still seems to be the preferred early-down option. He and White will likely continue to share time in the backfield, with Kaytron Allen getting a few touches each week as well. White's PPR potential puts him on the FLEX radar in PPR leagues, while Bill is still involved enough to be a touchdown-dependent deep league flex option as well.
With Marcus Mariota stepping in for Daniels, the offense will have a different feel for the next few weeks, but White seemed to be a solid fit with him in their time together in Week 2. Since he's getting the passing-down work, he seems like the slightly better fantasy option at this point, although both backs still come with upside.
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