2026 Fantasy Football Preseason Prep: The Running Backs

Running back is where fantasy drafts are won and lost, and the difference between a championship roster and a middling one often comes down to identifying value before the field catches on. This year's RB rankings feature a mix of established difference-makers who are being undervalued for reasons that don't hold up to scrutiny, boom-or-bust rookies with a clear runway to the starting job, and a couple of late-round dice rolls worth stashing on your bench. From a bell cow in Cincinnati carrying more weight than his ADP suggests to a Vikings sixth-rounder who could be one injury away from relevance, here are five backs worth targeting on draft day.

Chase Brown RB #12 ADP 15

The song I imagine hearing play on repeat in the Bengals locker room between Joe Burrow and Chase Brown’s stalls is Here I Go Again by Whitesnake, as the saga of zero-helpful additions on the O-line continues for yet another season. So, I’m off to a roaring start to create a case for Brown, aren’t I? Oddly enough, the relative weakness of the offensive line doesn’t diminish the value of either Burrow or Chase in my opinion, aside from the fact that if they aren’t healthy they can’t produce. Most experts rank the Bengals offensive line in the bottom three in the league, and I won’t argue with that. 

No sense in bashing the Bengals’ O-line any further, so now onto what really makes Brown an intriguing option for your fantasy squad in 2026. Well, the Bengals didn’t add any new talent to the RB room. Reliable backup Samaje Perine returns, as does second-year RB Tahj Brooks, but neither is capable of pushing Brown for his starting spot. Furthermore, it’s not like Burrow is a threat to run for significant yardage, as he operates best from inside the pocket. The moral of the story here is Brown is a bell cow RB in the NFL, and you want players like that on your roster every opportunity you can get.  

If Chase’s results down the stretch last season were any indication of his capabilities, he certainly could have a season that produces better than his ADP would suggest. Last season he finished with 1,456 yards from scrimmage and 11 touchdowns (6 rushing, 5 receiving), which placed him 8th in the league and the RB #7 in the NFL. From weeks 8-18, he scored a minimum of 15 points per game, and after Burrow returned from injury, Brown averaged over 20 points per game and ranked as the RB3 over that stretch. Furthermore, Brown’s production should be rather stable as he is not just a running back, but a threat to catch passes out of the backfield. His 69 catches last season were fifth among RB’s and establish a strong floor for him entering this season. 

So, if you want the potential of an RB6, and would rather pay an RB9 price for him, target Brown in your drafts. 

Bucky Irving RB #20 ADP 43

If there’s one running back in the NFL that could make a man miss in a phone booth, and is yet to become a household name, it’s Bucky Irving. Irving, a fourth-round pick out of Oregon in 2024, is ready to hit his stride. In his two seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Irving played in 27 games, averaged 4.5 yards per carry, and scored nine touchdowns on the ground. The only hiccup in his progression to becoming an absolute stud, and a more relevant fixture in the fantasy football world, was his shoulder and foot injuries from 2025. Luckily, Irving is reported to be fully recovered from shoulder surgery and is ready to hit the 2026 season at full health.

The Bucs success this season isn’t solely determined by Irving’s results on the field, but the offensive talent this team possesses can’t reach its potential without the help of Irving. One could argue that Irving’s absence last year, which led to Rachaad White needing to be the full-time starter, was the ultimate reason as to why the Bucs never met that tremendous potential. When Irving went down to injury in week 4 last season, the Bucs only managed to go 3-4. That 7-week period threw their season into a complete tailspin; one they wouldn’t recover from. A big reason for that was the lack of efficiency at running back 

In the offseason, the Bucs added versatile veteran running back Kenneth Gainwell, who had a banner year last year with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Gainwell’s track record, though, suggests he’s more a reliable backup to Irving to spell him for stretches, not actually compete with him for starter touches in the backfield. What makes Irving an even more attractive value at his ADP are the players being drafted ahead of him. I, for one, am not a big believer in guys like Josh Jacobs (dealing with his own injuries from 2025), Javonte Williams (receiving efficiency should cost him snaps to Jaydon Blue), and Travis Etienne (I don’t believe Alvin Kamara is just going to roll over and die this season). 

Jadarian Price RB #26 ADP 62

As it stands, RB Zach Charbonnet rests atop the Seattle depth chart at RB, but you and I both know that won’t be the case by midseason as rookie first-round pick Jadarian Price will be the inevitable starter. The Seahawks drafted Price with their first-round pick as the only obvious weakness on their roster going into the season was at running back. With the departure of Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III in the offseason to the Chiefs, the Price was right for Seattle. 

