Breece Hall & Kenneth Walker III Among Top 2026 NFL Free Agent Running Backs

2026 NFL free agent running backs headlined by Breece Hall and Kenneth Walker III could reshape fantasy football leagues and contender backfields depending on where they land.

New York Jets running back Breece Hall (20) rushes the ball against the Atlanta Falcons during the first half at MetLife Stadium. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

NFL free agency is set to begin on March 11, and there will be plenty of big-time players on the move. This season, there are a lot of great running backs available. The kind of players that can take a good offense and potentially make it great. These are the top running backs that will be available in free agency during the 2026 offseason. 

Breece Hall

Hall was an outstanding prospect who has flashed his elite upside in the NFL. Unfortunately, he has been held back because he's been stuck in a terrible New York Jets offense through the first four years of his career. This is a player who could land in the right offense and immediately become the RB1 overall in fantasy football, and put a team over the top for a Super Bowl run. 

Kenneth Walker III

Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) leaves the field following an NFC Divisional Round game against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field. | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

Walker has always been an outstanding running back with game-breaking ability, but health and volume had become issues for him. However, that all changed when the Seahawks were Super Bowl-bound after his running mate, Zach Charbonnet, tore his ACL. All Walker did was help lead the Seahawks to a championship and be named the Super Bowl MVP. He made himself a whole lot of money in that game.   

Travis Etienne Jr

Etienne bounced back in a major way in 2025 after struggling mightily in 2024. In 2025, he rushed for 1,107 yards and seven touchdowns, and caught 36 passes for 292 yards and six more touchdowns. Those numbers will earn him a nice contract somewhere. 

Tyler Allgeier

Atlanta Falcons running back Tyler Allgeier (25) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Allgeier might be the most intriguing running back entering free agency. He rushed for 1,035 yards as a rookie, then has been very productive ever since, despite being stuck behind Bijan Robinson on the Atlanta Falcons' depth chart. In 2025, he rushed for eight touchdowns. Hopefully, he lands somewhere where he gets a chance to be a true RB1.  

Rico Dowdle

After his dominant albeit short stretch as the RB1 for the Carolina Panthers. Already coming off a better run than he got credit for with the Dallas Cowboys, a team could offer him a strong contract this offseason and look for him to be their top back. 

Kenneth Gainwell

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kenneth Gainwell (14) rushes for a touchdown against the Baltimore Ravens during the second half at Acrisure Stadium. | Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

Gainwell was shockingly great in 2025 with the Pittsburgh Steelers, despite starting the season as the clear RB2 in the backfield. By the end of the season, that was no longer the case. He rushed for 537 yards and five touchdowns on 4.7 yards per carry, and caught 73 passes for 486 yards and three more touchdowns. It's unlikely he will be a bell-cow back, but he could step in as the top back in a committee and be extremely productive after his performance in Pittsburgh.