In July, Dave Richard, Jamey Eisenberg, and I are all releasing our Fantasy Football Tiers for quarterback, running back, wide receiver, and tight end. To try to make mine a little bit different, my tiers are based almost exclusively on my 2026 projections. I say almost, because at running back, once you get to the backup running backs, their value becomes less about their projection and more about their upside if the guy in front of them suffers an injury. There are a couple of other tweaks, but for the most part I will tell you below where these guys project and when I would draft them. Let's jump right in.
Jamey and I broke down our running back tiers with Adam Aizer on Fantasy Football Today; check it out:
Tier 1
Gibbs and Robinson are the only backs I have projected for more than 20.5 PPR Fantasy points per game. These are arguably the two best running backs in football and the top two consensus picks in our rankings. They are both supremely talented, projected for workhorse roles, and entering their prime. There is not much more you can ask for out of an RB1. Gibbs gets the slight edge for RB1 because of the quality of their offenses, but barring injury, I would expect these two to be battling for the number one overall pick for the next three seasons.
Tier 2
Christian McCaffrey Jonathan Taylor
McCaffrey and Taylor are two points clear of RB5 in my projections and almost close enough to Gibbs and Robinson to be in the same tier. But they don't feel quite as insulated, which is why they're in Tier 2. McCaffrey has age and workload concerns, and wasn't near the same back in the running game last year. Taylor is touchdown dependent and may have contract concerns resurfacing in training camp. McCaffrey is RB3 in full PPR leagues, but if catches count for less than a full point, I actually prefer Taylor. All three of us have both of these backs in our top seven in full PPR leagues.
Tier 3
Achane and Cook are the last two running backs that I have ranked in Round 1, with projections between 17 and 18 PPR FPPG. But their profiles are quite a bit different. Cook has scored 32 touchdowns over the last two seasons and led the NFL in rushing last season. Achane thrives on receptions (145 over the last two seasons) and efficiency (league-best 5.7 yards per carry) in 2026. Cook is the better floor play at the end of Round 1, but Achane has more upside. The question is how to solve the seeming conflict between Malik Willis' low running back target rate and the fact that the Dolphins don't have anyone else to throw to.
Tier 4
Chase Brown Derrick Henry Saquon Barkley Josh Jacobs
This is the point where the rankings and the projections diverge. Henry, Barkley, and Jacobs all project as clear RB1s between 16 and 17 FPPG in Fantasy Football but all have enormous question marks that cause me to rank them lower than their projection. For Henry, it's Father Time's undefeated record, and the fact that Henry lost his All-Pro center and fullback in the offseason. For Jacobs, it's off-field concerns that remain unresolved as training camp opens. For Barkley, it's his lackluster 2025. For now, Barkley and Henry should be drafted at the two-three turn, but Jacobs will be in Round 4 for me until we find out whether he'll be facing a suspension. If Jacobs is cleared, he may be the safest of the group.
Tier 5
Omarion Hampton Ashton Jeanty Breece Hall Kenneth Walker Kyren Williams
This group all projects for 15 FPPG, but Williams is the only back in the tier that has past production to justify that projection. We expect Hampton and Jeanty to benefit from new offensive coordinators and better offensive line play; in fact, many project them as top 10 backs already. I am not quite there but I would agree they have the most upside in the tier. Walker is the biggest wild card. The opportunity to be a feature back is there; what remains in question is whether the Chiefs will employ him in the passing game and how many short-yardage TDs he scores. Historically, that has been Patrick Mahomes' area of the field. I am the highest on Hall relative to consensus, though I don't think anyone doubts he has the talent. The offensive line in New York should be good; we just need his role in the passing game to return.
Tier 6
Cam Skattebo D'Andre Swift Quinshon Judkins Javonte Williams Travis Etienne Jeremiyah Love
The Tier 6 backs project between 12.5 and 13.5 FPPG but the young guys have far more upside than that. Skattebo and Judkins are progressing well off devastating lower leg injuries; they should be ready for camp but how effective they will be remains to be seen. Most people are ranking Love higher than this, and I do too. But it is hard to project that for him on a bad offense that also plans to use Tyler Allgeier and James Conner. Love had great passing game chops, but shares the field with target hog Trey McBride, and running back targets are often negatively correlated with tight end targets. Still, I don't blame you if FOMO causes you to reach into early Round 3 due to Love's talent.
Tier 7
Tony Pollard TreVeyon Henderson Jaylen Warren Bucky Irving Rhamondre Stevenson David Montgomery RJ Harvey Rico Dowdle Bhayshul Tuten J.K. Dobbins Jadarian Price
We have reached the borderline RB2/flex range of the projections. These guys are projected between 11 and 12 FPPG, though there is certainly more upside than that. If someone wins a clear RB1 role in New England, Pittsburgh, or Denver, then my projection will be way too low for that guy. Price is another guy who could earn a much larger role early in the season but I am worried Zach Charbonnet comes back at the worst time for Fantasy managers and squashes Price's upside.
Tier 8
Chuba Hubbard Jacory Croskey-Merritt Kyle Monangai Aaron Jones Kenneth Gainwell Jordan Mason Jonathon Brooks Rachaad White
This group is projected for nine to 10 FPPG, but some of what I said about the last group is certainly true here. That is particularly true for the Carolina backs. I think most people have Hubbard at least one tier ahead of Brooks, but if Brooks is truly healthy, I actually think he'll take the lead role in Carolina. He has more juice, better pedigree, and the Panthers have been salivating to use him in the passing game. These guys are best viewed as flexes with RB2 upside, but in a best-case scenario I could see Brooks challenging for RB1 status. If he pops early in camp, he'll be featured in every training camp risers article.
Tier 9
Woody Marks Blake Corum Tyrone Tracy Tyjae Spears Chris Rodriguez
We have reached the running backs that are exclusively backup running backs, though some may object to a few of the names above being called exclusively backups. That's what separates them from the backs in Tier 10: I do think there is a chance these guys are deep flexes even when the starters are healthy. Marks, Tracy, and Spears should all have a role on passing downs and Corum should be sharing series with Williams like he was in the second half of 2025. Rodriguez? Well, he's the most mysterious. He played in college for Liam Coen and he's probably more of a professional running back than Tuten. My current expectation is that Rodriguez and Tuten split early downs in Tuten's favor while LeQuint Allen handles the majority of third downs and two-minute drills. What Tuten managers have to hope is that Rodriguez doesn't steal short-yardage touchdowns.
Tier 10
Zach Charbonnet Alvin Kamara Dylan Sampson Isiah Pacheco Tyler Allgeier Mike Washington Brian Robinson
Charbonnet is the one guy that sticks out from this group. I think he'll be the best running back in Seattle once he's healthy, but that could be December. All reports have been positive so far, but his injury happened very late in the year. If you have multiple IR spots in your league, then you can consider Charbonnet as early as Round 10. If you have zero IR spots and short benches, then I am not sure you'll be able to justify holding him until he's ready to play. Everyone else in this tier probably needs an injury to be Fantasy relevant.
Tier 11
Kaytron Allen Nicholas Singleton Demond Claiborne Jonah Coleman Marshawn Lloyd Braelon Allen Kimani Vidal Keaton Mitchell
Want a "most likely to skyrocket in camp" name? It's Marshawn Lloyd. He's finally healthy and Jacobs has legal troubles. If Lloyd stays healthy and Jacobs' troubles get worse, Lloyd could jump five tiers. But even if Jacobs isn't suspended, a healthy Lloyd should be drafted much earlier than he currently is. I'm just being a little bit cautious because I would like to see him make it through a month of practice without any injuries.
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