2026 Fantasy Football Rookie Running Back Rankings Featuring Jeremiyah Love

With dynasty leagues pivoting toward the 2026 NFL Draft, we break down the top five rookie running backs poised to shape future fantasy value, led by Notre Dame star Jeremiyah Love.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Jeremiyah Love (4) celebrates scoring against the Syracuse Orange during the first half at Notre Dame Stadium. | Michael Caterina-Imagn Images

Fantasy football leagues are over, so fantasy owners are starting to focus on their dynasty team for the 2026 season. The main focus for them will be the 2026 NFL Draft. No position gives you more value than a young stud running back. They are the key to winning fantasy championships. These are our early top-five rankings of the 2026 rookie running back class. This is the order we believe they will be drafted, and not our personal rankings. Those will be coming in the near future. 

1. Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Love is locked in as the top running back in this rookie class. We expect him to be selected as a top 10 pick in the draft and potentially the only running back picked in the first round. He projects to potentially be a bell-cow on the next level and should transition seamlessly to the NFL game. 

2. Nicholas Singleton, Penn State Nittany Lions

Penn State Nittany Lions running back Nicholas Singleton (10) carries the ball against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights during the first half at SHI Stadium. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

This is the back that we believe is going to shoot up draft boards through the draft process. We expect a great showing out of him at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine. Whether he deserves to be drafted this high is debatable, but his explosiveness, combined with impressive power, gives him as much, if not more, upside than any other running back in this draft other than Love. Look for him to make a push to be an early Day 2 pick or potentially even work his way into the back end of the first round.  

3. Jadarian Price, Notre Dame Fighting Irish

We have Price coming in at No. 3. His versatility is something NFL teams covet, and he is a dangerous player on all three downs. With Love being the top back in this draft there are two ways to view Price. You can view him as an outstanding back who could have started on any other team in the country if not for the bad luck of landing on the same team with the best running back in the country, or a product of an outstanding rushing attack that can make running backs look good.  

4. Jonah Coleman, Washington Huskies

Washington Huskies running back Jonah Coleman (1) rushes for a touchdown against the Colorado State Rams during the first quarter at Husky Stadium. | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

Coleman is an outstanding football player and deserves to be higher. Potentially even as high as No. 2. However, he is more likely to fall further than climb up. The issue that he's going to run into is the fact that we don't expect him to perform particularly well at the combine. While he's a great player, he won't blow you away athletically. This will cause him to fall in drafts, and someone will get a steal. This is a guy who you can give the ball to 20 times a game, and he will consistently get you four yards and fall forward.  

5. Emmett Johnson, Nebraska Cornhuskers

Johnson has a chance to be a special player on the next level. He is a patient runner with elite vision who waits for his moment and explodes through holes. Good luck trying to tackle him in space. His lateral agility is something to behold. Don't be shocked if he climbs up this list as we get closer to draft day.