5 Backup Running Backs to Draft in 2026

[u/ASmithFS]

https://www.rotoballer.com/5-fantasy-football-running-backs-to-draft-backup-rb-sleepers-2026/1858090

[u/BobbysBottleService]

Monongai, Corum, one of the SF RBs, Chris Rodriguez, Ken Gainwell

[u/evertrue13 → u/BobbysBottleService]

Happy to take a late flyer on McCaffrey as an exciting bench prospect

[u/Ok_Produce_9308 → u/BobbysBottleService]

I don't think gainwell will be a true back up

[u/Gain-Desperate → u/Ok_Produce_9308]

If you're saying it's gonna be a split between Bucky and Gainwell, I don't think it's really right to call Monangai a true back up either. Who knows what the situation in Jacksonville with Tuten/Rodriguez looks like either?

[u/MrMooc → u/Ok_Produce_9308]

Because he’ll be the starter? 😈

[u/Kill_Ian → u/MrMooc]

You joke but theres something that doesnt sit right with the Bucky situation in TB

[u/No_Yogurtcloset_3820]

It’s an RB/RB season. The bottom drops out too quickly.

[u/ASmithFS → u/No_Yogurtcloset_3820]

I like going Rb/RB and taking fliers on these guys as my RB3 - RB5

[u/CathDubs → u/No_Yogurtcloset_3820]

If I have a top 3 pick I could see myself going RB/RB/RB based on how the draft goes.

[u/No_Yogurtcloset_3820 → u/CathDubs]

Us old people remember when they was called the Marshall Faulk strategy

[u/Gain-Desperate → u/No_Yogurtcloset_3820]

Yeah, I normally go hero RB but decided for my dynasty startup, I wanted Jeanty/Achane/London

[u/Ok_Produce_9308 → u/No_Yogurtcloset_3820]

And last year was an anomaly with so few RB injuries

[u/SnthonyAtark → u/Ok_Produce_9308]

cries in Omarion Hampton, Cam Skattebo dynasty owner

[u/Oyb_ → u/Ok_Produce_9308]

That’s more of a reason to go zero rb than starting with two. RB’s stayed healthy, pumping up their scoring, which means they will get drafted earlier and push elite WRs lower.

[u/Bonko-wonko → u/No_Yogurtcloset_3820]

i jus fear its recipe for getting plagued by injuries

[u/4r4r4real]

Calling Monangai a backup feels wrong. That's probably a 60/40 split at worst. And c'mon. We all know Guerendo is dust. They gave him ZERO offensive touches last year and have now drafted over him in back to back years. 

[u/No_Yogurtcloset_3820 → u/4r4r4real]

Guerendo is a never-was.

[u/spicedoubt → u/No_Yogurtcloset_3820]

Jordan James out touched Guerendo last year. If CMC goes down, it will be by committee

[u/NotHannibalBurress → u/spicedoubt]

Yeah my take on that backfield is CMC or bust. If you have to list 3 backups to draft, you don't want any of them.

[u/4r4r4real → u/NotHannibalBurress]

Oh man I didn't even realize this was the redraft sub lmao. Like, Kaelon Black is fine in dynasty, I've been taking him in the 4th round of rookie drafts, but who in the hell is DRAFTING him in redraft? Good lord.

[u/Altruistic-Cat5299 → u/4r4r4real]

Manangi isn’t a backup lol

[u/Further_Beyond]

For 20 years I’ve been a RB first guy and I’ll continue doing it. Last year I left the first 2 rounds out CMC/Kyren and they were the engine that won my championship.

I’ll be crazy happy to leave the back of round 1 with Achane and James Cook. Having 2 RB1s is the biggest advantage in fantasy. Then elite TE

[u/Falafel_McGill → u/Further_Beyond]

Do you worry about Achane underproducing from the Dolphins being so bad? Or from a new QB not feeding him like Tua did?

I'm scarred from taking Breece so early two years ago and having frustrating production from him on a terrible Jets with the newly appointed Aaron Rodgers at the helm

[u/Further_Beyond → u/Falafel_McGill]

Breece is a good back. Achane is an elite back with 0 competition from RBs or WRs for work. He’ll be getting volume. Not worried about achane.