Price, in my opinion, has similar traits and abilities to Raheem Mostert, and for fantasy managers that should be enticing. His suddenness, lightning-fast first step, and ability to operate as a receiver out of the backfield are all skills offensive coordinators covet in their starting running back. His skillset leans towards a three-down back if he can manage to effectively pass block for Sam Darnold. Darnold, not known to be the most mobile of quarterbacks, is going to need to count on Price to keep him upright. If he can do that, Charbonnet’s time is nearing an end, especially because Seattle invested a first-round pick in Price. His ascension to lead back for the defending Super Bowl champs is integral to their success in the near future. Currently taken as the 26th running back off the board, take the calculated risk on talent and youth. 

Jonathon Brooks RB #39 ADP 108

So, has the year finally arrived that Jonathon Brooks breaks out like we’ve all been hoping for? I for one am a believer in not just his talent, but the opportunity in front of him. That plus the dynamics in place from offensive guru head coach David Canales. Last season, the Panthers lacked consistency in the win column, but where a great deal of optimism resides is in Canales’ ability to call the right plays to score. In their 8 wins last season, Carolina averaged 25 points per game and posted 30 or more points in four of those wins. The crescendo to the season was a post-season Wild Card game loss to the LA Rams in which the Panthers posted 31 points. Where Brooks plays perfectly into this system is rather simple: he’s too dynamic to leave on the bench.

Brooks is healthy for the first time in his NFL career. The top-line speed and athleticism we saw in his third year at Texas should return. Vision, pass-pro, receiving ability… he’s got all the things offensive coordinators dream of. His abilities remind me of Joe Mixon, and where Mixon thrived was much of what I just mentioned about Brooks. Granted, we’ve all loved Chuba Hubbard at one time or another in a fantasy football season, but reasonable minds can agree that Hubbard isn’t a dynamic do-it-all back like Brooks is at his best. 

Demond Claiborne RB #71 ADP 221

Every fantasy season is rewritten by a few key injuries at a few important positions. You never know who that’s going to be, or when, but to be ahead of fellow managers scrounging for the player to change their season, you must take a leap of faith. That leap of faith is a diminutive running back who the Minnesota Vikings drafted in the 6th round of this year’s NFL Draft, Demond Claiborne. Where fantasy managers fail in their analysis is seeing a 5’9” ¾” running back with an injury-riddled college career. Here’s my optimistic take on what he could become in an ideal scenario. 

First, let’s consider recent players who were absolute difference-makers at RB under 5’10” over the course of the last 15 NFL seasons. 3x Pro-Bowlers Darren Sproles and Maurice Jones-Drew, 2x Pro-Bowler Devonta Freeman, all-world athlete Austin Ekeler, Pro-Bowler Aaron Jones, and Fantasy monsters Jahmyr Gibbs, De’Von Achane and Dalvin Cook. I’m here to make the case that Claiborne’s ceiling is closer to Achane and Cook than even Freeman.  I’m also here to make the case that he is the one to supplant Jones as Minnesota’s primary back. 

Standing in Claiborne’s way, as their current depth chart suggests, are fifth-year running back Jordan Mason and the aforementioned 31-year-old back Jones. Jones will be playing on a restructured one-year contract of $5.65 million, which, combined with his age, signals he’s nearing the conclusion of his career. In 2024, his first season with the Vikings, Jones set career-highs in carries (255) and rushing yards (1,138). What we saw in 2025, though, was a decline in real time as Jones only appeared in 12 games and had a career-low rush yard average of 4.2 yards per carry.  Though Jones is rather durable by NFL running back standards, I can’t help but envision the lack of rubber left on those tires. Enter Claiborne.

In the 2026 NFL Draft, Claiborne ran the third-fastest 40-yard dash, but otherwise his combine results don’t jump off the page, hence his drop in the draft to the sixth round. What does give me optimism is Claiborne’s ability to do a bit of everything. He’s a versatile receiver, and his pass-blocking skills are above average. Blocking skills aren’t sexy, but they will give him an edge over his fellow RBs, as a young back often makes his mark by sticking up blockers to keep his QB clean. That’s going to matter now, especially with the quarterback competition between still-unproven J.J. McCarthy and newly acquired enigmatic Kyler Murray. I would venture to say keeping either of those guys upright will determine the outcome of the Vikings’ season, especially since Justin Jefferson needs his quarterback to be standing to throw touchdowns his way.