FantasyPros - The ONLY Running Backs You Need in Your 2026 Fantasy Football Drafts | Round-By-Round Analysis (Ep. 1984)

Welcome back to FantasyPros, the Fantasy Football Podcast. I’m Joey P with Jake Seely and Pat Fitzmaurice, and we’re mapping your 2026 draft plan by locking in a favorite running back value in every round. It’s March, college hoops can wait, so let’s hit round one.

Round one, I’m chasing Jonathan Taylor as a back‑half value who can jump into the Bijan and Gibbs tier. If the elite three or four picks are gone, Taylor’s touchdown upside, workload, and path to top‑tier production make him my swing at picks nine or ten.

Even if a rookie like Jeremiah Love lands perfectly, I’d still prefer Taylor in redraft. His late‑season dip looked more like a buzzsaw schedule than a quarterback issue, and if I could’ve taken the chalk, I would’ve gone Bijan.

Round two, Pat—who’s the value play?

Ashton Jeanty. He battled a broken offense last year and still delivered 1,300 scrimmage yards, 55 catches, and 10 scores; better line play and a cleaner setup should lift him. At this price, he can return first‑round payoff.

I’m in on Jeanty and the bounce‑back. The early rounds set up nicely to double tap running back because his profile—ridiculous yards after contact in a bad situation—screams buy.

Round three swings back to you, Jake—Derrick Henry?

In the third, yes; in the second, I’m out. The new staff is an unknown and his receiving is capped, but the rushing volume and goal‑line chances still make sense here, even with some week‑to‑week chop.

He was volatile and he’s entering the danger zone age‑wise, yet he still helped teams last year. At this ADP cluster, a lot of backs feel pricey, so tread carefully.

Round four, Pat—plant the flag.

Kyren Williams. Three straight seasons of strong per‑game output in a top offense, and his role hasn’t changed. At this cost, I’ll gladly take steady yardage, touchdowns, and McVay’s trust.

People keep trying to talk themselves off Kyren, but the Rams keep feeding him high‑value touches. Even with Blake Corum in the room, goal‑to‑go share and trust say Kyren remains the engine—round four is a steal.

Round five, Jake—who’s the pick?

I’m usually skipping RBs here for receivers, but if I have to choose, RJ Harvey is a contingency swing with real payoff if the backfield tilts his way. Dobbins’ durability keeps the door open, and Harvey flashed RB1 weeks down the stretch.

I’d lean TreVeyon Henderson instead. Dobbins handled solid volume when active, and Harvey’s role shrank next to him; Henderson already proved he can produce when called on.

Round six, Pat—give us a steady hand.

David Montgomery in Houston. He profiles as the early‑down and goal‑line hammer for a team that should play from ahead often, and his efficiency held up in Detroit. Not flashy, but rock‑solid value in this range.

Round seven, Jake—swing with upside.

Rhamondre Stevenson. New weapons aside, this offense will lean on the run, and the committee actually kept him efficient late. As an RB2 for zero‑RB or WR‑heavy builds, he brings real weekly ceiling.

Round eight, Pat—ceiling play?

Blake Corum. I don’t usually handcuff in drafts, but Corum’s contingency value behind Kyren is sky‑high; he’s a top‑ten back every week Kyren sits, and he’s usable in a pinch even when Kyren plays.

Round nine, Jake—hidden volume?

Tyler Allgeier. Arizona’s moves suggest he’ll handle most of the rushing while James Conner soaks up receiving. It’s not sexy, but round‑nine volume can turn into low‑end RB2 numbers, and there’s more if Conner misses time.

Round ten, Pat—discount you trust?

JK Dobbins. Before the injury he was giving you mid‑RB2 output, even in a format that doesn’t boost him. The health risk is obvious, which is why round ten feels like the right price to take the shot.

Round eleven, Jake—late dart with a path?

Chris Rodriguez in Jacksonville. The contract signals a real role, with Basel Tutten as an explosive change‑up rather than a bell cow. It’s a free swing at early goal‑line work, and you can move on quickly if it doesn’t materialize.

Round twelve, Pat—final flyer?

Dylan Sampson. He projects as Cleveland’s passing‑down back and has a path to more if Quinchon Judkins is slow to return from a major injury. At this stage, that receiving role and contingency upside are worth the chip.

That’ll do it for us, but the story of the game keeps rolling. For Jake Seely and Pat Fitzmaurice, I’m Joey P—thanks for hanging with us, and we’ll see you next time, kids.