Once upon a time, running backs were the unquestioned kings of fantasy football. The first round of drafts was absolutely dominated by the position. It wasn't that unusual to see nine or 10 backs taken in the first 12 picks.
DON'T MISS OUT: Sign up for our free, daily newsletter here.
Back in the long-ago days of my first fantasy league in 2004, my first two picks were LaDainian Tomlinson of the San Diego Chargers and Shaun Alexander of the Seattle Seahawks (an experienced group it wasn't—they went nuts on quarterbacks early). My quarterback was Jeff Garcia—in Cleveland. My wide receivers sucked, although a late-season trade for Torry Holt helped.
But it didn't matter. Tomlinson finished that year third in standard scoring at the position. Alexander finished first. I had two cannonballs loose in a pinball machine.
One championship later, this writer was hopelessly hooked on fantasy football. Running backs are why I'm here.
Now you know who to blame.
Of course, times have changed. In this age of PPR scoring and pass-heavy offenses, wide receivers have become far more valuable. The first round of fantasy drafts is usually a pretty even split—sometimes more wideouts are taken.
It's madness.
That isn't to say that the king is dead, though. Not completely. Assembling a strong fantasy backfield is as important as it ever was—having great wideouts is of little use if your backs are outscored by 30 points a week.
However, building that strong backfield can't be done willy-nilly. Drafting the wrong guy early can wreck a season faster than Taylor Frankie ruined The Bachelorette. On the flip side, getting the right runner can put a team over the top.
Knowing which is which can make you or break you. If only there was someone who could impart that information.
Say a handsome, charming, brilliant, and humble fantasy analyst with an affinity for the position.
League-Winning Running Backs
Derrick Henry, Baltimore
On some level, it feels a little weird to be talking up a running back who will turn 33 in January with 2,600-plus career carries of wear on his tires as a value at running back—especially when that running back has never had even 35 receptions in a season.
But King Henry is not like other running backs—no, sir.
Henry just keeps on stiff-arming defenders into intensive care—last year, he was second in the league with 1,595 rushing yards, second in the league with 16 rushing scores, and seventh among running backs in PPR points. Most importantly, Henry just didn't show any real signs of age despite 432 carries the past two years.
He'll stiff-arm Father Time right in the face.
David Montgomery, Houston
For the past two years, Montgomery served as the Robin to Jahmyr Gibbs' Batman in the Motor City—he hasn't had 200 carries in a season since his last 1,000-yard rushing season in 2023. But Montgomery gets to don the cowl again in 2026—after being traded to the Houston Texans for a box of Slim Jims and a bottle of Smirnoff, Montgomery will be the lead back for the Texans in 2026.
Montgomery wasn't bad for fantasy managers, even while playing second fiddle in Detroit—as recently as 2024, he was a top-20 PPR option. That was Montgomery's second such fantasy finish in the last three years, and the 29-year-old could be headed for a career high in carries this season.
His most to date were 247 in 2020. That year, he was fourth in PPR points among running backs.
Jadarian Price, Seattle
Price spent most of the 2025 season at Notre Dame watching Jeremiyah Love work his way into becoming a top-five pick in this year's draft—the 5'11, 209-pounder had just 113 carries. But Price averaged six yards per carry, scored 11 times on the ground, and showed enough that the defending Super Bowl champions used the final pick of Round 1 on him.
Mark this down. In pen. Price will outscore Love in PPR points in 2026.
That's right. I said it.
Ken Walker III is playing in Kansas City. Zach Charbonnet tore his ACL in the playoffs last year. If the Seahawks had big plans for Emanuel "Plan B" Wilson and George "Who?" Holani, they wouldn't have used a first-rounder on Price.
If he's as talented as Seattle appears to believe he is, by the time Charbonnet comes back he'll be well and truly Wally Pipp'ed.
Tony Pollard, Tennessee
I can see the face y'all are making. Stop it.
Yes, the idea of drafting Tony Pollard inspires about as much enthusiasm as the drive to get a root canal—without anesthetic. But it's not like the 29-year-old hasn't produced for fantasy managers—last year's career-high 1,082 rushing yards was the fourth straight season that Pollard has rushed for 1,000 yards. He was RB23 in PPR points last year on a garbage offense.
That offense should be better in 2026 after the team added the likes of veteran Wan'Wan'Dale Robinson and rookie Carnell Tate at wide receiver, but the Titans somewhat surprisingly didn't do much at running back in the offseason, setting up Pollard for a fourth-straight season with at least 275 touches.
After all, Tyjae Spears will probably be hurt by the time you finish reading this.