Outlook: Gibbs was electric last season, none more so than his highlight reel 264-yard, three touchdown day in a win over the Giants in Week 12. But while that game showed that Gibbs has the ability to carry a team to victory, it was a microcosm of the inefficiency of the offense, and the struggles of the o-line.

Gibbs set a career high with 320 touches last season, but had 150 fewer total yards than his career year in 2024. He topped 75 yards on the ground only six times all year and was saved in PPR leagues by hauling in 77 receptions. Even with the periodic issues on the offense, Gibbs still managed a top-5 finish, and his 2025 season should be his floor this season.

With a new coordinator, upgraded blocking, and a clear and publicly expressed bellcow role in the offense, Gibbs is a candidate for 1st overall status. With Montgomery gone, and only washed-up Isiah Pacheco vying for touches, Gibbs could flirt with 375 touches as he fills a McCaffreyesque role for the Lions.

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Outlook: All the hype surrounding Bijan Robinson since his NFL debut materialized last year when his 2,298 scrimmage yards led the league. Throw in his 79 receptions on 103 targets and 11 total TDs and it becomes clear why Robinson finished third in points per game among non-QBs. That production came despite receiving only 49% of red-zone rushing share thanks to Tyler Allgeier, who vultured eight TDs from Robinson.

Brian Robinson Jr. replaces Allgeier as Bijan's primary backup. New head coach Kevin Stefanski has implied that he wants to rely on Brian Robinson and not have the ground game run solely through Bijan. To what degree that will affect Bijan remains to be seen, but he's too dynamic and too explosive for it to prevent him from once again finishing as a top-3 RB. Bijan's already shown that he's QB-proof and system-proof, so drafting him at 1.01 or 1.02 should be nonnegotiable.

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Outlook: After nine years in the league, everyone knows the book on McCaffrey, a supremely talented back that has five elite seasons on his resume and three others completely ruined by injuries. A year ago, he managed to stay healthy, racking up 2,126 yards and 17 touchdowns. That's high-end RB1 production. It also put another 413 touches on his odometer, plus 37 more in the playoffs. That's extremely heavy usage in the modern NFL, and McCaffrey turned 30 during the offseason, an age that has traditionally heralded the end for many talented runners over the years.

We've seen backs buck that trend in recent seasons, most notably Derrick Henry, though the parallels between Baltimore's bruiser and McCaffrey largely end with the position they play. One thing that should remain true is that the 49ers will lean on the Stanford product when he's available, making him one of the few true workhorse backs remaining in the NFL.

Once Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs are off the board, you can consider McCaffrey a defensible choice as the third back to be drafted. His age and injury history mean he carries sizable risk, however, making him perhaps fantasy football's biggest risk/reward selection.

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Outlook: Jonathan Taylor's magical 2025 season paid huge dividends for fantasy managers who grabbed him in the second round last year. He delivered explosive production throughout the first two-thirds of the season, especially from Weeks 5 through 10. During that six-week stretch, he scored 13 total touchdowns while hauling in 17 receptions. Additionally, his four separate three-touchdown games made him just the fifth running back this century to accomplish that feat, joining LaDainian Tomlinson, Priest Holmes, Shaun Alexander, and Derrick Henry.

Conventional wisdom says Taylor should be one of the first three running backs selected in 2026. He's a true workhorse who rarely comes off the field and plays for a coaching staff that trusts him. Plus, the backs behind him don't present much of a threat to his workload. All of that is true. But expecting Taylor to replicate the video-game numbers he routinely produced in 2025 is unrealistic. RB1 production should absolutely be expected, but some regression is likely. A season with double-digit touchdowns and 1,800 total yards is still well within reach. Draft him in the top half of the first round and sleep well.

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Outlook: The early-career narrative that James Cook could not score touchdowns is now officially dead. After managing just four rushing scores across his first two seasons, the Bills drafted Ray Davis seemingly to handle the heavy lifting near the goal line. Cook responded by hoarding all those touches himself, erupting for 28 rushing touchdowns over the past two years. It wasn't just touchdown efficiency that carried him into RB1 territory, as he has now rushed for 1000-plus yards in three straight seasons into 2026.