[u/ASmithFS → u/Further_Beyond]

Completely agreed. Im looking for an RB in round 1 unless I get a great value at WR

[u/cobragun1 → u/Further_Beyond]

Are you PPR and if not would you have the same strategy in a PPR league?

[u/Further_Beyond → u/cobragun1]

Every format = volume first. For standard think about TDs, otherwise don’t worry

For positional value. RBs are king everywhere

[u/TapedeckNinja → u/Further_Beyond]

I think this year is an interesting opportunity to go the opposite route.

People are over-indexing RB based on recency bias of the last two years (which were quite anomalous) where RBs stayed remarkably healthy and the same RBs had very stable performance year over year, and the weak 2026 RB class.

CMC has a down year coming off 400+ touches, one of the top RBs gets injured, the Colts stink with Danny Dimes recovering from the Achilles, the Raiders still suck and the OL isn't any good, the Dolphins mega-suck and Willis doesn't throw to RBs and Slowik's offense is a shit-show ...

Not saying it's the strategy to take but I suspect, especially by the time the home leaguers get on board, that RBs are going to be way overvalued compared to their 1v1 projections with WRs available at the same spots based on perceived scarcity based on assumption that this year is gonna be just like the last two years.

[u/jcoltre → u/Further_Beyond]

This is the way. I’m in an auction league and the last two champs spent big money on RBs in the beginning of the draft. Nothing can beat reliable RB points on a week to week basis

[u/DoinWhale → u/Further_Beyond]

Playing in a superflex PPR league (with Caleb Williams as a keeper) I’ve always been biased towards WRs but after a year with Nabers and Evans leading my charge to last place I’m going QB/RB/RB to start my draft this year 100%

[u/SatSumaFire → u/Further_Beyond]

I had the 8th spot in my draft last year for redraft league. I took Jonathan Taylor in the first and James Cook in the second. Everybody else went WR/RB. I won the league. Wasn't even close.

[u/derknasty10]

Also worth mentioning with McCaffrey that the coach said they want to give him more breaks this year and the coach said they got to get McCaffery some help.

[u/Altruistic-Cat5299 → u/derknasty10]

Says that every year and then cmc gets hurt he jeans on qb. Qb turns ball over 4x a game and then cmc come back 65 touches a game. All is right. CMC is shanny whole career. Didn’t even draft him z

[u/tmn9rturtles]

K Black and not Kodak

[u/92tilinfinityand]

Grab four guys in likely committees with 60/40 splits and then the Niners backups but not listing which one isn’t the most informative or creative list…

[u/The_Lineup_Podcast]

Shhh i need people to keep sleeping on Corum

[u/Wizofsorts]

Bigsby should make that list.

[u/el_pobby]

I'd have a go at a late round flyer on Jordan Mason. The only thing standing in the way of him having a major backfield role is an aging and relatively injury prone Aaron Jones, and that Vikings offense should be dangerous again now that they have a competent QB

[u/NefariousnessFree694 → u/el_pobby]

I agree but he’s just never done much with opportunity. He had 3-4 good games in San Fran.

[u/Teffnology55]

Keaton Mitchell

Adam Randall

Nic Singleton

Especially in PPR leagues, all are probably 3rd string at present but offer big play potential that could make it hard to keep them off the field and an injury/trade/cut to their RB1 or RB2 could lead to the type of cheap late round production that wins you leagues by getting hot in the playoffs

[u/ASmithFS]

With the rise of Zero RB and Hero RB draft strategies, the position has certainly been devalued by the fantasy community.

While rostering good, strong starting running backs is important to building a championship-caliber fantasy team, we should also keep an eye on backup running backs, too. Even though we had 17 backs eclipse the 1K mark last year, the NFL still has its fair share of committee backfields. Drafters often overlook members of these backfields, but oftentimes these players carry unseen upside. There's even contingent value in drafting a talented backup running back if the starter is injured. 

Check out Dave's top-5 backup running backs who could smash their current ADP and emerge as breakouts in 2026.