Every year there are a handful of players I end up drafting significantly more than everyone else. Sometimes it’s because I’m higher on the talent, sometimes it’s because I believe the market is overlooking a change in situation, and sometimes I simply think the player’s ceiling is being undervalued.
These are my guys at running back entering the 2026 fantasy football season. From Omarion Hampton potentially making the jump into the elite tier to Rachaad White being practically free in drafts, these are six running backs I’m planting my flag on this year.
1. Omarion Hampton, Los Angeles Chargers
Omarion Hampton’s rookie season was derailed by an ankle injury, but we saw enough before he went down for me to believe he can make the jump into the elite tier this year. Hampton averaged 17 touches and 95 total yards through his first four games before suffering the injury in Week 5, while also showing legitimate three-down ability with 32 receptions on 35 targets across his nine games. The rushing efficiency was just as encouraging early in the year, with Hampton posting a 7.4% explosive run rate, 19% missed tackle rate, and 2.54 yards after contact per attempt through those first four games, according to Fantasy Points Data. He finished his rookie season with 737 total yards and five touchdowns despite playing only nine games.
Now Hampton gets Mike McDaniel, which is one of my favorite coaching changes for any running back this offseason. McDaniel’s offenses have ranked third, third, and seventh in running back target rate over his last three seasons, and Hampton already proved as a rookie that he can be heavily involved as a receiver. Los Angeles also invested heavily in improving an offensive line that was destroyed by injuries last season. Hampton has the first-round draft capital, 220-pound frame, receiving ability, and explosiveness to handle one of the biggest workloads in fantasy football. I currently have him ranked as my RB7, but I don’t think that’s his ceiling. If he stays healthy, Hampton is one of my favorite dark-horse candidates to finish as the RB1 overall.
2. Kyren Williams, Los Angeles Rams
At some point, I think we just have to accept that Kyren Williams is one of the best fantasy running backs in football. Williams has now put together three straight seasons with more than 1,100 rushing yards and 13 total touchdowns while consistently dominating the most valuable touches in one of the NFL’s best offenses. Even with Los Angeles decreasing his workload last season, Williams remained heavily involved around the goal line and once again produced as an RB1. He handled 68% of the Rams’ red-zone running back touches and has established himself as one of Sean McVay’s most trusted players when the offense gets close to the end zone.
The concern is always that Blake Corum or another back will eventually take enough work to knock Williams out of the RB1 conversation, but we’ve been waiting for that to happen for multiple seasons. Los Angeles reducing his workload slightly might actually be a positive if it helps Williams stay healthy while preserving his receiving and goal-line opportunities. The Rams remain one of the better offenses in football with Matthew Stafford and Puka Nacua, and Williams also enters the season with the second-easiest projected schedule for fantasy running backs. I’m not drafting him expecting another 300-plus carry season. I don’t think he needs one. As long as Williams continues controlling the high-value touches in this offense, I’m comfortable betting on another RB1 finish.
3. David Montgomery, Houston Texans
David Montgomery’s final season in Detroit makes his current price look much worse than the player actually was. His workload continued to decline behind Jahmyr Gibbs, but Montgomery still finished with 716 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on only 158 carries while adding another 192 yards through the air. That works out to 4.5 yards per carry despite playing in an increasingly limited role. Houston clearly believes there is still plenty left, trading for Montgomery this offseason after Joe Mixon’s injury-plagued 2025 season.
I’ve also come around significantly on Montgomery’s situation since the trade. Woody Marks will absolutely be involved, but Montgomery doesn’t need to dominate passing downs to outperform his current price. He has scored at least eight rushing touchdowns in three consecutive seasons and has already proven he can handle 200-plus carries when given the opportunity. Houston should also give him plenty of chances near the goal line with C.J. Stroud leading the offense. I’m expecting a committee, but I believe Montgomery has the better chance to lead this backfield in carries and goal-line work. At his current RB2/RB3 price, I’m willing to bet on a proven runner getting another opportunity to handle significant volume.
4. Bhayshul Tuten, Jacksonville Jaguars
Bhayshul Tuten is one of my favorite running backs to target this year and someone I believe has legitimate top-12 upside. Tuten didn’t receive a massive workload as a rookie, finishing with only 93 touches before a finger injury cost him the stretch run of the season, but he was extremely impressive on a per-touch basis. Among qualifying running backs, Tuten ranked fifth in rushing success rate, 11th in missed tackle rate, and 17th in yards after contact per attempt, according to Fantasy Points Data. He also scored seven touchdowns on those 93 touches, showing the explosiveness that made him one of my favorite backs coming out of Virginia Tech.
The biggest difference entering Year 2 is that we finally have a path to significant volume. Travis Etienne is gone after handling 296 touches last season, leaving Tuten to compete with Chris Rodriguez for the lead role in Jacksonville. Rodriguez will be involved and could steal some goal-line work, but I don’t need Tuten to become a 300-touch workhorse. If he can earn 60% or more of this backfield, I’m willing to bet on the talent. Etienne finished as the RB13 in fantasy points per game in Liam Coen’s offense last season, and I think Tuten can be the more explosive player. I’m going to have a ton of Tuten this year because if the workload hits, I think we’re looking at one of the biggest running back breakouts in fantasy football.
5. Jaylen Warren, Pittsburgh Steelers
Jaylen Warren finally received a larger workload last season and responded with the best year of his career. Warren set career highs with 211 carries, 958 rushing yards, and eight total touchdowns while finishing as the RB18 in fantasy points per game. More importantly, the efficiency that made him so intriguing in a smaller role didn’t disappear with additional volume. Warren ranked sixth among qualifying running backs in missed tackle rate, ninth in yards after contact per attempt, and 12th in rushing success rate, according to Fantasy Points Data. He was also one of the better receiving backs in football, ranking third in yards per route run and seventh in first downs per route run at the position.
Rico Dowdle’s arrival is going to prevent Warren from becoming a traditional workhorse, but Warren has spent his entire career sharing touches and continues to outperform expectations. Kenneth Gainwell is also gone after finishing fifth among running backs in receptions last season, creating additional receiving opportunities that fit Warren’s game perfectly. Warren has outperformed his ADP in three of his first four NFL seasons, and I think we’re about to see it happen again. Give him another 200-plus carries with an expanded receiving role and he doesn’t need to dominate the backfield to return RB2 value. If the touchdowns increase, there’s an even higher ceiling available.
6. Rachaad White, Washington Commanders
Rachaad White isn’t on this list because I suddenly expect him to become an elite runner. He’s here because his receiving ability has consistently given him a fantasy ceiling that doesn’t match where he’s currently being drafted. White has averaged more than 50 receptions per season through his first four years in the NFL and already has an RB1 finish on his résumé. Even last season, when Bucky Irving took over Tampa Bay’s backfield, White still caught 40 passes while finishing with 790 total yards.
We also saw last year that White can remain fantasy relevant when he’s given the lead role even without elite rushing efficiency. During his extended run as Tampa Bay’s primary back, White averaged 14.6 touches per game and finished as the RB23 in fantasy points per game. Now he gets another opportunity in Washington, where I’m willing to bet on his receiving profile at an RB4 price. White doesn’t need 20 carries every week to hit. If he wins the lead role and gets somewhere around 12-15 touches per game with consistent passing-down work, he should easily outperform his ADP. If Washington gives him anything close to the workload he handled earlier in his career, there’s significantly more upside than the market is giving him credit for.