Cook is a true bell cow in a league that barely has any left. There is practically zero competition for his touches between the tackles, and he completely owns the passing down work out of the backfield. Being tethered to Josh Allen in a high-scoring offense means his weekly floor is incredibly safe and when the Bills get inside the ten-yard line, Cook is getting the rock often enough to be considered a near-lock for double-digit total touchdowns.

You can confidently lock Cook in as an RB1 and spend a mid-to-late first round draft pick on him. He provides the type of elite volume needed to secure a fantasy championship this season.

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Outlook: The Grim Reaper has to be getting impatient as he waits for the end of Henry's career. The 32-year-old back continued to defy modern football, as he piled up yet another monster season. His 1,595 rushing yards were the 3rd most of his career, and his 16 touchdowns on the ground were second in the NFL. There were certainly times early in 2025 where it looked like Henry would finally fall off the cliff. Fumbling issues, and a tough stretch of games had the buzzards circling, but an absolute monster final four games (570 yards, six touchdowns) shooed them away. Understandably some of the advanced metrics have dipped, but he's a lock for 12 touchdowns, and owns the backfield carries. Apparently, he's been used extensively catching the ball this offseason, so any improvement in that area could offset any losses on the ground. The new O.C. comes from systems that highly utilized running backs out of the backfield, and it would give the offense a more unpredictable angle when Henry is on the field. Bottom line, Henry is a Hall of Famer, and well worth the risk as a top-10 option.

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Outlook: Barkley was on another level in 2024, compiling 2,283 combined yards and 15 touchdowns in 16 games on his way to earning Offensive Player of the Year honors. He logged an absurd 479 combined touches in the process, including the postseason, and savvy owners were wary about what kind of hangover effect that would have on the veteran back last season. Even the most skeptical owners had to have been taken aback by the level of regression, however, as Barkley saw his numbers crater to 1,413 yards and 9 TDs; within that, Barkley ran for 60 yards or less nine times in the first 12 games.

He finished the season on an upswing, but it's hard to sort out what, if anything, that means for 2026. Barkley turned 29 years old in February, and he's carried a heavy burden since entering the NFL back in 2018. The team's personnel moves suggest they'd like to feature the passing game more. None of these developments portend great things for Barkley. On the flip side, fantasy owners that banked on similar results from the former All Pro a year ago could devalue him based on their disappointing return on investment, which could potentially push Barkley down draft boards.

There aren't a lot of sure things at the running back position once you get past Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs -- even surefire RB1s like Christian McCaffrey and Jonathan Taylor carry durability concerns, and how much will teams stack the box to slow De'Von Achane? You might be able to grab Barkley around the RB10 slot, but he could return top-5 value at the position.

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Outlook: After trying to get by with Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt the past two seasons, the Chiefs took the plunge in free agency to sign Walker, who is coming off an inspired playoff run that culminated with 161 total yards in a Super Bowl win over the Patriots. In truth, Walker's four-year stint with the Seahawks was a mixed bag as he battled injury issues -- he missed nine games in his first three seasons before appearing in every game in 2025 -- and split time with Zach Charbonnet the past three years. His career average: 1,140 total yards and 8 TDs per season.

Expect him to be given every opportunity to play a larger role in Kansas City. The Chiefs have mixed and matched for years now at running back to limited success, and the idea of a true three-down option is why they handed a contract that pays more than $14 million per season at a position that's generally devalued. The team also drafted Emmett Johnson, a potential third-down back, and signed former Cardinals backup Emari Demercado to finish a complete overhaul of the position.

Walker looks like a strong RB2 in his first year with the Chiefs, and it's possible he could exceed that value if KC makes him the bell cow. Just bear in mind we've mostly seen middling production from the Michigan State product in the NFL, so don't overvalue him on draft day.

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Outlook: Following a quiet start, Hampton began to pick up steam, racking up 129 yards versus Denver in Week 3 and 165 yards against the G-Men in Week 4. He sustained a fractured left ankle in Week 5, however, and wouldn't see the field again for more than two months. The then-rookie was decent over his final four games, averaging 72 total yards and scoring twice, but he re-aggravated the ankle issue in the Wild Card loss to New England after just one carry. Add it all up, and it amounted to a mostly frustrating debut campaign for LA's first-round pick.

