Top 3 Dynasty Rookie Draft Targets: Running Backs (Fantasy Football)

The fantasy playoffs are in the rearview, and for dynasty fantasy football managers, that means one thing: 2026 rookie draft season has arrived. Dominating your rookie draft is the most cost-effective way to increase your roster value and transform a middling team into a perennial contender.

Drawing on my experience in devy and Campus 2 Canton formats, I’ve spent years scouting this class to identify elite producers and avoid landmines. Today, I’m breaking down the prospects I believe can hold first-round value in dynasty fantasy football Superflex drafts. Here are all of the first-round prospects to consider in dynasty rookie drafts. And below we dive into the top running backs of the 2026 dynasty rookie class.

Top Dynasty Rookie Draft Targets: Running Backs

Running Backs

Jeremiyah Love (RB – Notre Dame)

Jeremiyah Love will end up the consensus 1.01 regardless of league format, just as Ashton Jeanty was last year. I see Love as a similar-level prospect to Jeanty, and I would actually prefer him to Jeanty in dynasty today, given he’s 18 months younger.

Love was the engine that powered this Notre Dame offense over the past two years, racking up over 3,000 scrimmage yards and 40 touchdowns since 2024. He has the size, athleticism, short-area quickness, long speed and receiving ability to break fantasy football. I don’t see any red flags in Love’s profile.

Justice Haynes (RB – Michigan)

While I think Jeremiyah Love is the only running back in this class with a real chance of going in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, there are two more who could creep into the first round of rookie drafts, depending on draft capital and landing spot.

Justice Haynes is one of those names, a junior running back out of Michigan who transferred from Alabama and showed out in 2025. Haynes has some eye-popping breakaway speed and the skillset to be a three-down back at the next level. The concerns are Haynes’ lack of lateral agility and elusiveness, as well as the foot injury he suffered late in the season.

Jonah Coleman (RB – Washington)

Jonah Coleman has been one of my favorite prospects since his Arizona days. He’s a big, bruising back who has consistently ranked atop the FBS in rushing efficiency metrics like missed tackles forced and yards after contact. Coleman won’t be running away from any defensive backs, but he can get you the tough yardage in between the tackles and move the chains.

Coleman was also one of the best receiving backs in the country in 2025, showcasing his versatility. Injury troubles capped Coleman’s production this season, as he suffered a knee injury in November that limited his effectiveness. If he can get Day 2 draft capital, Coleman will be a first-round selection in rookie drafts.