Fantasy Football RB ADP: Top-20 Running Backs As Regular Season Nears
We break down the top-20 running backs by PPR ADP, along with some other late-round options to keep in mind.
Let's knock off another fantasy football position on our ADP tracker. We'll look at running backs here.
We've gone over ADPs for quarterbacks and tight ends, and will cover wide receivers in a story to come, so check back for that!
Like we did for the tight ends, all the ADPs listed will be from the PPR list. The standard league ADPs are available here.
Fantasy football average draft position data can be found on FantasySP in the leadup to the 2026 NFL season! Conduct your fantasy football mock drafts through FantasySP too - you can now customize the scoring settings to tailor to your fantasy leagues!
1. Jahmyr Gibbs
Gibbs is the top pick in fantasy drafts on average, although he's close with the No. 2 back.
Gibbs will be a workhorse for the Lions again in 2026, especially with Isiah Pacheco hitting the injured reserve list, which will keep him out four weeks.
Robinson is the other guy who is worthy of the top fantasy pick this year - I prefer him over Gibbs.
Robinson will be the workhorse in Atlanta, which doesn't have a very good offense, leaving tons of work for Robinson - that's why I like him over Gibbs.
CMC is still holding on to the No. 3 RB spot, but he's falling as the regular season nears - he's at pick five overall.
CMC is a really good PPR option because he does a ton of damage as a receiver. He's already battled injuries this year, and that's aiding in him slipping down the first round as the regular season nears.
Taylor is a back on the rise as the season nears. He's at pick seven on average.
He is a great first-round pick, and is coming off a great 2025 campaign. Taylor will be heavily used in the Colts' offense, which is lacking playmakers otherwise - that's why I like Taylor over McCaffrey.
5. James Cook
Cook is another RB who is rising as the season nears. He's at pick nine on average.
Cook has to contend with Josh Allen, who runs a lot, but Cook will still deliver monster fantasy numbers. Getting him near the end of round 1 feels like a win already, and I also like him over CMC right now.
Achane is the first RB pick outside the top 10, going at No. 12 overall.
He'll be the do-it-all back for Miami, which is lacking playmakers otherwise. It makes Achane a really appealing fantasy asset, especially in round 2.
7. Chase Brown
Brown is another back who is rising as the regular season approaches - he's at pick 13 overall.
Brown can do it all too, and is on a high-flying offense. He's a great second-round pick, and a stellar RB2 if you also got a back in round 1.
Barkley sits at pick 14 on average. That seems a bit high to me after what he produced a season ago.
He should take on more this season with A.J. Brown gone though, so I get it. I just think that price is too high, so I typically skip Barkley unless he falls closer to pick 20.
Jeanty is at pick 15.43 on average. He's fallen after dealing with an injury.
I thought he was going too early earlier in the preseason, so now I'm starting to see good value in picking Jeanty, especially if he slides closer to pick 20.
10. Omarion Hampton
Hampton is at pick 15.57 on average, and is a high-end option on a lot of fantasy owner's lists.
He's expected to shine in his second NFL season, but injury woes from last year should at least make you a bit more skeptical of taking him.
11. Kenneth Walker
Walker is at pick 17.14 on average. He too has been dealing with a minor injury as the season nears.
Walker is expected to be the workhorse back in KC, and with Patrick Mahomes ready for the season, that puts Walker in a great position. He could be a draft steal and good value, even though he's going within the top-20 picks.
12. Derrick Henry
Henry is the 12th back taken, going at pick 18.71 on average.
He keeps chugging along, and could be another draft steal/value from this pick. I love him as an RB2, and would also be happy to have him as my lead back, if you went with another position in round 1.
13. Jeremiyah Love
Love is at pick 29.57 on average, so there's a notable dropoff after Henry. Love is another back dealing with an injury.
He was another back going too early earlier this year, so the injury actually is getting him closer to the spot I'd want to take him at. He's still risky given the injury, and the amount of running backs the Cardinals have on the roster.
14. Kyren Williams
Williams is next off draft boards at pick 32.86 overall.
I thought his ADP might climb as the season neared, but that hasn't really materialized. I think he's a great value pick, and could be a good fantasy RB1, so getting him as a second option is stellar in my eyes.
15. Javonte Williams
Williams is sitting at pick 33 on average.
He was really good in 2025, and is lined up for another big season in 2026 with Dallas. He's a really solid RB2, and could outperform his ADP and become a good value in time.
16. Breece Hall
Hall is sitting at pick 37.14 - he's another RB dealing with an early-season injury.
Adding in that he's on a bad team/offense and it makes me even more skeptical of taking Hall. If he falls into the 40s, that's when I'd be happiest to draft him, but as a fantasy RB2 at best.
17. Travis Etienne
Etienne is going at pick 45.14 on average.
With Alvin Kamara banged up, I'm surprised Etienne's ADP isn't any higher. I think Etienne is a really good value near that pick, and he could end up being a pretty big draft steal, so look to target him near that pick, especially if you need a second fantasy RB.
18. Cam Skattebo
Skattebo is the first back taken in the 50s, sitting at pick 52.29.
He has injury concerns heading into this season, and on a new-look Giants' offense, there's more questions with Skattebo. His ADP has dropped to a respectable spot though, so getting him as a second or third option is a solid idea in my eyes.
19. Josh Jacobs
Jacobs is at No. 19, at pick 59.29 overall, but he's dropping quickly, and should continue to after being placed on the commissioner's exempt list.
I wouldn't take Jacobs in many leagues, as I don't think he's going to play much, if at all, this coming year. I'd let someone else take the risk.
20. Quinshon Judkins
Judkins is No. 20 on the RB ADP list, sitting at pick 63.29 overall.
He's the lead back for a below-average Browns' offense, so that holds him back. If Cleveland's offense can even be somewhat respectable though, Judkins could turn into a draft steal and great value, so I don't mind getting him in the middle rounds.
Other Notable Options
There's a ton of running backs worth mentioning yet, so let's rattle some off.
D'Andre Swift (pick 65.29), Bucky Irving (66.14) and David Montgomery (67.71) are three backs in close proximity with Judkins for a top-20 spot, and they could all get there with Jacobs likely to fall out soon. These guys are best drafted as third fantasy backs/flex starting options.
Bhayshul Tuten (84.29) and TreVeyon Henderson (86.29) and Jadarian Price (90.14) are three young backs going near each other. They are also fantasy RB3 types, but have higher upsides than the last group of backs we discussed, so I like nabbing them in my drafts if my other positions are shaping up well.
Rhamondre Stevenson (100.29) and Jaylen Warren (102.71) are two veteran backs going around pick 100. They are decent options to start the season, but likely in split backfields at best, they are better served as depth options.
Tony Pollard (116), Rico Dowdle (120.43), Jonathan Brooks (120.57), RJ Harvey (124.43), Chuba Hubbard (128.14), J.K. Dobbins (130.86), Blake Corum (135.86), Kyle Monangai (139.57), Kenny Gainwell (141.14) and Jordan Mason (143.14) are a big mess of running backs being taken very late in standard redraft fantasy drafts. A couple guys could be their team's lead backs early on, but they are better suited as depth fantasy assets, or deep-league options.
There will be other backs that make fantasy impacts in 2026. I just wanted to rattle off a list of guys I liked before ending things: Jacory Croskey-Merritt (150.43), Woody Marks (172.86), MarShawn Lloyd (176.86) and Zach Charbonnet (182.71).