A year ago, the expectation was that he'd be eased in a bit alongside veteran Najee Harris. Now, the job is Hampton's from the jump with Harris gone as Kimani Vidal and newcomer Keaton Mitchell profile more as situational players than true complementary pieces. As a rookie, Hampton put up respectable numbers, averaging 4.4 yards per carry and totaling 32 receptions (a 60-catch pace over a full season), so it's easy to see where he could function as a true three-down back. Plus, although injuries undermined him a year ago, there's no reason to stick Hampton with an injury prone label at this stage.

Given his talent, the offense he operates in, and the expectation that he'll be a true lead back, Hampton heads into Year 2 with genuine top-10 potential at the position. There is a bit of a risk, though, as he's yet to show sustained production. Odds are he won't be around beyond Round 2 in fantasy drafts, however, so you'll need to decide your comfort level targeting Hampton as your RB1 versus someone more reliable but with a lower ceiling.

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Outlook: Any questions about the ability to handle a full workload were fully squashed after Brown's top-10 season last year. Once Joe Flacco solidified the passing game in Week 7, and Burrow returned in Week 13, Brown was one of the highest floor backs in the NFL. He was a marvel in all formats, as he rushed for over 1,000 yards, and gobbled up 69 receptions. He scored double-digit touchdowns for the 2nd straight year, and even better, he was in on almost 70% of the snaps last season, a number that should go up this season with Cinci having only a 31-year-old journeyman, and former 6th round pick behind him on the depth chart. The efficiency and explosiveness of the offense is going to depend on the health of Burrow, but if that happens, Brown has the scheme, skills, and opportunity to be a top tier RB1.

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Outlook: The decision of whether or not to spend first round draft capital on De'Von Achane comes down to weighing elite volume against significant red flags.

With Miami gutting its wide receiver depth chart, Achane enters 2026 as perhaps the most accomplished pass catcher on the entire roster. Securing 90 to 100 receptions is entirely realistic for him this season simply because new quarterback Malik Willis lacks reliable targets downfield. That PPR floor keeps Achane firmly in the RB1 conversation regardless of matchup scripts, which will almost certainly look brutal on paper most weeks.

The concerns in this offense are impossible to ignore. Miami projects to trot out a bottom tier offensive line and mobile quarterbacks like Willis historically avoid running back checkdowns while also stealing goal line carries. When defenses stack eight defenders in the box, Achane's efficiency per touch will take a noticeable hit, even with his historically elite explosiveness.

Combine those roster and system concerns with a troubling injury history that has cost him games in each of his first two seasons, and Achane's weekly range of outcomes becomes extremely wide. He has week-winning upside on raw volume alone, but his floor is far lower than typical early round picks. Treat him as a high variance RB1 who you'll want to spend another late-round pick handcuffing in case of emergency.

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Outlook: Kyren Williams continues to be a reliable fantasy workhorse, as he turned in his third consecutive top-12 fantasy RB season in 2025. He delivered 1,252 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground, adding 36 receptions for 281 yards and three receiving scores. These numbers would typically make him a shoo-in as an RB1 for fantasy again this season, but there are concerns as the Rams did make an effort to preserve him by mixing in Blake Corum. While most of that work came between the 20s with Williams retaining his lock on the high-value touches, there is a legitimate concern that the Rams could opt to make this an even more evenly split backfield in 2026. While the reduction in workload may reduce his ceiling, it did seem to help his rushing efficiency, and it should give him a better chance to remain healthy throughout the season.

The 2026 outlook for Williams remains incredibly stable. The offensive scheme remains intact, and the offense should again be elite. Corum's presence will continue to cap Williams' ceiling, but Williams is the unquestioned lead back and primary goal-line option for an offense that led the league in scoring this past year. His floor is incredibly safe given his heavy usage in scoring position.

Draft Williams with confidence as a low-end RB1 or elite RB2 in the late second or early third round. He lacks the receiving volume to push for the overall RB1 spot, but his multi-year track record of double-digit touchdowns makes him a great fantasy asset.

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