In 2025, 21 NFL teams averaged at least 26 rushing attempts per game. That’s a significant jump from 17 teams in 2021, and it shows a massive resurgence for the run game in the NFL. For us fantasy managers, this means one thing: running backs are back, baby! Forget the old trend of dodging RBs on draft day to snag wide receivers. The league’s defenses are trying to stop big passing plays, and teams are leaning hard on the ground game again. You absolutely have to go into your 2026 fantasy draft with a rock-solid plan for when to grab your running backs.
The Game Has Changed: Your Draft Strategy Needs an Upgrade
Seriously, this isn’t the year to sleep on running backs. My favorite strategy in half-PPR leagues is still Hero-RB, where you grab one elite back in the first two or three rounds and then attack the position with mid-round picks. But if your draft spot calls for it, I’m not even opposed to going RB-RB early! Zero-RB this season? Not my favorite move, but it can still work if you know exactly when to pivot and start picking up your backs. That’s where these tiers come in. They are your blueprint, a much better guide than just blindly following a rank list. Get ready to dominate your league.
Tier 1: These Guys Are League-Winners, Period
If you’re drafting in the early first round, you’ve got two names screaming for your attention: Jahmyr Gibbs and Bijan Robinson. Gibbs is an absolute monster with David Montgomery gone. He could just break fantasy this year! Over the last three seasons, Montgomery missed six games due to injury, and Gibbs? He scored at least 21.5 half-PPR points in five of them. When Montgomery missed three games in 2024 with a knee injury, Gibbs averaged a mind-blowing 29.1 half-PPR points over that span. That kind of production is undeniable.
Then there’s Bijan Robinson. What a year he had in 2025: 287 carries for 1,478 yards and seven touchdowns, plus 79 catches for 820 yards and four touchdowns on 103 targets! His role in the passing game is going to be huge, especially if Tua Tagovailoa is still slinging the ball. Remember how Tua helped De’Von Achane rack up 172 targets, 145 catches, 1,080 yards, and 10 touchdowns over the past two seasons? Yeah. New coach Kevin Stefanski is also going to keep feeding Robinson on the ground. I’m telling you, I plan to draft Robinson at No. 2 overall in all my leagues. He’s that good.
Tier 2: Solid Gold in the Middle-to-End of Round 1
Moving into the middle to the end of the first round, you’re looking at names like Jonathan Taylor, James Cook, Chase Brown, and Christian McCaffrey. Jonathan Taylor is a guy to watch closely. He averaged 25.2 half-PPR points through the first 10 games of 2025 when Daniel Jones was healthy. But here’s the kicker: after Jones suffered a broken leg and then a ruptured whatever, Taylor never eclipsed 15.5 half-PPR points in the final seven games. That’s a massive drop-off, showing just how crucial quarterback play can be for an elite back. You’ve got to consider that context for 2026.
So, as we get closer to draft day, keep these tiers in your head. The run game is back in a big way, and the fantasy landscape has shifted. Knowing when to grab these game-changing backs will be the difference between hoisting that championship trophy and wondering what went wrong. Your league is watching, so make the right moves!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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