After the 2026 NFL Draft we are still holding out hope for the 2025 running backs
By Heath Cummings Apr 29, 2026 at 2:29 pm ET • 2 min read 
USATSI I am not one to point fingers, but if you are looking to place blame for the lack of excitement about the 2026 rookie class you can start with the running back position. In first update of my running back rankings since the 2026 NFL Draft, I only have two rookies inside of my top 40, Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price. In a Supeflex league with tight end premium scoring, those are the only two backs I would take with a top 20 pick in a rookie draft. This is a far cry from year ago when running backs accounted for half of Round 1 of rookie drafts.
This lack of fresh talent coming into the league has really harmed the depth of the position in Dynasty. That is only going to get worse as older backs fall off in 2026. It has also made me far more interested in some of those 2025 rookies who weren't first round picks. Bhayshul Tuten, Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Kyle Monangai, Dylan Sampson, and Woody Marks all rank higher than my RB3 in the 2026 class (Mike Washington Jr.).
I had Jacob Gibbs on Fantasy Football Today Dynasty to break down our thoughts on the 2026 class. We talked about the dearth of running backs in the 2026 class, but there are still a few guys we have hope for. Check it out here:
The first takeaway I would offer is that if you have a 2026 second that you were hoping to use to strengthen in your running back room, I would see if you could trade it for Tuten, Croskey-Merritt, or Monangai. Yes, even an early second-round pick. The case for Monangai is pretty simple; he was a flexworthy player as a rookie and could see a larger share of the work in his second year. At the very least, he is more likely to help a contender this year than almost anyone you can draft in Round 2.
Looking to make a trade for a running back? My Dynasty trade charts, for both one-QB and Superflex leagues, are updated over at SportsLine. Check them out here.
Tuten and Croskey-Merritt both have higher ceilings in 2026 than Monangai and considerably lower floors. Either one could legitimately be the RB1 for their team Week 1, but they are going to have to deal with some pesky competition. For Tuten, it's Chris Rodriguez and LeQuint Allen. Rodriguez played for Head Coach Liam Coen and has been an efficient rusher on low volume in his career. Allen is less of a threat to Tuten's touches, but was the preferred option on third downs last year. Tuten needs to win at least one of those roles to be a Fantasy starter. Croskey-Merritt has more competition in Rachaad White, Jerome Ford, and Kaytron Allen. I think his chances of earning the passing downs role are much worse, but his chances of seeing 15 carries a game are better.
One final note, if you are a true contender, you may want to look older. D'Andre Swift, Tony Pollard, Chuba Hubbard all have better 2026 projections and could be cheaper in a trade. They also all look like 2026 winners coming out of the draft.
