NFL Draft Fantasy Rookie Running Back Rankings

Michael Fabiano lays out his top 20 rookie RBs heading into the 2026 NFL draft.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Jeremiyah Love projects to be a top-10 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. | Michael Caterina-Imagn Images

The 2026 rookie running back NFL draft class has some depth, but it’s all about one player from a fantasy football perspective: Notre Dame’s Jeremyiah Love. Projected as a top-10 pick, he’s the apple of every fantasy manager’s eye, in redraft and dynasty. 

A three-down runner with massive upside, Love will be the first overall pick in most rookie-only drafts. He’ll also be a candidate to be a first-rounder in redraft leagues, especially if he lands with the Tennessee Titans or Washington Commanders with a top-seven selection.

The rest of the notable backs in this class, including  Love’s college teammate, Jadarian Price, Arkansas’s Mike Washington Jr., Washington’s Jonah Coleman and Nebraska’s Emmett Johnson are all talented but team-dependent in determining their fantasy appeal. So, while Price is my No. 2 back now, he could be usurped by one of the other runners if they end up with one of the few backfield-needy teams in the league, such as the Seattle Seahawks.

Here’s my look at the top 20 rookie running backs heading into the 2026 NFL draft.

2026 Fantasy Rookie Running Back Rankings

Rk	Player	Pos	TM	Bye
1	Jeremiyah Love	RB	ND	20
2	Jadarian Price	RB	ND	22
3	Jonah Coleman	RB	WAS	22
4	Mike Washington Jr.	RB	ARK	22
5	Emmett Johnson	RB	NEB	22
6	Nicholas Singleton	RB	PSU	22
7	Kaytron Allen	RB	PSU	23
8	Seth McGowan	RB	KU	24
9	Demond Claiborne	RB	WFU	22
10	J'Mari Taylor	RB	UVA	24
11	Le'Veon Moss	RB	TAMU	23
12	Noah Whittington	RB	ORE	24
13	Roman Hemby	RB	IND	23
14	Jamarion Miller	RB	ALA	22
15	Robert Henry Jr.	RB	UTSA	24
16	Desmond Reid	RB	PIT	21
17	Jaydn Ott	RB	OKL	23
18	Kaelon Black	RB	IND	24
19	Adam Randall	RB	CLE	21
20	Rahsul Faison	RB	S.C.	26

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